SATURDAY'S TIDBITS Line of the Day A.J. Burnett Blanked the Devil Rays on just three hits. IP H R SO 9 3 0 11 Hero of the day In the eyes of some New Yorkers, Shawn Estes, who threw a pitch behind Roger Clemens, then hit a home run off the Rocket in the Mets' 8-0 victory over the Yankees. Goat of the day Cleveland's Chad Paronto learned the danger of pitching Mile High, giving up four runs in 1/3 innings against the Rockies. Paronto, who took the loss, surrendered a two-run homer to Larry Walker. Injury report Manny Ramirez's rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Pawtucket might be extended. Ramirez, who broke his left index finger May 11, was originally scheduled to play four games at Pawtucket, then rejoin the Red Sox on Monday in time for a three-game series in San Diego. Now Ramirez will be evaluated after Monday's game to determine if he will remain with Pawtucket or join the Red Sox. Braves pitcher Greg Maddux left his start against the Red Sox with a strained calf muscle. Maddux said he wasn't concerned about the injury. Orioles 1B Jeff Conine was placed on the 15-day disabled list after the game after straining his right hamstring on a two-run triple in the eighth inning of Friday's game. A's reliever Mike Fyhrie left Oakland's game with the Giants in the fifth inning after Tsuyoshi Shinjo's bases-loaded liner hit him in the left shin. X-Rays revealed no breaks. Stat of the day Dodgers slugger Shawn Green, who already had a four-home run game this season, homered in his first two at-bats against the Angels on Saturday, giving him HRs in four straight at-bats. He struck out in the sixth inning, ending his bid to become the first player with to homer five straight times. Stat of the day, part deux Luis Castillo of the Marlins beat out a grounder to short for a single in the sixth inning, extending his hitting streak to 30 games. Twins catcher A.J. Pierzynski, meanwhile, had his career-best 16-game hitting streak end. The last word "I missed my spot. I didn't execute my pitch. 'You can draw your own conclusions.'' -- Mets pitcher Shawn Estes, who threw a pitch behind Roger Clemens.

INTERLEAGUE
White Sox at Cubs
Chicago White Sox: Mark Buehrle made his first road start in seven outings since May 8. ... Buehrle's season-high fourth walk came on an intentional pass to Sammy Sosa in the fifth. It was Buehrle's most walks in 23 starts, going back to last Aug. 19 against the Athletics, when he walked five. ... Buehrle got his first major league hit with an opposite-field single to left in the fifth off Jon Lieber. Buehrle scored from first on Jose Valentin's double. ... Mark Johnson broke an 0-for-12 skid with his first homer since April 26. ... Manager Jerry Manuel said Magglio Ordonez (sore hand) and Kenny Lofton (sore right hamstring) were questionable for Sunday. ... Manuel said Frank Thomas is expected to return to first base, where he has two errors in two games this season. Paul Konerko, who would sit, took it diplomatically. "Not starting is no big deal. Hopefully, we'll blow them out and I'll get a day off. It's been great just getting these two starts. It used to be that I'd sit and Frank would play and that would be that,'' Konerko said. Chicago Cubs: The Cubs' seven runs were their most this season in a game started by Jon Lieber. The Cubs had averaged 3.6 runs when Lieber took the mound. ... In his 13th start, Lieber issued only his ninth walk of the season. ... Lieber is 4-2 with a 2.89 ERA in seven career starts against the White Sox. ... OF Moises Alou is 13-for-34 (.382) during his nine-game hitting streak. "I'm on my way out of the slump, and things are going to turn around,'' said Alou, who raised his average to .223. "Every day, I am hitting the ball hard. Finally, I am getting some holes.''

Yankees at Mets
Yankees: RHP Roger Clemens left with a bruised right foot in the sixth inning but doesn't expect to miss a start. "My foot's fine,'' he said. "I'm not going to have any problem with that.'' ... OF Rondell White returned to the lineup for the first time since Sunday when he injured a tendon in his left middle finger. White went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. ... LHP Andy Pettitte reported no problems with his elbow the day after his first major league start in two months. "We found out something last night,'' manager Joe Torre said. "He's healthy.'' ... Nick Johnson might get a shot in the outfield next week as the Yankees are in the midst of a stretch of nine straight games in NL parks without a DH. Torre said he doesn't want to give 1B Jason Giambi a day off. ... RHP Orlando Hernandez (strained back) will throw a simulated game Monday. Mets: LHP Shawn Estes has made two starts in the postseason but even he admits facing the Yankees and dealing with all the hoopla surrounding Roger Clemens batting made this game seem even more important. "This was probably my biggest game in my career, including a couple of playoff starts,'' he said. "This whole week I focused on one thing -- how I would pitch to their lineup.'' Estes allowed five hits and struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings and also hit at two-run homer. ... Four of the Mets' 10 interleague wins against the Yankees have been shutouts. The Yankees have won 16 times against the Mets but have no shutouts. ... RF Jeromy Burnitz was back in the lineup after getting hit in the helmet with a pitch Friday. Burnitz said he had no headaches when he woke up Saturday and went 2-for-4 with an RBI, raising his average to .201.

