Five Sox homers back Tavarez's gem  —  Righty stymies Braves; Papi, Manny go deep in blowout  —  ATLANTA — A batting barrage and a pitching masterpiece.  It isn't often that a team can combine both of those forces in one night, but the Red Sox had all of that going for them and more in Wednesday's 11-0 romp over the Braves.

Dontrelle Willis expects to make next start for Florida Marlins  —  CHICAGO Dontrelle Willis was back on the field Wednesday morning, playing his usual day-after game of catch and expressing optimism he would be able to make his next start.  —  He wants to make three more starts …

Once Again, Yankees' Bats Are Stifled by Rockies  —  The Yankees came here as the hottest team in the American League.  With their rollicking offense in the thin air of Colorado against a traditional also-ran, the Yankees had reason to believe they would thrive at Coors Field.

Giambi close to a deal to talk to Mitchell  —  Jason Giambi is expected to become the first active player to agree to speak to baseball's Mitchell Commission on doping today, handing Bud Selig a major victory, but also angering many players who feel Giambi is being punished for speaking the truth.

Rangers interested in Jones  —  Michael Barrett on Wednesday doesn't have any direct bearing on the Cubs' philosophy or intentions heading toward next month's trade deadline.  But that doesn't mean they're done dealing.  —  The Cubs have talked with the Texas Rangers and several other teams …

Fast start, Guthrie end O's losing streak at 9 … SAN DIEGO // Jeremy Guthrie stepped out of the dugout in the first inning last night and resisted the urge to pinch himself.  If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up.  Just go directly to the mound, with no sudden movements, and bask in a moment that didn't seem real.

Ayala Is Back, Speigner and Abreu Depart  —  Luis Ayala smiled broadly as he grabbed his glove yesterday afternoon.  The right-hander, once a stalwart of the Washington Nationals' bullpen, was active for a major league game for the first time since September 2005, finally …

Not for the Birds: Girardi turns down Orioles job  —  BALTIMORE — Joe Girardi has declined an offer from the Baltimore Orioles to become their next manager, his agent, Steve Mandel, told ESPN on Thursday.  —  Girardi interviewed with the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, and ESPN's Peter Gammons reported …

Sosa becomes fifth player to hit 600 HRs  —  ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Sammy Sosa's 600th homer resembled so many that came before — except this time the Chicago Cubs were on the other side.  —  Playing for the Texas Rangers after a year out of baseball, Sosa became the fifth member …

As the Mets Flounder, Gómez Could Be a Catch  —  Carlos Gómez has few friends in New York, so he has been surprised when strangers have stopped him, acted as if they had known him forever and talked about the catch.  Five weeks into his major league career …

Langerhans, Kasten meet with fans  —  Nats outfielder, president discuss franchise at ESPN Zone  —  WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, Nationals center fielder Ryan Langerhans and president Stan Kasten fielded questions from fans during a lunchtime appearance at Washington's ESPN Zone.

SANTANA MAY ROCK BIG APPLE  —  If the Mets or Yankees want to land Johan Santana for 2009, it sounds as if his main priority when finding a new destination will be his comfort level.  —  "I want to be comfortable.  I want to feel comfortable," the Twins' 28-year-old lefty ace said yesterday.

Notes: Henderson here to help  —  Special instructor on tap to work with Reyes, Gomez  —  NEW YORK — With the return of summer — actually, one day before its return — has come the return of a man who used to own summer in these parts, one Rickey Henley Henderson, also known as Jose Reyes' personal tutor.

Ludwick's homer is winner in 14th  —  The Cardinals committed four errors Wednesday night.  They left the bases loaded in the ninth inning after having scored the tying run with just one out, and failed to score in the 12th after again loading the bases with one out.

Fielding Stats at the Hardball Times  —  We've just added something new to our array of 2007 baseball statistics: Zone Rating, updated daily as defined by Baseball Info Solutions.  Before I explain what makes our Zone Ratings special, I'd like to go over the "big picture" of fielding stats.