O's hit new low, little else vs. Nats … The answer to the question seemed pretty obvious, just by looking at the faces of the Orioles after their latest deflating loss.  Brian Roberts sunk his head into his lap after the final out was made.  Jay Gibbons threw his head back and exhaled.

En Route to Bronx, Mets Now Team in Trouble  —  There is bad baseball, and there is pitiful baseball, and there is painful, embarrassing baseball, and there is the kind of baseball the Mets have played this month, which is none of these things, but is instead just depressing.

Extra-inning loss to A's is team's 20th in 27 games  —  Astros manager Phil Garner lamented about missed opportunities with runners in scoring position, bad pitches that were smacked around the ballpark and the shoddy defense his team played Thursday afternoon.  —  And that wasn't even the worst news of the day.

Yanks sweep D-Backs  —  For some reason, he's not entirely sure why, Joe Torre recently decided to stand on the dugout steps instead of sitting on the bench when the Yankees were batting.  —  They scored a few runs.  So he decided to keep on doing it.  —  They got a few wins.

Sox stone cold  —  Beckett loses first; Drew gets earful  —  The bats have gone quiet, the pitching has stumbled, and the Yankees are winning every day.  —  All of that means the gloves have come off at Fenway Park, where a sellout crowd of 36,939 did not let last night's 7-1 Red Sox loss …

Dodgers fire Hall of Famer Murray as hitting coach  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers fired Hall of Famer Eddie Murray as hitting coach Thursday after completing a three-game sweep of the NL East-leading New York Mets in which they got 31 hits and scored 18 runs.

THE SUBWAY STREAKERS  —  YANKS ROLLING, METS REELING INTO WEEKEND  —  Fire and ice collide at Yankee Stadium tonight when the Mets invade The Bronx for the second set of Subway Series games.  —  Thanks to a season-high, nine-game winning streak, the Yankees are the hottest team in baseball …

Brewers promote top prospect  —  Gallardo gets the call; lefty Capuano lands on the DL  —  DETROIT — The Yovani Gallardo era already was beginning a bit earlier than the Brewers would have liked.  Now it could begin earlier yet.  —  The team on Thursday afternoon the promotion of Gallardo …

Sore shoulder puts Owens back on shelf  —  · Henry Owens' shoulder trouble has gone from front to back.  —  The Marlins' right-hander is back on the disabled list retroactive to Saturday with shoulder inflammation.  Owens was sidelined 20 days last month because of pain in the front of the shoulder.

Three Marlins ejected after plunking  —  Tankersley, Boone, skipper Gonzalez tossed following warning  —  MIAMI — The Interleague matchup between the Marlins and Indians on Wednesday night at Dolphin Stadium reached a boiling point in the sixth inning.  —  After warnings were issued …

Just a nip and tuck, or major surgery for White Sox?  —  A run for redemption has turned into a series of survival for the White Sox.  —  Ex-White Sox settles in as a Ranger  —  On the bright side, Jenks well-rested  —  Matchup: White Sox at Pirates  —  Teddy Greenstein: North lights up Sox's Cooper

Bonds' attorney sparks questions over fed probe … The attorney for Barry Bonds said Thursday he is prepared to go public with information that raises questions about the government's investigation of the baseball star unless interim U.S. Attorney Scott Schools takes what he deems appropriate action.

Hawpe, Rockies roar  —  Outfielder's three-run homer off Schilling fuels rout of Red Sox  —  Boston - Although Curt Schilling did not become the next Roger Clemens, he was certainly not Bob Stanley, and for helping the Red Sox to a World Series crown Boston fans will forever adore him.