Rodriguez Homers Again as Yankees Sweep  —  Alex Rodriguez keeps homering, the Yankees keep winning, and days keep coming off the calendar.  It is a combination that may carry the Yankees into postseason.  —  Rodriguez homered for the fifth consecutive game (No. 52 on the year) …

Pirates knock Cubs out of 1st in Central  —  PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Chicago Cubs fell out of first place in the NL Central because they again couldn't beat a team that's spent most of the past month in last place.  —  Freddy Sanchez's bases-loaded triple highlighted Pittsburgh's six-run second inning …

Pedro Martinez tosses 5 shutout innings in first home start  —  Pitches Mets past Astros, 4-1  —  Pedro Martinez's return to Shea Stadium was a huge success.  —  Martinez tossed five shutout innings in his first start at home this season, outpitching Roy Oswalt and leading the New York Mets past …

Nats Again All Over the Place Against Braves  —  Zimmerman Makes Another Miscue As Errors Pile Up: Braves 9, Nationals 2  —  There already had been two errors, and they already had led to runs, and the Washington Nationals were well on their way to playing their second sloppy game in as many nights.

Ankiel too good to be true  —  The feel-good story doesn't feel so good anymore.  —  Rick Ankiel, who has been compared to everyone from Roy Hobbs to Babe Ruth, has been linked to performance-enhancing drugs.  According to a story in the New York Daily News, Ankiel received a year's supply …

Youkilis tries to target cause of Yankees' ire  —  BALTIMORE - Kevin Youkilis was one of the first Red Sox players out of the dugout Friday night after Orioles righthander Daniel Cabrera, on his first pitch after balking home a run, threw a ball behind the head of Dustin Pedroia …

Brewers start game with 3 straight HRs  —  CINCINNATI (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers became on the third team in major league history to open a game with three straight home runs when Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun connected Sunday off Cincinnati's Phil Dumatrait.

Drew HR in 4th lifts Diamondbacks  —  It's come down to this: Smoke, mirrors and scratching your head and saying again, "How did they do that?"  —  The Diamondbacks seemed all but finished in Saturday night's game after the Cardinals used gaffes and gifts to score seven runs in the third inning to grab a four-run lead.

Orioles enjoy a walk  —  Matsuzaka struggles once again in loss  —  BALTIMORE - Daisuke Matsuzaka's horrid struggles of late aren't due to a physical problem or fatigue or anything that could be defined easily, according to Terry Francona, John Farrell, and Matsuzaka himself.

Notes: Gagne gives himself the OK sign  —  Red Sox reliever may return to pitch on Monday against Rays  —  BALTIMORE — The sweat hadn't even finished dripping off Eric Gagne's forehead following his side session on Saturday, when the right-handed reliever declared himself ready to return.

Pirates to name Coonelly as CEO  —  FOXSports.com, Updated 53 minutes ago  —  LIKE THIS STORY?  —  The Pirates' firing of GM Dave Littlefield was a precursor to their next move — the hiring of Frank Coonelly as their new CEO, according to major-league sources.