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Big Unit scratched from start with sore shoulder
Arizona’s Randy Johnson, six wins shy of 300 career victories, was scratched from Sunday’s start against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of a sore left shoulder.

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Nieve willing, ready to pitch in any role
Nieve willing to pitch in any role While he’d prefer to start, Fernando Nieve would be happy to pitch in relief when the Astros wrap up their series against the Rockies on Sunday.

Mariners’ Morrow nearly no-hits Yankees in first big-league start
Throwing a nasty curveball that had Yankees hitters flailing all night, Brandon Morrow pitched 7 2/3 hitless innings as the Seattle Mariners beat fading New York 3-1 Friday night.

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Hernandez tests positive for PEDs
Hernandez tests positive for PEDs Runelvys Hernandez, who made four starts for the Astros this year and most recently pitched for Triple-A Round Rock, was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for an amphetamine, the Commissioner’s Office announced Saturday

Dodgers take over NL West lead after pounding Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks gave Manny Ramirez three chances to hurt them Saturday. He came through twice, and that was enough for the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Right-hander Felipe Paulino is considered to have the best arm in the organization.

Astros Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

The Astros were without a pair of key relief pitchers Wednesday, making the complete game thrown by Randy Wolf against the Chicago Cubs a welcomed sight.

After saving four consecutive games for the first time in his career, closer Jose Valverde was given Wednesday night off by manager Cecil Cooper.

“I’m going to tell him to keep his spikes off,” Cooper said.

Valverde had recorded saves in six of seven games entering Wednesday, pushing his league-leading total to 39. Valverde said his arm feels good because he hasn’t thrown many pitches.

“If he gives me the ball to pitch, I’ll do it,” Valverde said. “But if he gives me a day off, that’s good.”

Meanwhile, Geoff Geary has been bothered by a sore right groin since suffering the injury throwing off a wet…

Blum’s homer in 11th defeats Cubs

No one knew Carlos Zambrano was hurting. The Chicago Cubs starting pitcher left after five innings on a hot and muggy Tuesday night, more than two hours before Geoff Blum won it for the Houston Astros with a …

Ready to Storm New Stadium

Geoff Blum hit a two-run homer off Kerry Wood in the 11th inning to send the Houston Astros to their seventh straight victory, 9-7 over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.

Wolf, Wigginton spell W for Astros (AP)

Randy Wolf’s first shutout in more than four years gave the Houston Astros another lift in their impressive late-season surge. Wolf pitched a six-hitter Wednesday night and the Astros ran their latest winning streak to eight games with a 4-0 victory over the slumping Chicago Cubs, who’ve lost a season-high five in a row.

No one knew Carlos Zambrano was hurting. The Chicago Cubs starting pitcher left after five innings on a hot and muggy Tuesday night, more than two hours before Geoff Blum won it for the Houston Astros with a …

Cubs‘ Zambrano has sore arm, future in doubt (Yahoo! Sports)
Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano complained of soreness in his right arm when he left his start early Tuesday night,…

Blum blasts Astros to seventh straight
Blum’s blast wins it for Astros in 11th Geoff Blum’s two-run homer in the top of the 11th off the Cubs‘ Kerry Wood was the difference in a 9-7 victory on Tuesday night. Hunter Pence was 4-for-6 and Blum, David Newhan, Miguel Tejada and Michael Bourn each had two RBIs.

Matsui in, Hernandez out for Astros
Matsui in, Hernandez out for Astros Prior to Tuesday’s game at Wrigley Field, the Astros activated second baseman Kazuo Matsui from the 15-day disabled list and outrighted right-hander Runelvys Hernandez to Triple-A Round Rock. Right-hander Geoff Geary (right groin pain) will likely be ready to pitch again next week.

Morning Juice: Are the Cubs beginning to show their cracks? (Yahoo! Sports)
This and every weekday a.m., let’s rise and shine together to enjoy the latest and strangest Cubbie Occurrences…

Loretta patiently waits his turn at bat
Loretta patiently waits his turn at bat Having made just three plate appearances since his last start on Aug. 26, and with the September callups making for a crowded infield, Mark Loretta has reason to believe his days with the Astros may be numbered. But manager Cecil Cooper has told him he’ll likely get playing time against Rockies lefties this weekend.

Astros activate Kaz Matsui a few days early (AP)
The Houston Astros activated second baseman Kaz Matsui from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. Matsui was activated a few days early. He had been on the DL since Aug. 13 with an irritated disc in his lower back, and still needs a few more days before he’s ready to play, manager Cecil Cooper said. Matsui, who has missed about a third of the season with various injuries, is expected to play this weekend…

Hidden ball appears in Wrigley ivy
Hidden ball appears in Wrigley ivy In the sixth innings of the Cubs‘ game against the Astros on Tuesday, Hunter Pence lined a ball off the center-field wall, but when Jim Edmonds went after it, another ball appeared out of the ivy.

