What?  Rangers lose out?  That's a big Roger, again  —  Exactly one year ago today, beneath a headline that aptly labeled it "Grave Circumstances," the front page of the Houston Chronicle sports section carried a picture of a tombstone, symbolically burying the Astros' 2005 season.

It adds up to big win: Gonzalez, relief key  —  TORONTO - The Red Sox are wounded right now, flawed and brittle.  And last night at Rogers Centre, operating with a makeshift crew, they repeatedly threatened to break into a million little pieces.  —  Instead, it was the little things that saved them.

Gagne Ready for His Return  —  After the Dodgers' 9-3 loss to Atlanta in final game of trip, all eyes are on the team's closer, who will be in the bullpen tonight.  —  ATLANTA — The Dodgers finished a two-city trip with a one-sided defeat.  They flew all night and must drag themselves to work today to begin a homestand.

Cabrera shedding weight  —  Miguel Cabrera has fattened his stats by slimming his waistline.  The Marlins' third baseman credits better eating habits and work in the gym with helping him shed 10 pounds.  —  ''I'm eating a little during the day and nothing at night,'' he said in Spanish.

Cubs itching to play cast-free Lee  —  Derrek Lee finally is rid of the cast on his fractured right wrist, having it removed and the wrist X-rayed Wednesday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.  For the first time since he was injured April 19 in Los Angeles, the Cubs first baseman can intensify his rehab.

Mussina Provides Some Relief for the Aching Yankees  —  DETROIT, May 31 — As rain pelted Comerica Park, Mike Mussina's body clock had already started.  He had thrown most of his warm-up pitches in the bullpen, and he figured he had only three hours before he would wear down.

Sheff may return to DL  —  DETROIT - Gary Sheffield was sent back to New York to see a hand specialist yesterday, and the Yankees do not know when they might get their right fielder back.  —  As reported in yesterday's Daily News, Sheffield has suffered a new injury to his already-ailing left wrist.

Stanton Sets Up Nats' Win  —  PHILADELPHIA, May 31 — Sometimes a save occurs in the eighth inning, not the ninth.  Sometimes the more tenuous spot, the place where the game can be lost, comes before the closer even rises and begins to stretch his right arm, when the man in the game is the guy …

Milledge shows off his arm  —  He got his first hit in his major-league debut on Tuesday night.  Last night, with his parents and two brothers in attendance, Lastings Milledge came up with two more firsts - one embarrassing the other exhilarating.  —  The outfield prodigy dropped …

Escobar Signs Three-Year Extension  —  In spring training, Kelvim Escobar said, the Angels offered to extend his contract for two years and $15 million.  He turned them down and said he would pitch his way to a better deal.  —  He did.  After his performance in April and May convinced …

Rangers restore power at home  —  Home-run production had slipped, but club belts 16 in 10 games  —  ARLINGTON - The Rangers' 10-game homestand provided a much-needed power surge.  —  They arrived at home a week and a half ago in the middle of the pack in the league home run standings.

Baseball's top 10 'records' ... without the home runs … If the biggest name in baseball can hit his 715th home run and nobody outside the 415 area code even claps, that should tell us something.  —  And not just about the man hitting the home run.  —  It should tell us something about what has become of the mighty home run itself.

Kiss My Asterisk  —  I missed Barry Bonds' 715th home run on Sunday, and not by a little.  In fact, I was just about as far away as can be while remaining in North America, out on Prince Edward Island, some 3,600 miles away from the action at [Insert Phone Network Here] Stadium in San Francisco.

Team takes issue with portrayal  —  Christian clubhouse story "over the top"  —  San Diego - Character, not religion, is the critical factor in the Rockies' chemistry, according to the players.  That explains why so many players reacted negatively to the portrayal of their clubhouse …

Ellis on the shelf with a broken right thumb  —  A's notebook  —  OAKLAND — A freak incident will cost the A's another prominent player, this one second baseman Mark Ellis.  He suffered a broken right thumb sliding into second base to break up a double play in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's game against the Kansas City Royals.