Create your own free news widgets.

By TOBIAS XAVIER LOPEZ If the Fort Worth Cats were in a slump, it appears they’ve battled their way out of it.With a 5-3 victory against St. Paul on Thursday night at LaGrave Field, the Cats sealed their third series win in a row.Fort Worth also won against Brandon Kintzler, one of the American Association’s top pitchers.Cats second baseman Isa Garcia led the way with a two-run double.'We got the word on the pitcher that he was one of the best in the league,' Garcia said. 'With guys like that, you’ve got to get to them early. I got ahead in the count 2-0.'Kintzler (8-3) was fifth in the league with a 2.41 ERA.The Cats, who started July with a five-game losing streak, have gone 6-3 in their past three series. They took two of three games against St. Paul.Fort Worth took the lead in the second inning when Pat O’Sullivan led off with a single, followed by another single by Ryan Patterson.Garcia drove both runners home with his double.Brian Fryer and Cameron Blai

  In this photo taken on Monday, July 6, 2009, Seattle Mariners pitcher Jarrod Washburn throws in a MLB baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Safeco Field in Seattle. Going into the All-Star break, the rebuilding Mariners have used strong pitching to surprise critics who expected the team to match their 101-loss 2008 season. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

A three-day break did little to alter the state of the Mets, who opened their second half with a 5-3 loss to the Braves. Combined with the Phillies win over the Marlins, the fourth-place Mets dropped a season-high 71/2 games off the division lead.

Chicago White Sox left fielder goes 2-for-4 for Charlotte Carlos Quentin took another step Thursday night toward rejoining the White Sox soon as he played left field for nine innings for the second time during his minor-league rehabilitation assignment.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies are NL West rivals. Now they're partners in a spring training facility planned for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Phoenix. Under an agreement announced Thursday, the tribe will build an 11,000-seat ballpark and a complex that includes 12 practice fields, training facilities and offices. The facility is expected to be ready for the 2011 exhibition season. The 140-acre site is adjacent to Scottsdale.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez is the name at the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry.

New Coke bottle unveiled at Turner Field

More photos » by Paul Beaty - AP Sam Fuld teaching Sean Marshall how to play left field during Sunday's second game. Browse more photos » WASHINGTON -- Finally arrived early this afternoon in the nation's capital, or more correctly, in suburban Virginia where I'm staying with friends. By the time you see this post, I should be on my way to Nationals Park; it's my first visit there. Email me if you are going to be at any of the four games and I'll try to meet up with you. I know there are a ton of expatriate Chicagoans in Washington and also there are quite a few people I know who have headed east for this series. With the Nats doing poorly and not drawing well (averaging 23,413, 24th in the majors), I expect the entire weekend to be filled with Cub-centric crowds. At this writing the Cubs have made no roster moves, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that they had made a deal, or more, or signed B.J. Ryan to a minor league contract, before they take the field tonight.

Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch addressed the media at Chase Field before the team left for St. Louis to begin the remainder of the season.

Lesley Visser is tops in her field. The American Sportscasters Association voted her the No. 1 female sportscaster Thursday. The CBS broadcaster was chosen from 36 finalists.