Royals at Cardinals
Kansas City: The Royals recalled OF Alexis Gomez from Double-A Wichita. Gomez, 21, was batting .332 with 11 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 40 RBI. ... LHP Darrell May, 2-3 but a winner in each of his last two starts, pitches in the series finale Sunday. ... Neifi Perez is in a 10-for-54 slump. ... Carlos Beltran hasn't drawn a walk in 10 games since June 3. For the season, he has 28 walks and 57 strikeouts. Beltran's homer in the sixth was the Royals' first run in 14 innings against the Cardinals. ... The Royals have been shut out eight times already this year after being blanked six times all of last season. St. Louis: Closer Jason Isringhausen, who hasn't pitched since June 4 due to tightness in his elbow, will throw before Sunday's game and could return soon. He's not in a hurry. "I'd rather be saving games in September than June,'' Isringhausen said. "Sometimes, little things can turn into big ones real quick.'' ... Fernando Vina leads the team with 11 stolen bases, but was caught for the seventh time in the first inning. ... Saturday was the 50th anniversary of the biggest comeback in NL history, when the Cardinals rallied from an 11-0 fifth-inning deficit against the New York Giants to win 14-12 in the first game of a doubleheader. ... The Cardinals are 7-5 without Jim Edmonds, who is eligible to come off the disabled list from a wrist injury Sunday. Edmonds took batting practice Saturday and manager Tony La Russa pegged his return as 50-50. ... Jason Simontacchi's run-scoring single in the sixth was the first RBI this season by a Cardinals pitcher other than Matt Morris, who has two.

Rangers at Astros
Houston: RHP Kirk Saarloos, who was called up from Double-A, won't report until Monday, when the Astros are in Milwaukee. That was at his request, since he already had plans to get married in Seattle on Saturday. Saarloos was 10-1 with a 1.40 ERA at Round Rock and was going to be called up to Triple-A before Astros pitcher Shane Reynolds underwent back surgery Thursday. Now Saarloos is scheduled to start against the Brewers on Tuesday. Texas: Michael Young's consecutive hit streak ended at seven at-bats when he struck out in the second inning. The team record is 10, set by Frank Catalanotto April 21-May 18. ... The Texas bullpen is last in the AL in ERA at 5.61 and leads the league in blown saves (13) and relief losses (13).

Athletics at Giants
Oakland: The game was delayed in the bottom of the second inning when starter Aaron Harang's belt on his uniform pants broke. A replacement was quickly brought to the mound amid wolf whistles from the crowd. ... RHP Cory Lidle, bumped from his regular turn in the rotation because of his prolonged struggles, faced one batter in his first relief appearance since 2000. Lidle, who's 1-6 with a 6.90 ERA this season, struck out pinch-hitter Marvin Benard with the bases loaded to end the fifth. ... The A's set a franchise record with their 12th straight errorless game. Oakland has committed just 35 errors this season, best in the AL. The A's haven't led the league in defense since 1990. San Francisco: Reggie Sanders isn't the long-term solution to the team's struggle to find a leadoff hitter, but he's the best available option right now. David Bell, Marvin Benard and Tsuyoshi Shinjo all struggled in the role earlier this season. Sanders has nine stolen bases, but he was signed as a free agent to provide power and RBI, not speed. ... The Giants' wives beat their Oakland counterparts 7-6 in their annual softball game to benefit a breast cancer charity. A long triple by San Francisco manager Dusty Baker's wife Melissa was the best-looking hit of the afternoon. ... Baker celebrated his 53rd birthday. ... Sanders' grand slam in the fourth inning earned $26,000 for Don Cunningham from Colorado Springs, Colo. Cunningham entered a promotion at Pacific Bell Park before the game.

