Crisp, Youkilis help BoSox snap six-game road skid  —  CBS SportsLine.com wire reports  —  BALTIMORE — Even when they're struggling, the Boston Red Sox can count on beating the Baltimore Orioles.  —  Coco Crisp drove in three runs, Kevin Youkilis had two RBI in the pivotal sixth inning …

Coins flipped in case of ties  —  Home-field advantage decided for one-game playoffs  —  Twenty-two coin flips later, the only ones flipping for joy were the Los Angeles Dodgers.  —  According to results of a series of coin flips conducted by conference call Tuesday to determine sites …

Notes: McPherson faces surgery options  —  Angels third baseman has been limited by several injuries  —  ANAHEIM — Dallas McPherson was supposed to help fill the power void, but the problem has been getting him on the field.  —  A bone spur in his left hip that required surgery a year ago took a sizable chunk out of last season.

MVP voters prefer run producers  —  Deductive reasoning will get you only so far with baseball writers.  I know.  I am one.  —  I have voted for baseball's top awards since 1984.  I can't say I've always seen the winners coming.  —  Juan Gonzalez over Alex Rodriguez for the American League MVP in 1996?

Gordon Wins Minor League Player Of The Year  —  WICHITA, Kan.—Kansas City Royals fans have salivated over the thought of watching Alex Gordon, the No. 2 overall pick in 2005, play at Kauffman Stadium.  They've dreamed of how he'll turn around the organization, become a mainstay at third base, lead the team to the playoffs.

Mets Crisis of the Week: They Can't Hit Lefties  —  One of the more entertaining things about a highly entertaining Mets season has been the constant manufacture of crises.  Be it the rotation, the bullpen, the outfield, David Wright's power stroke, or the gravitational pull of Mr. Met's enormous head …

Tavarez is in tip-top form  —  Pitcher salutes fans this time  —  Long before he — yes — tipped his cap to the fans saluting his performance in yesterday's 9-3 Red Sox win over the Kansas City Royals, Julian Tavarez could be seen frequently making a gesture of another sort …

Mark Teahen Steps Up  —  Mark Teahen was a marvelous young prospect who was already at Triple-A.  — Billy Beane  —  Athletics Nation (9/20/2004)  —  Tuesday night, when the Royals announced Mark Teahen would undergo shoulder surgery, ending his season, it marked the end of one of the more amazing seasons I can remember.

Harold Reynolds Interview - First Since ESPN Firing  —  Today on Baseball Beat with Charley Steiner, Harold Reynolds made his first radio or TV appearance since being fired by ESPN.  He discussed the situation, his wife and family, getting his name back, and the upcoming mediation with ESPN.

KDKA out as Pirates flagship station  —  PITTSBURGH (AP) — The first radio station to broadcast a major league baseball game is losing the rights to Pittsburgh Pirates games after 51 years.  —  KDKA will cease to be the Pirates' flagship station in 2007 as the team's radio rights shift …

Waiting for Rivera & Martinez to pitch in  —  For the first time in history, the Mets and Yankees have double-digit leads at the same time.  In the middle of September, the Mets are about to clinch the NL East and the Yankees have pulled so far away from the Red Sox that this weekend's Yankee-Red Sox series …

Blue Jays expected to lose at least $22 million this season  —  TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to lose at least $22 million this year, according to a top executive with the team's parent company.  —  Rogers Media Inc. president and CEO Tony Vinor said Tuesday he regards the figure as …