SUNDAY'S TIDBITS Line of the Day Josh Beckett Phenom won his first game since May 19. Beckett struck out a career-high 12 batters in the Marlins' 4-0 victory over the Expos to complete a three-game sweep. IP H ER SO 6 3 0 12 Hero of the day Raul Ibanez continues to save the Royals whenever they are in trouble. Ibanez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings and then was hit by a pitch in the 10th to force in the winning run in Kansas City's 13-12 victory over the Indians. Goat of the day On a highly competitive day for this honor, the Red Sox's Trot Nixon earned the title. Nixon misplayed a single by Bernie Williams to allow the tying run to score and put the winning run on third base. Boston closer Ugueth Urbina eventually walked Jorge Posada to force Williams home and allow the Yankees to win 9-8. Injury report Yankees closer Mariano Rivera didn't play after leaving Saturday's game with tightness in his right shoulder. He will have an MRI on Monday. Cubs outfielder Moises Alou left in the eighth inning after being plunked on his right elbow. Cubs manager Bruce Kimm doubted Alou would play Monday. Brewers shortstop Alex Sanchez didn't start for the third straight game with a strained left oblique muscle. Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney didn't play for the 10th straight game with stiffness in his lower back. He will have an MRI on Monday to look at soreness in his hip, which might be related to his back problems. Braves catcher Javier Lopez left the game with a strained right shoulder in the seventh. He took a cortisone shot and doesn't believe the injury is serious. Indians first baseman Jim Thome missed his fourth straight game with stiffness in his lower back. Marlins outfielder Preston Wilson was scratched before the game with a sore right wrist. Royals catcher A.J. Hinch left in the first inning after being hit on the hand by a foul ball. He has a bruised right hand and is day-to-day. Streak of the day Reds starter Elmer Dessens extended his scoreless streak to 17 innings, including seven against the Mets in a 9-1 victory. Stat of the day The Padres defeated Randy Johnson for the first time in 14 regular-season games with an 11-9 win over the Diamondbacks. The Big Unit was torched for eight earned runs in five innings. The last word "It took a funny hop. Either way, I made the error. People can say what they want, but that cost us the game.'' -- Red Sox outfielder Trot Nixon on his error that helped the Yankees rally to win Sunday.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Devil Rays at Blue Jays
Tampa Bay: The Devil Rays set a new team record with four sacrifices. ... Tampa Bay is 12-29 versus the AL East. ... The Devil Rays play a split doubleheader in Boston on Tuesday. They are 0-8 against the Red Sox this season. "We haven't beaten them so far so naturally they think they are going to win both games. We have to go in there and play well and try to win,'' manager Hal McRae said.

Toronto: The Blue Jays are 10-3 in their last 13 home games. ... The Blue Jays activated RHP Luke Prokopec from the 15-day DL and optioned RHP Brian Bowels to Triple-A Syracuse. ... OF Jose Cruz Jr. has 25 RBI in his last 21 games. ... LF Shannon Stewart, who was hit by a pitch and later cut his left hand when he was spiked sliding into home plate Saturday, was held out of the starting lineup, but pinch ran in the eighth inning.

Red Sox at Yankees
Boston: OF Johnny Damon, bothered a bit by a sore knee, did not start but came in to pinch-run in the eighth inning and remained in the game in center field. He has six hits in his last 44 at-bats. ... The Red Sox went 5-6 on their road trip and are 13-14 in their last 27 games away from home after starting the season 20-4 on the road. ... The Red Sox hit three homers in the fourth inning, their most in an inning since connecting four times at Minnesota on July 3, 2000. ... After 19 starts this season, RHP Frank Castillo made his first relief appearance since Sept. 17, 2000, for Toronto. ... OF Manny Ramirez had his third multihomer game of the season and the 29th of his career. ... SS Nomar Garciaparra had his 13th multihomer game, first this year.

New York: The Yankees improved to 6-8 against Boston this season. ... New York got its 24th come-from-behind win and 15th victory in its last at-bat. The Yankees have come from behind in their final at-bat in their last five victories. ... RHP Jeff Weaver gave up five home runs, a team record at Yankee Stadium. ... RHP Roger Clemens, on the disabled list with a right groin injury, threw 120 pitches of batting practice in Tampa, Fla., and reported no problems. ... RHP Orlando Hernandez dropped his appeal and began serving a five-game suspension for hitting Toronto's Carlos Delgado with a pitch last week. ... RF Raul Mondesi returned to the starting lineup for the first time since spending Thursday night in the hospital after feeling short of breath. He went 1-for-3 with a single, two walks and two strikeouts.

