Sorry Sidney serves 'em up  —  Pen no help as Jays nip 5 homers  —  TORONTO - It would be hard to blame this one on Alex Rodriguez.  —  Not when Sidney Ponson got blasted over 2-1/3 innings.  Not when Kris Wilson was nearly as bad as Ponson.  Not when Vernon Wells did his best to put a hole in the …

Pedro starts day with cheer  —  Pedro Martinez bounded into the Met clubhouse yesterday morning with a wide grin and greetings for teammates, reporters and everyone else inside.  —  "Happy morning, everyone," Martinez exclaimed.  His buoyancy was the first sign that he was OK after Saturday's 80-pitch throwing session.

Padres-Dodgers Preview  —  The San Diego Padres are in first place in the NL West, but they have been struggling since the All-Star break.  They will face the worst team since the break Monday when they open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Paul's rule of thumb: play hurt  —  While Paul Lo Duca thinks he may have a broken bone or an injured ligament in the hand he slips into his catcher's mitt, he has no intention of finding out exactly what the problem is anytime soon.  —  "It doesn't matter," Lo Duca said.

Widger dumped, Alomar returns as No. 2 catcher  —  Another of the key clubhouse components of the White Sox's 2005 World Series team, backup catcher Chris Widger, was designated for assignment Sunday and replaced by a very familiar face.  —  Sandy Alomar Jr., obtained from the Dodgers …

Sox can't get handle on Seattle  —  SEATTLE — Manny Ramírez may have done the smartest thing any Red Sox outfielder did yesterday afternoon when he took advantage of a break in the action in the sixth inning — reliever Craig Hansen was trotting in to pitch — to grab a seat in the Sox bullpen.

Delgado slump is long gone  —  Before the Mets started getting sloppy yesterday, Carlos Delgado got the day off to a rousing start, offering further proof he finally is in the midst of a trademark power surge.  Delgado homered for the third time in four games, a three-run blast in the first inning.

Just win, baby  —  Like Valenzuela, Weaver wins first seven starts  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Even without his best stuff, Jered Weaver won again.  —  Struggling early with his breaking ball, the 6-foot-7 right-hander still became the first rookie in 25 years to win his first seven starts Sunday …

Nats Win, Soriano Watch Escalates  —  Kasten Weighs In On Slugger's Status : Nationals 7, Cubs 1  —  He draws the loudest cheers, hits the longest home runs, smiles the brightest smile.  When Alfonso Soriano launched a ball deep toward left field yesterday at RFK Stadium …

Girardi: Willis won't be traded  —  MIAMI GARDENS - Expect pitcher Dontrelle Willis to finish the season with the Marlins, and expect his teammates to stick around all year, too.  —  "I really believe we're done trading for the year unless something happens in the off-season," …

Johjima's Play Bridges the Communication Gap  —  When he was signed by the Seattle Mariners to a three-year contract for $16.5 million before this season, the concern about Kenji Johjima was whether he could communicate with the pitchers as the first Japanese catcher in the major leagues.

Showalter hospitalized for dehydration  —  Rangers manager misses Sunday's loss to White Sox  —  CHICAGO - Rangers manager Buck Showalter missed Sunday's game while being treated at a Chicago hospital for dehydration symptoms.  —  Showalter, 50, said he felt a fluttery heart Sunday morning …

Pirates Notebook: Littlefield expects more than one trade  —  MIAMI — Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield expressed confidence that he will make more than one deal before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, reiterating that his counterparts covet the veterans he is offering.

No storybook ending for folk hero Fasano  —  Backup catcher Sal Fasano's magical ride in Philadelphia has come to an end as the Phils designate the 34-year old journeyman for assignment.  —  Fasano became the first player since Rollie Fingers to gain recognition for ironic facial hair.