Sox Still On Down Swing  —  Bats Start July Where They Left Off In June  —  Left fielder J.D. Drew (7) and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury try to gather in a long RBI-single by Texas Rangers' Marlon Byrd in the triangle during the fourth inning.  —  BOSTON - Someone with the Red Sox needs …

Is tonight Buehrle's swan song?  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mark Buehrle might want to start hiding personal belongings over the next few weeks.  His teammates and even his manager have started ''collecting'' memorabilia connected with anything the White Sox pitcher touches.

Ichiro, Putz selected for All-Star Game  —  It's seventh appearance for OF, first for Mariners closer  —  SEATTLE — After watching several All-Star Games on television, Mariners closer J.J. Putz finally gets to see one in person.  —  "I don't think it's going to sink in until I actually …

Narron out, Mackanin in  —  Sources have told me Jerry Narron has been fired, Pete Mackanin will be the interim manager.  More to come.  —  From the Reds:

MRS. A-ROD IS A BRONX F-BOMBER  —  OBSCENE SHIRT SHOCKS STADIUM  —  Oh, no, she didn't!  —  Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez's long-suffering wife, Cynthia, may have finally flipped her pretty lid yesterday when she went to a game in The Bronx wearing a tight-fitting, white tank top bearing a foul message on the back: "F- - - you."

Hargrove: 'I don't expect people to understand' … The only way the Mariners' homestand could have been stranger is if the team's mascot, Mariner Moose, took off his headpiece to reveal that he was actually Bill Gates.  —  When Ken Griffey Jr. and the Reds came to town last weekend …

Rangers' Gagne a saver to savor  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  BOSTON - In the last week, Eric Gagne has repeatedly demonstrated that he can do the things the Eric Gagne of old used to be able to do regularly.  —  Pitch on back-to-back days?  Check.  Be available for more than two consecutive days?

Pirates Notebook: Duke on DL; Youman to start  —  The Pirates placed Zach Duke on the disabled list yesterday and announced that left-hander Shane Youman will join the starting rotation for the foreseeable future.  —  Duke will have an arthrogram this morning at Allegheny General Hospital …

Proctor's Fiery Temper  —  NEW YORK - In what was probably his way of trying to end his recent struggles, reliever Scott Proctor set his equipment on fire near the Yankees dugout after the Yankees' 7-0 loss to the A's Saturday, MLB.com reported.  —  Proctor, who allowed two singles …

Petrick hitches his pants, faces cruel curveball  —  Disease stole his career, but not his gallant spirit  —  HILLSBORO, Ore. - The lineup card is on his basement wall, next to a page from a score book detailing that dreamy afternoon in Coors Field.  —  It was Sept. 1, 1999.

Clemens's Effect Isn't Measured by Numbers Alone  —  He has a University of Texas longhorn logo embroidered on the tongue of his spikes, and his personal logo stitched on his glove.  He is also, perhaps, the only player in baseball who keeps an autographed ball with a congratulatory message from an umpire on a shelf in his locker.

Interview - Mark Shapiro - Exec. VP & GM - Cleveland Indians  —  Build it from within... make every cent count... balance risk.  That might be the best way to describe how Mark Shapiro, the executive vice-president and general manager of the Cleveland Indians, conducts business.

Efficient Baker  —  Scott Baker just finished the third inning, retiring all nine batters he's faced.  The Tigers are putting the ball in play early tonight, as Baker has just one strikeout and has thrown just 25 pitches.  Six of those were against ninth slot hitter Brandon Inge.

Notes: Owings learning to go long  —  Clark gets start vs. Giants; Jackson gets ugly gift from fan  —  SAN FRANCISCO — The third time through the order hasn't been the charm for D-backs starter Micah Owings.  —  The rookie right-hander has pitched very well this year, going 5-2 with a 3.79 ERA …

Padres' new acquisition Bradley on 15-day DL  —  LOS ANGELES — Milton Bradley is starting fresh with a new team in a familiar spot — the disabled list.  —  The 29-year-old outfielder was acquired by the San Diego Padres from Oakland for pitcher Andrew Brown on Friday.