Injury stops Wells before he can start again  —  TORONTO — David Wells was trying his best to be a medical miracle.  —  Whacked off the right kneecap with a line drive Friday night, Wells has made better progress than he thought, but his attempt to show that he could make his scheduled start tomorrow …

Wood earns first win in 10 1/2 months, hits clutch RBI for Cubs  —  CBS SportsLine.com wire reports  —  CHICAGO — Kerry Wood delivered his best start of the season when the Chicago Cubs needed him the most.  —  Wood pitched six solid innings and hit a key RBI single to get his first win since July 15 …

Hermida just about back to full speed  —  · A popular preseason National League Rookie of the Year pick, Jeremy Hermida has to make up ground to prove the prognosticators right.  —  One of his swings Sunday showed he might not be far from starting his push.

Dodgers' Gagne ready to return to team  —  Closer completes successful Triple-A rehab assignment  —  LAS VEGAS — It didn't take long for Eric Gagne to declare himself ready to face Major League hitters.  —  Gagne capped a successful rehab assignment at Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday …

Jered Weaver Rises to the Occasion in His MLB Debut  —  Jered Weaver made his much-anticipated major-league debut on Saturday night vs. the Baltimore Orioles.  He allowed only five O's to reach base (one by error) while putting up nothing but O's on the scoreboard over seven innings as the Angels beat the Birds, 10-1.

Defiant Unit finds change is good  —  DETROIT - If Randy Johnson has given in to the need to reinvent himself as a pitcher, as the Tigers seemed to think and even Ron Guidry indicated, he doesn't seem to want to admit it.  —  And you can't blame him for that.

Jose's 2nd chance  —  The Mets signed Jose Valentin in the offseason because of his versatility.  But the veteran handyman is also showing he's pretty good with the bat.  —  Making his second straight start at second base, Valentin went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in last night's 8-7 win over the Diamondbacks.

Stand-up guy should sit down  —  TORONTO — Give the guy credit.  —  He's been beaten like a drum the past two times out.  —  There's obviously something wrong with his right ankle, which was hit by a Bernie Williams liner last Wednesday, and it is changing his mechanics.

Mailbag: Could Ray take over as closer?  —  Beat reporter Mark Bowman answers fans' questions  —  If Chris Reitsma continues struggling in the closer role, do you think Bobby Cox will turn to Ken Ray?  If not Ray, who else do you think might fill in the closer spot?

Expectations were too high, but Mazzone staff is too low  —  We believe in miracle workers because we see them every day.  We see them in classrooms, above operating tables, patrolling our streets.  They really do exist in this world.  —  The Orioles needed a miracle worker.  What they got was a pitching coach.

At RFK, Nats Enjoy Comforts of Home  —  Perhaps it was their way of thanking the home team for not completely giving away the season before summer set in.  Or maybe it was a moment to say goodbye, an acknowledgement that they will next appear at RFK Stadium more than a week into June.

Fan taunting Jones gets earful from player's mom  —  It has been a tough first two months at Wrigley Field for new Cubs right fielder Jacque Jones.  —  He has been booed brutally and even had a ball whiz past his head, courtesy of a drunken fan in the bleachers.

Pirates Notebook: Vogelsong perseveres, performs in long-relief role  —  Ryan Vogelsong can go a week without pitching in a game.  —  He can go a year without pitching in one that matters.  —  Still, as those who are close to him in the Pirates' bullpen will attest, his demeanor does …

Monday Morning QB (cont.)  —  Ten Things I Think I Think  —  1. I think the one thing I'll always remember about Ironhead Heyward, who died of cancer over the weekend at 39, is how honest he was with the press.  I always got a straight answer from him, even in some tough times.  I'll miss him.

O'Connor suffers left ankle bruise  —  Nationals rookie left-hander not expected to miss a start  —  PHILADELPHIA — Nationals left-hander Mike O'Connor left Monday's game against the Phillies in the bottom of the sixth inning after being hit in the left ankle by a hard shot off the bat of Chase Utley.