The right-hander has won seven of his last eight decisions. * New York 4, at Milwaukee 2: Carlos Delgado’s two-run home run against Eric Gagne in the eighth inning lifted the Mets.

Hidden ball appears in Wrigley ivy
Hidden ball appears in Wrigley ivy In the sixth innings of the Cubs‘ game against the Astros on Tuesday, Hunter Pence lined a ball off the center-field wall, but when Jim Edmonds went after it, another ball appeared out of the ivy.

Koby Clemens, teammates arraigned
Koby Clemens arraigned Three Astros Minor Leaguers, Salem catchers Koby Clemens and Jimmy Goethals and first baseman Mark Ori, were arraigned Tuesday, and another court date was set for Dec. 2.

Astros activate 2B Matsui from DL (PA SportsTicker)
The Houston Astros activated second baseman Kazuo Matsui from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday.

Wolf, Wigginton spell W for Astros (AP)

Randy Wolf’s first shutout in more than four years gave the Houston Astros another lift in their impressive late-season surge. Wolf pitched a six-hitter Wednesday night and the Astros ran their latest winning streak to eight games with a 4-0 victory over the slumping Chicago Cubs, who’ve lost a season-high five in a row.

Wolf scares Cubs to complete sweep
Wolf scares Cubs to complete sweep Randy Wolf went the distance for his eighth career shutout and the Astros‘ eighth straight victory, 4-0, to sweep the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. Ty Wigginton hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning.

Loretta patiently waits his turn at bat
Loretta patiently waits his turn at bat Having made just three plate appearances since his last start on Aug. 26, and with the September callups making for a crowded infield, Mark Loretta has reason to believe his days with the Astros may be numbered. But manager Cecil Cooper has told him he’ll likely get playing time against Rockies lefties this weekend.

Astros name August top Minors players
Astros name August top prospects The Astros revealed their final batch of Minor League players of the month for the season, recognizing 16 players for their performances in August. At Triple-A, left-hander Ray King and infielders Mark Saccomanno and Tommy Manzella were named Players of the Month.

Blum’s 11th-inning homer gives Astros win

Geoff Blum hit a two-run homer off Kerry Wood in the 11th inning to send the Houston Astros to their seventh straight victory, 9-7 over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.

The first-place Cubs, who have lost four straight, all at home, remained 4 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee in the NL Central.

Carlos Zambrano, whose start was pushed back two days because of what the Cubs said was a tired arm. left after five innings because of what manager Lou Piniella said was arm problems.

‘He told our pitching coach he wasn’t feeling good,’ Piniella said. ‘It has to be in his arm. I just don’t know. We’ll let you know tomorrow when we find out.’

Astros Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

September call-ups Alberto Arias, J.R. Towles and Edwin Maysonet joined the team Tuesday in Chicago, one day after pitchers Fernando Nieve and Jack Cassel were called up.

Maysonet, 26, is the only one of the bunch looking to make his major league debut. Drafted in the 19th round in 2003 out of Delta State in Mississippi, he hit .271 with six homers and 34 RBIs this year with Class AAA Round Rock, but he is considered a strong defensive player in the middle infield.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Maysonet said upon arriving at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. “When (Round Rock manager Dave) Clark first told me, I was kind of shocked, but when I talked to my family, that’s when I got really excited.

“Then I got here and saw the stadium, and they said when I see the fans that’s…

Baseball Today (AP)

Dunn’s double propels Diamondbacks over Cardinals
With his slumping team down three runs in the sixth inning, Arizona manager Bob Melvin started making notes for a postgame pep talk. The Diamondbacks spared him the trouble, rallying for a 4-3 victory on Adam Dunn’s winning double in the ninth.

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Intense preparation fuels success for Quentin
There’s an unwritten rule in major league clubhouses that news reporters should not interrupt a player’s preparation for a game. That’s one reason Chicago White Sox left fielder Carlos Quentin hasn’t gotten the attention his American League-leading 36 home runs might normally warrant.

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Blum’s homer in 11th defeats Cubs

No one knew Carlos Zambrano was hurting. The Chicago Cubs starting pitcher left after five innings on a hot and muggy Tuesday night, more than two hours before Geoff Blum won it for the Houston Astros with a …

Martinez ends HR drought, Indians beat White Sox
Victor Martinez hit his first home run in nearly a year to help the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-3 on Tuesday night.

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Church’s slam helps Mets win 9-2, sweep Brewers
Carlos Delgado had his fun ribbing Ryan Church about his lack of power production. Church hit a grand slam, his first home run since June 1, and Brian Schneider added a homer in a six-run first inning that provided all the offense the Mets needed to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-2 and complete a three-game sweep Wednesday.