Twins at Tigers
Minnesota: The last time Minnesota visited Detroit, the outcome was the exact opposite of this past weekend's sweep by the Twins. The Tigers swept the Twins in three games April 26-28. "The last time we came in here, we didn't win a ballgame,'' he said. "We wanted to come in and sweep. ... This ballclub got after us and beat us up.'' ... The Twins didn't double for a third straight game after having one in 24 straight.

Detroit: Rookie SS Ramon Santiago let a ball go through his legs for the third time in recent weeks. "I'm concerned, this is the third error he's made on a soft ground ball right through the legs,'' manager Luis Pujols said. "I told (coach Rafael) Landestoy to watch the video tape and his head came up.''... Robert Fick is hitless in his last 13 at-bats. "Robert may be a little tired,'' Pujols said. "I'll talk to him Tuesday and see how he feels. I know he'll tell me he's ready to play. But I'll look at the matchup.''

White Sox at Orioles
Chicago: DH Frank Thomas returned to the third spot in the batting order Sunday, after a 9-for-22 streak over six games. Thomas went 2-for-5. ... SS Jose Valentin's homer in the second inning, a two-run shot to right-center, was his first since July 3. ... Before allowing two hits, a walk and two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning Sunday, RHP Keith Foulke had pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings over his previous five appearances. ... The White Sox improved to 6-17 in one-run games with Sunday's victory over Baltimore.

Baltimore: Following a cortisone injection in his sore right wrist Saturday, 1B Jay Gibbons returned to the Orioles' starting lineup Sunday, going 2-for-3 with two homers. It was his third two-homer game of the year, all coming in July. ... After starting at DH for five games since his recall from Triple-A Rochester, Howie Clark finally played in the field Sunday. He started in left field. A natural infielder, Clark played outfield for Yucatan of the Mexican League last year. Clark has a hit in all six of his starts since being recalled from Rochester. ... IF Luis Lopez was pressed into service at first base Saturday night, playing the position for the first time in his big-league career. Manager Mike Hargrove ran short of bench players, necessitating the move. Lopez made his first Orioles start at shortstop Sunday. ... RHP Scott Erickson has a 2.68 ERA in day games and a 4.25 ERA overall.

Indians at Royals
Cleveland: 1B Jim Thome missed his fourth straight game Sunday. He has been out of the lineup with stiffness in his lower back. Thome is second in the AL with 28 home runs and a .605 slugging percentage. ... OF Matt Lawton will begin a rehab assignment in Double-A Akron Tuesday. He has been on the DL since July 12 with a strained left calf. ... Indians' DH Ellis Burks left the game in the fourth with leg cramps. ... CF Milton Bradley set a career high for hits in a game with five and matched a career high with five RBI. ... The 12 runs were also a season high for the Indians.

Kansas City: 1B Mike Sweeney was held out of the lineup for the 10th straight game with stiffness in his back. Manager Tony Pena hopes to get the second leading hitter in the AL back by next weekend, but Sweeney will have an MRI on Monday to take a look at soreness in his hip and if it is related to his sore back. ... The three home runs given up by Kansas City pitching increased the Royals' AL worst total to 124. ... 3B Joe Randa's first inning double was the 200th of his career. ... LHP Jeremy Affeldt will begin his rehab assignment in Wichita on Monday. He is on the DL with a blister on his left middle finger.

Mariners at Angels
Seattle: Anaheim Mighty Ducks star Paul Kariya met his favorite baseball player, Seattle RF Ichiro Suzuki, before the game. Kariya is a native Canadian of Japanese descent. ... Manager Lou Piniella's next victory will be the 1,287th of his career, tying him with Charlie Grimm for 27th. Grimm had stints with the Chicago Cubs, Boston and Milwaukee. ... The Mariners have lost 12 of their last 18 one-run games after starting the season 7-3 in such contests. They were 5-8 in one-run road games coming into Sunday. ... Suzuki, who was 1-for-4 Saturday night, leads the AL in road batting average at .380.

Anaheim: Sunday's game was just the Angels' fourth appearance on national television this season. Starting LHP Jarrod Washburn also pitched in the first nationally televised game, the season opener against Cleveland, which he'd probably like to forget. Washburn gave up five runs in five innings of a 6-0 loss. ... Beginning Tuesday, the Angels play their next 14 games against Oakland, Boston and New York, teams with a combined record of 239-152 as of Sunday. ... RHP Brendan Donnelly pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief with a career-high five strikeouts Saturday night, the most by an Angels reliever this season.

