Create your own free news widgets.

Is it time for the Cubs to bring former All-Star closer B.J. Ryan up from the minors? No, not to take Kevin Gregg's job. At least not yet -- despite Gregg's two-pitch, two-homer blown save and loss Sunday against his former team. And despite that blown save against the Marlins the night before, too, when Gregg melted down to blow a three-run lead after striking out the first two batters in the ninth.

Rangers SP Kevin Millwood, recovering from a strained gluteus muscle, has been penciled in for a start Saturday night at the Los Angeles Angels. Washington said Millwood could be moved up if he shows improvement during the week.

FOXBOROUGH - Kevin O’Connell was not exactly quaking in his cleats yesterday at the notion that the Patriots were interested in signing a veteran quarterback to compete with him for the role of Tom Brady’s backup.

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Josh Beckett pitched seven innings of six-hit ball for his major league-leading 13th win, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis homered, and the Boston Red Sox cruised past the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 last night.

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP Thanks for hitting this HR, D-Lee. Otherwise we might still be watching this game. Browse more photos » It's a good thing last night's 9-8 Cubs win over the Marlins ended when it did -- otherwise we might have been treated to the sight of Cubs starting pitchers playing the outfield, and Kosuke Fukudome playing shortstop for the first time since high school, and... Shudder. Let's not think about those possibilities. The Cubs blew a 6-0 lead after two innings, and an 8-5 lead with two out and nobody on and two strikes on pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino, who homered -- he had been a .154 hitter as a PH before last night. Even then the Cubs still led by two, but two batters later, Emilio Bonifacio, who was only in the game because Hanley Ramirez got hit on the knee by a Carlos Zambrano pitch and left in the third inning, skied a two-run triple over the head of Kosuke Fukudome to tie it. It was Kevin Gregg's first blown save since June 23 at D

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP Thanks for hitting this HR, D-Lee. Otherwise we might still be watching this game. Browse more photos » It's a good thing last night's 9-8 Cubs win over the Marlins ended when it did -- otherwise we might have been treated to the sight of Cubs starting pitchers playing the outfield, and Kosuke Fukudome playing shortstop for the first time since high school, and... Shudder. Let's not think about those possibilities. The Cubs blew a 6-0 lead after two innings, and an 8-5 lead with two out and nobody on and two strikes on pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino, who homered -- he had been a .154 hitter as a PH before last night. Even then the Cubs still led by two, but two batters later, Emilio Bonifacio, who was only in the game because Hanley Ramirez got hit on the knee by a Carlos Zambrano pitch and left in the third inning, skied a two-run triple over the head of Kosuke Fukudome to tie it. It was Kevin Gregg's first blown save since June 23 at D

Josh Beckett pitched seven innings of six-hit ball for his major league-leading 13th win, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis homered, ...

Two batters into the game, Dustin Pedroia homered and thousands of red-clad fans roared. The way Josh Beckett ended up pitching, that would be enough offense to assure the Boston Red Sox another victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Beckett threw seven innings of six-hit ball for his major league-leading 13th win, Kevin Youkilis went 4 for 4 with a homer, and Boston cruised past the Orioles 4-0 Saturday night.

Josh Beckett pitched seven innings of six-hit ball for his major league-leading 13th win, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis homered, and the Boston Red Sox cruised past the Baltimore Orioles 4-0 Saturday night. Youkilis went 4 for 4 with a walk. In the first two games of the series, he's 7 for 8 with two homers, three RBIs and three runs scored. Newcomer Victor Martinez drove in a run for the Red Sox, who are 10-2 against Baltimore this season.

Texas manager Ron Washington said after Saturday's game that right-hander Dustin Nippert will start Monday in Oakland. Washington said before the game there was a chance that Kevin Millwood, who hasn't pitched since leaving July 26 with a strained gluteus muscle, would make that start.