FRIDAY'S TIDBITS Line of the Day Tyler Houston In his first game playing with the Dodgers, the former Brewer helped spark Los Angeles' offense in the Dodgers' 11-6 win over the Giants. AB H R RBI 4 4 3 4 Hero of the day Mets first baseman Mo Vaughn continued his hot streak with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to give New York a 3-2 win over Cincinnati. Goat of the day Indians starter Charles Nagy was pounded for 12 hits and six earned runs in 3 2/3 innings in Cleveland's 8-5 loss to Detroit. The Tigers' first five batters went 12-for-15 against Nagy. Injury report Giants outfielder Barry Bonds didn't play because of a hamstring injury. He will test his leg in running drills Saturday. Expos catcher Michael Barrett missed his second straight start because of a bruised left forearm. Reds shortstop Barry Larkin left after the fourth inning with stiffness in his left calf. He is day-to-day. Brewers outfielder Jeffery Hammonds left the game in the fourth with tightness of the right shoulder and is day-to-day. Cardinals second baseman Fernando Vina sat out Friday with a sore right wrist. Placido Polanco made his fourth start at 2B. Arizona catcher Damian Miller was a late scratch from the lineup after his back spasms flared up during batting practice. Diamondbacks CF Steve Finley was hit on the left elbow in the seventh inning and left the game, but X-rays were negative. Stat of the day Mets second baseman Roberto Alomar recorded his 2,500th career hit in New York's 3-2 win over the Reds. Streak of the day The Angels won their fifth straight game against the Mariners, helping Anaheim overtake Seattle for first place in the AL West by two percentage points. The last word "I was terrible. I had bad location on a lot of pitches and I did a terrible job out there tonight. Bottom line, I just stunk.'' -- Cubs starter Jon Leiber, who gave up eight runs and 11 hits in six innings to lose his fourth straight decision, in Chicago's 8-4 loss to the Cardinals.

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Athletics-Rangers
OAKLAND: Ray Durham was the Athletics' leadoff hitter Friday night, just a day after being traded to Oakland from the Chicago White Sox. ... An MRI has confirmed that LHP Ted Lilly has an inflamed left shoulder, and not more serious damage to his rotator cuff as team doctors had previously feared. Lilly has made just two starts for Oakland since being acquired in a trade from the New York Yankees, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday because of the injury. The move is retroactive to July 21. He underwent the MRI on Wednesday.

TEXAS: The Rangers started a 10-game homestand Friday against Oakland. Texas returned home after playing 13 of its last 15 games on the road. ... On Saturday and Sunday, the Rangers will be outfitted in the home uniforms of the 1961 Washington Senators. The Athletics will be wearing their road uniforms from 1972.

Tigers-Indians
DETROIT: Manager Luis Pujols said Hiram Bocachica, acquired Thursday from Los Angeles, will be used in a utility role. "He'll play some second base, in center field and in left,'' said Pujols, who asked Bocachica if he could play shortstop or third base. "He told me he has not played there in a long time,'' Pujols said. Bocachica was a first-round draft pick in 1994 by Montreal as a shortstop. ... OF Craig Monroe was sent to Triple-A Toledo and RHP Brian Powell's contract was purchased from the Mud Hens. Powell started Friday night. ... INF Ramon Santiago had surgery to repair a fractured right hamate bone and is expected to be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks. ... INF Chris Truby, sidelined since July 4 with a strained rib cage, began a rehabilitation assignment at Toledo. ... Pujols said RHP Erik Sabel, claimed on waivers from Arizona on Wednesday, will work out of the bullpen. Sabel pitched in 25 games, starting seven, at the Diamondbacks Triple-A farm club in Tucson.

CLEVELAND: Manager Joel Skinner said that 3B Travis Fryman likely will be activated during a seven-game trip that begins Monday in Oakland. "Travis said he feels good and the doctors said he would not do further damage by playing.'' Fryman has battled an ailing right shoulder all season and went on the disabled list July 20. ... Skinner said RHP Ryan Drese, who has struggled in July, will remain in the starting rotation. "It is the case of a young pitcher learning the ropes,'' Skinner said. ... OF Matt Lawton is expected to be activated from the disabled list Saturday. "I feel great and can't wait to get back,'' said Lawton, who went on the DL with a strained left calf July 12. "The leg was ready in a couple of days, but the time off really helped my shoulder.'' Lawton had been playing since mid-April with a strained right shoulder. Skinner said Lawton likely will return to the No. 1 spot in the batting order. ... Rick Jameyson, who had been the trainer at Triple-A Buffalo, will join the Indians on Saturday as assistant to trainer Paul Spicuzza. Jameyson will finish the season with the Indians in place of the late Jim Warfield, who passed away July 16.