Red Sox at Braves
Boston: RHP John Burkett, who played with the Braves the past two seasons, started against his former team for the first time since signing with the Red Sox. "I've done it before,'' said the well-traveled Burkett. "I left the Giants, Florida, Texas, so it's just move on. But it is kind of strange.'' Burkett wanted a two-year contract, something the Braves weren't willing to offer. "I don't know if that was a deal-breaker,'' he said. "That was kind of a breaking point for me. I wanted to pitch for two more years. I thought from what I did that I deserved to get two years somewhere.'' Burkett was 22-18 with Atlanta. ... Tony Clark, who got the night off Friday, started at first base. Carlos Baerga got his fourth start of the year at second. Atlanta: Despite going 2-for-4 Friday night against Pedro Martinez, 1B Matt Franco was back on the bench. Julio Franco got the start. ... As part of a promotion with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 15 fans were to receive an autographed game jersey from a Braves player after the game.

Blue Jays at Expos
Toronto: RHP Esteban Loaiza has seen his ERA rise from 2.40 to 4.71 while going 0-1 in his last two starts. Loaiza, who made his season debut May 14 and went 3-1 in his first four starts, allowed 18 hits and 11 earned runs in 6 1-3 innings in his last two outings. ... The Blue Jays are 16-10 against Montreal since interleague play began in 1997, including a 7-5 mark at Olympic Stadium. Montreal: The Expos will hand out Rusty Staub bobblehead dolls to the first 5,000 fans to attend Sunday's game. The promotion is the first of six bobblehead giveaways this season which will feature likenesses of former Expos stars Steve Rogers, Tim Raines, Andre Dawson and Gary Carter over Montreal's next five Sunday home games, along with one of current RF Vladimir Guerrero. ... Larry Broadway, Montreal's third-round pick in this year's draft, took batting practice before the game. Broadway, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound first baseman, was chosen 77th overall and signed with the Expos on Thursday. The 21-year-old junior out of Duke hit .323 with eight homers and 53 RBI this season and will join Class-A Vermont on Tuesday. ... The Expos have won six of their last seven games at Olympic Stadium. Montreal is 20-11 at home this season.

Twins at Brewers
Minnesota: C A.J. Pierzynski came in with a career-high 16-game hitting streak. Over his last 24 games, Pierzynski is batting .367 (33-for-90). ... 1B Doug Mientkiewicz was still steamed about a strikeout call on him that ended Friday's game. Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt said Mientkiewicz went around on a checked swing against RHP Mike De Jean. "They make mistakes. They're human, but that's why there are three other guys standing out there,'' Mientkiewicz said. "If he asks for help and bangs me that's fine.'' Wendelstedt said: "I did see the tape, and I'm not going to debate it. As far as I'm concerned, when I left the ballpark last night it was over.'' ... The Twins signed OF Tarrance Patterson, their 25th draft pick. They have signed nine of their 50 picks. Milwaukee: The Brewers came into Saturday night's game against Twins LHP Eric Milton with a 3-12 record against left-handed starters. ... 3B Tyler Houston didn't start despite a .329 batting average (47-for-143) in interleague play that included two straight three-hit games. ... Ron Belliard started at third base after getting the game-winning hit as a pinch-hitter Friday night. Belliard had hit safely in all nine career games against the Twins. ... CF Alex Sanchez, who has been nursing a hamstring problem, did not start. But he was deemed fit to play in the field. Sanchez pinch-hit in Friday's game. ... RHP Paul Rigdon will undergo athroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala. Dr. James Andrews will perform the operation.

Tigers at Diamondbacks
Detroit: Dmitri Young was a last-minute scratch from the lineup because of a soreness from a hernia. Young, usually a designated hitter, started in left field for the first time this season Friday night and had a two-run double before leaving the game after aggravating the hernia. ... OF Robert Fick came in batting .369 with six doubles, four homers and 11 RBI during a career-high 16-game hitting streak. He has three home runs in his last four games. ... An MRI exam showed RHP Danny Patterson has a torn elbow ligament and probably will require surgery, although no final decision has been made. If he has an operation, Patterson will be sidelined 12-to-18 months. Arizona: RHP Matt Mantei threw an inning of relief for Triple-A Tucson on Friday night. He allowed no hits, struck out a batter and walked one. Mantei is recovering from elbow surgery and is tentatively scheduled to join the Diamondbacks late this month during a three-game series in Cleveland. ... RHP Todd Stottlemyre, still trying to come back from elbow problems and a nerve problem in his shoulder, was scheduled to make a rehab appearance in Tucson on Saturday night. ... 3B Matt Williams ran the bases for the first time in his comeback from damaged ligaments and a broken ankle. He said it went better than expected. The team hopes to have Williams back after the All-Star break. ... The demotion of RHP Bret Prinz has elevated Mike Koplove to the right-handed setup role. Since being called up from Tucson, Koplove has yet to allow a baserunner in 2 1-3 innings, striking out three.