Rangers at Athletics
Texas: Kenny Rogers still hasn't decided whether to accept the proposed trade that would send him to Cincinnati for three prospects. He plans to talk with the Reds and his family on Monday, but he said he wasn't leaning one way or the other. Texas would pay most or all of Rogers' salary if the deal goes through. ... SS Alex Rodriguez, who leads the majors in homers and leads the AL in RBI, was in an 0-for-18 slump before going 5-for-9 over the final two games of Texas' series with Oakland. He's still just 7-for-32 in the Rangers' last eight games. ... 3B Herbert Parry doubled in the 12th inning Sunday to snap an 0-for-17 skid. ... The Rangers get an off-day on Monday before beginning a series at Seattle.

Oakland: Manager Art Howe announced a minor shuffle in his pitching rotation after Sunday's 7-3 loss to Texas. LHP Barry Zito (13-3) was moved up one day to start against Anaheim on Tuesday, while RHP Tim Hudson was bumped back one day to Wednesday. "I have my reasons,'' Howe said mysteriously. Hudson said he understood the decision had been made because of "matchups.'' ... The A's leave an average of 7.4 runners on base per game. They left 16 runners on base Sunday -- including four in the final four innings of the 12-inning game. ... LHP Mark Mulder was denied his ninth career complete game when the A's couldn't drive home two runners in scoring position in the ninth inning Sunday. Mulder, who allowed just three hits and two walks over nine innings, also missed the chance for his 10th victory in 11 games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Astros at Cubs
Houston: Heat, plus a 14-mph breeze to center usually makes for a big offensive game at Wrigley Field, but the Astros and Cubs combined for only five runs and 13 hits Sunday. Games at Wrigley produce 10.4 runs when the wind blows out, but only 8.3 with it blowing in. Lance Berkman, who got his NL-leading 30th homer Sunday, was not among those surprised at the low scoring, especially Sunday with Roy Oswalt pitching for Houston and Jon Lieber for Chicago. "Those were talented pitchers on the mound, and I don't consider this a hitters' park anyway,'' said Berkman, whose club was outscored 10-5 in the three-game series. "You put those elements together and it makes for a great pitchers' battle.''

Chicago: Manager Bruce Kimm limited starter Jon Lieber to five innings in the 94-degree heat. Kimm said Lieber, who threw 82 pitches, probably could have gone longer, but it was safer to take the long view. "It wasn't so much for this game. It'll pay off long term by not taxing him too much,'' Kimm said. ... The Cubs have a team ERA of 2.05 with 116 strikeouts over their last 11 games. ... OF Moises Alou was hit on the right elbow by a pitch in the eighth inning Sunday and had to leave the game. Cubs trainer Dave Tumbas said the elbow was swollen and Alou needed X-rays. Alou has been on the disabled list 10 times in his career, including once this season.

Expos at Marlins
Montreal: The Expos are searching for answers about why they stumbled out of the gate following the All-Star break, losing eight of 11, including a three-game sweep in Florida. "We're going through a bit of a rough time. We're going to find a way. We have to find a way, '' 3B Fernando Tatis said. ... Vladimir Guerrero collected his 1,000th career hit Saturday, becoming the fifth-youngest player to do so. It capped a week that saw Guerrero become the career home run leader at Olympic Stadium with 107, eclipsing the mark of 106 set by Gary Carter.

Florida: The Marlins have stolen a base in 62 of 98 games and have 35 multi-steal games. They lead the majors with 122 steals. ... Mike Lowell had two doubles and leads the NL with 34. ... Marlins OF Preston Wilson was scratched from the lineup before the game with a sore right wrist.

Braves at Phillies
Atlanta: The Braves are 17-0-4 in their last 21 series since losing two of three to Los Angeles on May 7-9. They are 45-14 since May 15. ... Greg Maddux, a four-time Cy Young award winner, starts against Florida on Monday. He's 3-0 with an 0.50 ERA against the Marlins this season and 15-5 with a 1.73 ERA lifetime. ... Tim Spooneybarger, who had five saves in his pro career, got his first in the majors in Sunday's 2-1 victory at Philadelphia. ... C Javy Lopez left Sunday's game in the eighth inning with a strained right shoulder. He got his second cortisone shot of the season on that shoulder after the game, but doesn't think the injury is serious.

Philadelphia: Former first-round pick Brett Myers is scheduled to make his major league debut on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. Myers, a hard-throwing right-hander who was the 12th overall pick in the 1999 draft, was 9-6 with a 3.59 ERA in 19 starts at Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre this season. Terry Adams will move to the bullpen to make room in the rotation for Myers. ... David Coggin, a converted reliever, hasn't allowed a homer in his last 35 innings, including 18 2/3 innings as a reliever. ... The Phillies are 25-26 at home after starting 18-10. They are 14-5 in their last 19 road games after winning just five of their first 27 away from home.