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Astros activate Kaz Matsui a few days early (AP)
The Houston Astros activated second baseman Kaz Matsui from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. Matsui was activated a few days early. He had been on the DL since Aug. 13 with an irritated disc in his lower back, and still needs a few more days before he’s ready to play, manager Cecil Cooper said. Matsui, who has missed about a third of the season with various injuries, is expected to play this weekend…

Blum’s 11th-inning homer gives Astros win (AP)

No one knew Carlos Zambrano was hurting. The Chicago Cubs starting pitcher left after five innings on a hot and muggy Tuesday night, more than two hours before Geoff Blum won it for the Houston Astros with a two-run homer in the 11th inning. Zambrano’s short outing was almost forgotten after the Astros‘ wild 9-7 win.

Lee becomes Indians’ first 20-game winner in 34 years
Once inside the clubhouse, Cliff Lee’s teammates popped open champagne and toasted his latest win, his biggest win.

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Astros Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

September call-ups Alberto Arias, J.R. Towles and Edwin Maysonet joined the team Tuesday in Chicago, one day after pitchers Fernando Nieve and Jack Cassel were called up.

Maysonet, 26, is the only one of the bunch looking to make his major league debut. Drafted in the 19th round in 2003 out of Delta State in Mississippi, he hit .271 with six homers and 34 RBIs this year with Class AAA Round Rock, but he is considered a strong defensive player in the middle infield.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Maysonet said upon arriving at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. “When (Round Rock manager Dave) Clark first told me, I was kind of shocked, but when I talked to my family, that’s when I got really excited.

“Then I got here and saw the stadium, and they said when I see the fans that’s…

Astros activate Kaz Matsui a few days early (AP)
The Houston Astros activated second baseman Kaz Matsui from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. Matsui was activated a few days early. He had been on the DL since Aug. 13 with an irritated disc in his lower back, and still needs a few more days before he’s ready to play, manager Cecil Cooper said. Matsui, who has missed about a third of the season with various injuries, is expected to play this weekend…

Cubs‘ Zambrano has sore arm, future in doubt (Yahoo! Sports)
Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano complained of soreness in his right arm when he left his start early Tuesday night,…

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Is Sabathia the best midseason acquisition ever?
CC Sabathia, Milwaukee’s 6-7, 290-pound left-handed starter, says he’s the same guy he’s always been. Sabathia may be the same guy, but the Brewers are not in the same place since he arrived in a trade with the Cleveland Indians on July 7.

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McDonald’s clutch hit in extras lifts Jays over Twins
John McDonald singled home the go-ahead run in the 11th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Minnesota 5-4 on Wednesday night, posting their eighth straight victory over the Twins.

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Attention to detail keeps baseball’s team officials busy
Every team has its version of Rockies assistant GM Bill Geivett. They’re all crucial extensions of their higher-profile general managers, sharing a multitude of tasks and expertise needed to run a 21st-century Major League Baseball team.

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Is Sabathia the best midseason acquisition ever?
CC Sabathia, Milwaukee’s 6-7, 290-pound left-handed starter, says he’s the same guy he’s always been. Sabathia may be the same guy, but the Brewers are not in the same place since he arrived in a trade with the Cleveland Indians on July 7.

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Dunn’s double propels Diamondbacks over Cardinals
With his slumping team down three runs in the sixth inning, Arizona manager Bob Melvin started making notes for a postgame pep talk. The Diamondbacks spared him the trouble, rallying for a 4-3 victory on Adam Dunn’s winning double in the ninth.

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Church’s slam helps Mets win 9-2, sweep Brewers
Carlos Delgado had his fun ribbing Ryan Church about his lack of power production. Church hit a grand slam, his first home run since June 1, and Brian Schneider added a homer in a six-run first inning that provided all the offense the Mets needed to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-2 and complete a three-game sweep Wednesday.

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Delgado fuels Mets comeback after Sheets exits early
The shadows in late afternoon at Miller Park can be brutal to hitters, but Carlos Delgado made good contact anyway.

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Cubs‘ Zambrano has sore arm, future in doubt (Yahoo! Sports)
Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano complained of soreness in his right arm when he left his start early Tuesday night,…

Postseason chase takes precedence
Mat Gamel is one of several players Milwaukee recalled when rosters expanded Monday. He is a top hitting prospect, but the Brewers are likely to continue using their primary starters while they chase a postseason berth.

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Mussina gets 17th win, Chamberlain returns for Yanks
Mike Mussina earned his 17th win, and the New York Yankees got home runs from Alex Rodriguez and Xavier Nady in a 7-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

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D’backs’ Drew, M’s Beltre ride cycles to historic nights
Hitting for the cycle is becoming so common, people hardly even notice. With Stephen Drew and Adrian Beltre both collecting cycles last night, that makes five already this season.

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Kent undergoes knee surgery, could return this season
Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday and might be able to return to action this month. The Dodgers said the outpatient procedure took 20 minutes, no additional problems were discovered and Kent will be able to begin the rehabilitation process Wednesday.

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