Mariners at Padres
Seattle: The Mariners, who entered with consecutive victories, hadn't won three straight since May 15-17. ... The Mariners lead the majors with 70 stolen bases but have been successful on just 15 of their last 28 attempts. ... John Olerud came in with a 15-game hitting streak. San Diego: When OF Eugene Kingsale was claimed by the Padres off waivers from Seattle on Friday, some of the Mariners, including manager Lou Piniella, apparently were the last to find out. Piniella was among those wondering why Kingsale was sitting in the Padres' dugout during batting practice. Padres manager Bruce Bochy was the one who broke the news to Piniella. ... LF Ray Lankford, who opened the season in a platoon with Bubba Trammell, has two homers in three games after hitting just one in his first 49 games. Lankford, whose $7.6 million salary is the highest on the Padres, homered at Baltimore on Tuesday night and against the Mariners on Friday night. ... The Padres have been thrown out in 10 of their last 12 stolen-base attempts over the last 13 games.

Devil Rays at Marlins
Florida: The Marlins turned a franchise-record five double plays Friday night. ... Florida came in leading the National League in walks allowed (279) and walks drawn (266). Tampa Bay: Tanyon Sturtze became the third consecutive Tampa Bay starter to pitch nine innings Friday night. The Devil Rays are the first team with three consecutive nine-inning starts since Oakland on Sept. 8-10, 2000, with all of those games coming against Tampa Bay. ... Tampa Bay is 5-2 in extra-inning games and 17-41 in other games.

Orioles at Phillies
Baltimore: Several scouts watched Sidney Ponson pitch Friday night and a few were in attendance to see Scott Erickson on Saturday. Both pitchers are rumored to be targets of contending teams as the trade deadline approaches. ... 1B Jeff Conine was out of the starting lineup after straining his right hamstring Friday night. Jay Gibbons moved from right field to first base in place of Conine. It was Gibbons' first start there this season. ... Melvin Mora grounded into a double play Friday night for the first time this season after 221 at-bats. Philadelphia: LF Pat Burrell was back in the lineup after sitting out Friday night because of a strained right biceps. Bobby Abreu started his fourth game in center field, with Jeremy Giambi playing right and Doug Glanville on the bench. ... Manager Larry Bowa has used 38 different lineups this season. The most common one was used only seven times. ... 3B Scott Rolen is the only Phillie to start every game. ... SS Jimmy Rollins has a hit in seven of his last nine games after a 4-for-40 slump.

Indians at Rockies
Cleveland: The combination of a 3-for-5 night and Ricky Gutierrez's injured hamstring got 2B John McDonald a second straight start. "Ricky is too sore to play and felt the same as he did yesterday,'' manager Charlie Manuel said. "Besides, John earned another night. I already like the way he plays defense and if he hits like he did on Friday night, it will be hard to get him out of the lineup.'' ... Former Rockies OF Ellis Burks started in left field for the second straight game, but Manuel gave no assurances that he would start in Sunday's series finale. "We have to wait and see. Go one step at a time,'' Manuel said. "And with a day game, we'll have to take another look.'' Burks has been troubled by a sore left knee. ... The experience of managing in altitude for three years at Colorado Springs has given Manuel an edge over his peers that manage for the first time in Coors Field. "I know you don't bunt as much, pitchers have to keep the ball down here more than most parks and you have to have fast outfielders to win here,'' Manuel said. "I also know that you can have more success with a team of hitters that hit line drives than with a team of power hitters.'' ... Cleveland signed 3B Matt Whitney, 18, the 33rd overall pick of the 2002 draft on Friday. Colorado: Manager Clint Hurdle said Colorado's struggles in interleague games have more to do with the time of the year than with facing teams from the AL. The Rockies are 26-45 against the AL and have won just one interleague game this season. "Every year that we've played the interleague games, it's been a portion of the schedule where we haven't been playing well anyway,'' he said. "We're playing them in June and we haven't had a good June since I've been here that I can recall. I think that's more of a reason than anything.'' ... Hurdle said he doesn't require players to study opposing pitchers on video, but feels it's the coaching staff's responsibility to make the information available. "Not every player is going to use it, but it's our job to provide it,'' he said. "Because if we're not getting it done, people are going to ask me 'what are you doing?' and I can tell them, here's what we're doing and here's what is available. It's up to the players to pick and choose. It's kind of like going through a buffet line.'' ... Mark Little started in place of CF Juan Pierre to give the Rockies a little more power against lefty C.C. Sabathia. "We've been soft against left-handed pitching and I'm trying to find a little more thump,'' Hurdle said.