Cardinals at Pirates
St. Louis: By winning Sunday, the Cardinals improved to 4-5 against the Pirates. They were 14-3 against them last season. ... St. Louis hasn't been swept in a three-game series by Pittsburgh since 1991. ... LHP Chuck Finley wasn't overpowering in his NL debut -- four runs allowed in six innings -- but he certainly impressed his new manager in an 8-4 victory Sunday in Pittsburgh. Tony La Russa said, "He did a lot of good things out there. I was really excited to see him moving the ball around and using three pitches. That's a big lift for us. ... What a lift, not just today but, I think, for the rest of the year.'' ... Finley was 1-7 with a 5.05 ERA in nine road starts with Cleveland before winning his first road start with St. Louis.

Pittsburgh: Adam Hyzdu is believed to be the first Pirates player to drive in 11 runs in consecutive games since Ralph Kiner in 1950. ... The Pirates haven't swept a three-game series from the Cardinals in Pittsburgh since Sept. 25-27, 1989. ... Despite being limited to a single Sunday, Hyzdu is in a 10-for-16 streak. ... The Pirates are 30-26 against the NL Central. They were 36-48 in the division last season. ... The Pirates got their 46th victory of the season Saturday night in their 97th game. A year ago, they didn't win their 46th until their 124th game. ... 2B Pokey Reese was given a day off Sunday, and manager Lloyd McClendon might have been kicking himself for the move in the third inning. With three runs in and the score tied at 4, fill-in Mike Benjamin grounded out to end the inning, and the Pirates didn't score again. Benjamin has only one extra-base hit in three months and five hits in his last 45 at-bats. Benjamin did make two excellent plays in the field. ... The Pirates begin a seven-game road trip Monday in Cincinnati, then go to Houston for four weekend games. They went 5-1 on their first trip following the All-Star break, winning three of four in Milwaukee and two straight in Houston.

Mets at Reds
New York: The Mets optioned LHP Mike Bacsik to Triple-A Norfolk and recalled RHP Jae Seo from Norfolk. Seo pitched a perfect eighth in his major league debut. ... Marco Scutaro made his major league debut, taking over at second base in the sixth. He flied out in his only at-bat. ... Manager Bobby Valentine remained upbeat despite Sunday's loss. "We could go home and play the same brand of baseball we've been playing -- other than today -- and have a good chance of winning,'' he said. The Mets had scored 76 runs in the previous 11 games, winning eight. ... Valentine said it would be good to get Steve Trachsel back. Trachsel, on the DL since July 1, is scheduled to start Monday against Montreal.

Cincinnati: The Reds were waiting word from Kenny Rogers on whether Texas pitcher would accept a trade to the Reds. "I've got my fingers crossed,'' GM Jim Bowden said. Rogers, 37, is in the last year of a three-year contract. He is 10-5 with a 3.39 ERA this season. ... Pitching coach Don Gullett, who pitched for Cincinnati during the Big Red Machine era, was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame, along with 19th century second baseman Bid McPhee. ... The series has been hard on umpires. Larry Young left Sunday's game after the second inning with a sore knee and was replaced at third base by minor league umpire James Hoye. On Saturday, Kevin Kelley joined the umpiring crew to replace Bill Miller, who injured his right ankle on a play near the third-base dugout Friday.

Brewers at Rockies
Milwaukee: OF Alex Sanchez was left out of the lineup for a third consecutive game. Sanchez was used a pinch-runner and was asserted into the lineup as for defensive purposes on Saturday. "He didn't do so well last night and he was feeling it pretty good when he was running,'' manager Jerry Royster said. Sanchez sustained a strained oblique muscle in last Thursday's game with Houston. "It would be nice to have him at the top of the order with Eric Young, but we can't afford to rush him.'' ... 2B Eric Young was given the day off. "I like to rest him in day games after a night game,'' Royster said. "Besides, I had to get Mark Loretta into the lineup.'' ... OF Geoff Jenkins turned 28. Jenkins in on the DL with a dislocated ankle and torn ligaments. ... SS Jose Hernandez fanned for the 122nd time. ... Ben Sheets extended his personal losing streak to five consecutive losses and is winless in his last six starts and hasn't won since June 18. "I don't know when it will end,'' Sheets said. "I can't blame a lack of run support because I haven't pitched well. Besides, you saw how badly I hit.''

