Orioles hope to bounce back in finale  —  Baltimore (51-66) at Boston (67-48), 2:05 p.m. ET  —  The Orioles will end the second third of their nine-game road trip against the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park, before taking a day off Monday and a journey to New York on Tuesday.

It's time to face the truth  —  On the telephone the other day Paul Lo Duca asked this question:  —  "When does this go away?"  —  He was referring to stories in the newspaper, some on the front page, about his impending divorce, not even knowing that there would be another story coming …

This walkoff was a slam dunk  —  Now a new twist to an old story line: the walkoff error.  —  And another sleepless night for Dominic DiMaggio.  —  Sometime next winter, when you crack open the Whitman's Sampler of Red Sox 2006 Walkoff Wins, you'll no doubt remember a stunning Saturday …

Padres-Astros Preview  —  Houston Astros starter Brandon Backe has lost some velocity on his fastball, but he's finding other ways to get batters out.  —  The right-hander looks to build off a pair of impressive outings when the Astros (57-59) wrap up their three-game series with the San Diego Padres …

Trip to DL all but ends Prior's season  —  Shoulder tendinitis lands Cubs pitcher back on disabled list  —  DENVER — Mark Prior was placed on the disabled list Saturday with tendinitis in the right rotator cuff, a move that likely will force the Cubs right-hander to miss the rest of the season.

Yanks' Cano stays hot since return  —  Second baseman clubs three-run homer for winning margin  —  NEW YORK — Yankees players and manager Joe Torre went out of their way to make sure they didn't insult Miguel Cairo.  He did an adequate job filling in for Robinson Cano for about six weeks, they said.

Notes: '96 champs, Oates honored  —  Rangers celebrate division champions, beloved manager  —  ARLINGTON — The Rangers honored their 1996 division championship team before Saturday's game with the Seattle Mariners and the players paid honor to the man who led them to that title.

Michalak saves the day for Cincinnati  —  Newcomer tosses 6 2/3 solid innings as Reds hang on  —  PHILADELPHIA — When Chris Michalak woke up on Saturday, he was a 35-year-old Minor Leaguer in a hotel room in Charlotte, N.C. He'd bounced around 10 organizations and was without a whiff of the Majors in four years.

Dealer's choices tend to pay  —  At 72, Lajoie is still a source of sage advice  —  Bill Lajoie is a veteran deal-maker who even at the ripe old age of 72 has managed to put his touch on two contenders in the same season.  Which is why the architect of very good Tiger teams in the '80s …

If 29 GMs pass on someone, it should be a sign  —  Giving Wilson chance to latch on with another team was the right call  —  Second-guessing is so easy, but it would be silly to blame the Astros for the Preston Wilson signing or the club's decision to designate the veteran outfielder for assignment Saturday.

Notes: Vidro on the road back to Nats  —  Second baseman will begin rehab assignment on Sunday  —  WASHINGTON — Nationals second baseman Jose Vidro performed baseball activities on Saturday afternoon, and it convinced the organization that he is ready for a rehab assignment.

Upton impresses while he learns  —  OAKLAND, Calif. - With his butt planted firmly on the ground near third base, B.J. Upton showed some of his dazzling athletic ability Friday by throwing out Oakland's Nick Swisher at first.  —  As amazing of a play as it was - and the Rays were still raving …

Leyland thriving after snub  —  The burnout didn't light Jim Leyland's fire.  The Phillies did.  —  The Detroit Tigers wake up every day with the best record in the major leagues steered by a manager who left Colorado with puffs of smoke and a season in ashes.  —  There is an easy explanation for this incongruity: motivation.

Rivera plummets in latest ranking the closers  —  People will look at this week's closer rankings, see Mariano Rivera at No. 14 and think we're nuts.  —  Do we think Rivera is just the 14th-best closer in baseball.  Of course not.  —  But for the purpose of these rankings …