Angels at Dodgers
Anaheim: The Angels begin a three-game series at St. Louis on Tuesday -- the first time many of the players will see CF Jim Edmonds since he was traded to the Cardinals for 2B Adam Kennedy and RHP Kent Bottenfield on March 23, 2000. Edmonds averaged 36 homers and 109 RBI during the previous two seasons. "He didn't leave here on the best of terms, but you have to look at the personnel we had at the time -- both teammates and coaching staff,'' RF Tim Salmon said. "I mean, we had some highly volatile, hard-nosed guys -- Terry Collins and Larry Bowa and Dave Hollins -- who ride you day in and day out. And Jimmy was the kind of guy who was going to get rided because he had a lot of injuries at the time and people questioned them -- those three guys in particular. It wasn't fair to him, but it probably contributed to everything that happened after that. I think it was in the best interests of everybody involved, and it obviously turned out to be a great move for him.'' Los Angeles: Four former Dodgers have managed the Angels -- Mike Scioscia, Dick Williams, Norm Sherry and Gene Mauch. Ten ex-Dodgers later became Angels coaches -- Sherry and brother Norm Sherry, Mickey Hatcher, Alfredo Griffin, Ron Roenicke, Johnny Roseboro, Frank Robinson, Pete Reiser, Billy Herman and Rocky Bridges. ... The Dodgers started Odalis Perez against Anaheim's Scott Schoeneweis in a matchup of lefties. Los Angeles entered 13-4 against left-handed starters, while the Angels were 13-5 -- the best records in both leagues. ... Kazuhisa Ishii's loss Friday night prevented him from becoming the first major leaguer to start his rookie season 11-1 since 1970, when RHP Wayne Simpson won 13 of his first 14 decisions and finished that season 14-2 in 26 starts. Simpson was 36-31 with a 4.37 ERA in six big league seasons.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pirates at Reds
Pittsburgh: 2B Pokey Reese heard boos last season in Cincinnati after he made it clear he wanted the Reds to trade him. In his first return with the Pirates, those boos were a whole lot louder. Reese was taunted and booed when he was introduced and whenever he came to bat Friday night. Reese went 1-for-5 with a single. "Junior is a Hall-of-Famer to be, and they've booed him,'' Reese said before Saturday's game. "It really didn't bother me at all. I was getting booed when I was here, so it really didn't surprise me at all. I love it. It's just too bad I didn't go 4-for-4.'' Some of the fans' wrath is the result of his comments during spring training, when he said Ken Griffey Jr.'s special treatment fractured the Reds' clubhouse. OF Dmitri Young, now with Detroit, later said the same thing. Given the stir those statements caused, Reds SS Barry Larkin wasn't surprised at the way Reese was greeted. "Based on all of the stuff that was said this spring, no,'' Larkin said. "As beloved as Dmitri was here, I'm sure he'd get the same reception. Fans don't forget.'' Reese was booed again Saturday during introductions and when he was the answer to a scoreboard question. ... LHP Sean Burnett, the Pirates' first-round pick in June 2000, has been chosen for the All-Star Futures Game in Milwaukee on July 7. Cincinnati: LHP Bruce Chen joined the team a day after he was acquired from Montreal in a trade for RHP Jim Brower. Chen, who turns 25 next Wednesday, has already played for five teams -- Atlanta, Philadelphia, the Mets, Montreal and Cincinnati. "He doesn't throw real hard,'' manager Bob Boone said. "He ends up being a package guy. When you talk trades, everyone wants a left-hander. He's been OK. I think Atlanta kind of gave up on him.'' Chen isn't sure why he's bounced around so much. "I don't have an answer for that,'' Chen said. "I've had my good times in the big leagues, but I need to be more consistent.'' Chen will become the Reds' fifth starter, but they're not sure when he'll get his turn. He was available as a reliever Saturday. ... RHP Jose Rijo isn't close to returning from the disabled list. Rijo, sidelined by a weak right shoulder, is eligible to come off next Monday, but hasn't even thrown off a mound yet. He's playing catch over a distance of 75 feet every other day. His rehabilitation plan calls for him to get back on the mound in 10 days.