G127: Red Sox 2, Angels 1  —  Sox win 2-1, Yanks lose 4-2 (Slappy K vs Putz to end it).  —  Papi gave the Sox a 1-0 lead with his 46th HR leading off the fourth.  Boston got a second run with a bases-loaded grounder from Doug Mirabelli in the seventh.  Orlando Cabrera thought …

Cruz has Buck on his side  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Buck Showalter believes that Nelson Cruz can be a regular in the major leagues, and perhaps as early as next year.  Right now, however, Showalter plans to start the right-handed hitting Cruz only against left-handed pitchers.

Mets Raise Questions by Resting Hernández  —  Brian Bannister spent the past four months rehabilitating a hamstring he injured in late April.  Now he returns to a Mets pitching staff that is limping toward October, with Orlando Hernández becoming the third prominent starter to be temporarily pulled from the rotation.

Padres acquire slugger Branyan from Devil Rays  —  Trying to strengthen their bench, the Padres on Thursday acquired left-handed slugger Russell Branyan from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  —  Branyan, 30, is a corner infielder/outfielder and boom-or-bust hitter who has 12 home runs and 62 strikeouts …

Baseball players covet opponents' memorabilia  —  MIAMI GARDENS — It's not quite the same as exchanging sweat-soaked jerseys with an opponent after a 90-minute soccer game.  In many cases the premise behind it is the same.  —  Respect.  —  Some baseball players are among the game's biggest fans …

Schroder's Getting an Opportunity  —  His ERA is a hefty 5.73, and he is baby-faced for someone who just turned 28.  But don't let rookie reliever Chris Schroder of the Washington Nationals fool you.  —  "I like him," pitching coach Randy St. Claire said.

Thome out vs. Twins, but no DL  —  Leg injury not serious; no timetable for return  —  DETROIT — Designated hitter Jim Thome is unlikely to return to the White Sox's starting lineup against American League Central rival Minnesota this weekend, but his strained left hamstring isn't serious enough …

Winning ways win over newest Met  —  Bobby pins would have slid off Carlos Delgado's bald head, so he used sticky tape to make sure the yarmulke stayed in its proper place.  Shawn Green was getting married, and it wouldn't be kosher if the guys in the wedding party looked unkempt.

Underachieving?  —  NEW YORK — Cardinals executives said the club's current roster, regardless of cost, should be performing better than it is.  But rather than pay for short-term fixes and complicate future finances, they have taken a long-term and in-house approach to improving.

O's goal: lock up Bedard, Roberts … The plan started earlier this year with the signing of outfielder Jay Gibbons and Melvin Mora to multi-year extensions and Orioles vice president Jim Duquette hopes it continues this offseason when the club is looking to lock up two more significant parts of its nucleus.

40-40 definitely in Soriano's sights … MIAMI — As he approaches an unprecedented mark brought on by his speed and power, Alfonso Soriano is trying to stay on an even keel in the last year of his contract.  —  With 5½ weeks remaining in the season Soriano, who has 41 home runs and 30 steals …

Baker eyes 'team full of young guys'  —  All season long Dusty Baker has been trying to downplay his reputation as a manager who despises young players.  —  Before Thursday's victory over the Phillies, he might have been campaigning to stay with the Cubs or be hired somewhere else …