Colorado: LHP Kent Mercker threw to hitters for 15 minutes before Sunday's game. Mercker will report to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday to begin a rehab assignment. "The hand is feeling good and the grip is better,'' said Mercker, who went on the DL with a broken bone and laceration in his left hand. "Today was the day I expected to have soreness after throwing on Friday, but I didn't have any.'' Manager Clint Hurdle said Mercker would throw twice out of the bullpen at Colorado Springs and hopefully, have him rejoin the Rockies in a week. ... Colorado will play the Chicago White Sox in the annual Hall of Fame game in Cooperstown on July 29. ... The bluegrass band Rascal Flatts took batting practice with the Rockies before the game. Guitar player Gary Levox was a high school teammate of Mercker. ... Band member Ryan Rae Coe hit 2B Brent Butler with a thrown ball near the batting cage, but Butler wasn't injured. ... 1B Todd Helton hasn't homered in 74 at-bats since June 22 against Tampa Bay. "He's having a slight problem with mechanics,'' Hurdle said. "He's still hitting .333 which I didn't do when I was healthy.'' ... The Rockies have scored 93 first inning runs. ''

Giants at Dodgers
San Francisco: Ramon Martinez started at first base because Damon Minor and J.T. Snow had flulike symptoms. RHP Jay Witasick also was under the weather, as was assistant trainer Barney Nugent. "It's a pretty tough day, it's an infirmary around here,'' manager Dusty Baker said. "That's rough when the doctor gets sick.'' ... In addition, slugging LF Barry Bonds remained sidelined with a strained right hamstring, although he was much improved, taking batting practice, doing some light jogging and riding a stationary bike. ... SS Rich Aurilia, who normally bats second, hit in the No. 5 spot for the second straight day. "It doesn't make much of a difference,'' he said. "It just might be more RBI opportunities. I won't approach it any differently than batting second. Who knows, maybe it will be a permanent thing.'' Aurilia entered in a 2-for-25 slump. ... RHP Russ Ortiz, who started Sunday night, entered with a 3-4 lifetime record and 5.19 ERA against the Dodgers. He hadn't won since June 20, losing twice and getting three no-decisions.

Los Angeles: The Dodgers placed INF Jeff Reboulet on the 15-day DL with stiffness in his back. They replaced him on the roster by purchasing the contract of C-INF-OF Mike Kinkade from Las Vegas of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. ... 1B Eric Karros, hit in the face by a Felix Rodriguez pitch Saturday, was back in the lineup despite having 12 stitches in the inside of his mouth and one on the outside. "I'm a little sore, I'm lucky it wasn't worse,'' Karros said. "Down on the ground, I was trying to feel my teeth, blood was running out.'' Karros said he knew Rodriguez wasn't trying to hit him, saying the Giants pitcher had sent a note of apology. The 34-year-old Karros said it was the first time he's ever been hit in the face or head. "Once would be enough at any level,'' he said. "I can't eat anything, just fluids. My tongue's all cut up. I can't close my mouth. But I can play. I'm not out there in an eating contest.'' ... Manager Jim Tracy said RHP Darren Dreifort, sidelined since undergoing surgery on his pitching elbow last July, will pitch in a three-inning simulated game Tuesday and RHP Kevin Brown, who had back surgery last month, will throw off a mound for the first time Monday. Tracy said Brown will work in the bullpen Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The manager wouldn't speculate as to when either pitcher will return to action. ... OF Shawn Green entered with 27 homers and 69 RBI but mired in an 0-for-21 slump.

Diamondbacks at Padres
Arizona: The Diamondbacks completed an 11-game road trip, their longest of the season, which started right after the All-Star break. Arizona, which trailed Los Angeles by 2 1-2 games at the beginning of the trip, will head home in first place, regardless of the outcome of Sunday's games. ... All-Star C Damian Miller (back spasms) was out of the starting lineup for the ninth straight game since leaving a game on July 12 against Los Angeles. Miller saw his first action since the injury when he struck out as a pinch hitter Saturday night. ... 1B Erubiel Durazo (right oblique strain) began a rehab assignment Saturday night with Triple-A Tucson by going 0-for-2 in three innings of play at Las Vegas.

San Diego: 1B Ryan Klesko and CF Mark Kotsay, both lefties, were not in the starting lineup against LHP Randy Johnson despite the fact that each have hit better against left-handed pitches. Klesko came in batting .343 with eight of his 17 homers against lefties compared to .290 against right-handers. Kotsay, hitting .296 against righties, has a .320 average against left-handers. ... C Wil Nieves made his major league debut, becoming the 48th players used by the Padres this season, tops in the big leagues. Of the 48 players used, 27 have less than two years of major league service. ... The Padres outrighted RHP Rodney Myers to Triple-A Portland and purchased the contract of RHP Brandon Villafuerte.