Orioles-Red Sox
BALTIMORE: Baltimore opened its longest road trip of the season Friday, covering three cities and 11 games. ... Turn of events: The Orioles entered Friday's game with a major league-leading 114 double plays, but the Red Sox turned one in each of the first two innings. ... The Orioles bullpen entered tied for the AL-lead with 20 wins.

BOSTON: The Red Sox reinstated INF Carlos Baerga from the 15-day DL and designated RHP Rich Garces for assignment Friday. "We're just looking at performance,'' interim GM Mike Port said. "We realize and appreciate what he did in the past. We've rewarded him handsomely in a financial sense. The performance just hasn't been there.'' ... CF Johnny Damon entered with a 219-game consecutive errorless streak, which leads major league outfielders. ... Rolando Arrojo took Jay Gibbons' grounder off his right ankle in the second inning, but stayed in the game. Gibbons reached first on a hit on the play.

Yankees-Devil Rays
NEW YORK: GM Brian Cashman does not expect the Yankees to be active during the final days before the trade deadline. "I like this team,'' Cashman said. "If my phone rings and somebody throws out ideas that make sense, obviously we'll listen.'' ... RHP Roger Clemens (groin strain) threw in the outfield at the Yankees' minor league complex. He also went through running and stretching drills in preparation for a scheduled rehab start Saturday for Class-A Tampa. ... LHP Sterling Hitchcock (lower back) is also scheduled to make a rehab appearance Saturday for Tampa. ... OF Shane Spencer (sore right elbow) had an MRI, which showed no structural problems. He took batting practice before the game. ... LHP Randy Keisler (left shoulder surgery) is throwing off a bullpen mound. He remains on target to pitch in a winter league this year. ... After a minor setback, RHP Christian Parker (right shoulder surgery) resumed working off a bullpen mound. ... OF Juan Rivera (fractured right kneecap) is taking live batting practice and participating in running drills.

TAMPA BAY: OF Greg Vaughn (right shoulder) has resumed taking batting practice. He has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 23. ... Manager Hal McRae plans on keeping OF Carl Crawford ninth in the lineup to keep the pressure off the highly-touted rookie. Crawford was brought from Triple-A Durham on July 20 and started the day hitting .286 over his first six games. ... INF Felix Escalona (hip flexor) is available to play and is slated to start on Sunday. He was injured on July 16. ... Minor league CF Jason Pridie, playing for the Devil Rays rookie team in Princeton (West Va.), had his 20-game hitting streak snapped on Thursday. He was the team's second round pick in this year's draft.

Blue Jays-Twins
TORONTO: Toronto is one of the hottest teams in the majors since the All-Star break, posting a record of 10-3 entering Friday night's game at Minnesota. The Blue Jays are 24-22 under manager Cesar Tosca. ... A rainout and an off day this week helped a pair of hurting Blue Jays get healthy without missing much playing time. SS Dave Berg, who left Monday night's game at Baltimore with stiffness in his left hamstring, returned to Toronto's starting lineup Friday. LF Shannon Stewart, who has missed two of Toronto's last three games after getting spiked in the left ring finger Saturday, also returned to the lineup Friday.

MINNESOTA: Starter Brad Radke can't even get a break from the weather. Radke, who has been on the disabled list since May with a groin pull, had his rehabilitation start at Class-A Fort Myers cut short by rain Wednesday night. Radke allowed two runs over four innings, throwing 54 pitches. After the game was called, Radke retreated to the bullpen to get some extra work. The Twins would like Radke's pitch count to reach 90 before he returns to the majors. His next rehab start is scheduled for Saturday. ...Sunday's Twins-Blue Jays game will be the first Twins game to be broadcast in Spanish. Former Twins great Tony Oliva will serve as color commentator. ...The Twins hold the biggest division lead in the majors, yet rank 23rd in the league in attendance, averaging 21,668 per home date.

Royals-White Sox
KANSAS CITY: The Royals hold a 6-3 advantage over the White Sox in the season series, posting more wins over Chicago this season than they did during the entire 2001 season. ... The Royals enter Friday's game 1{ games behind third-place Cleveland and trailing second place Chicago by three games. The Royals have not finished ahead of Cleveland since the Central division was formed in 1994. ... Raul Ibanez has 29 RBI in July and needs four more to break the team record of 32 set by John Mayberry (July 1975) and Jermaine Dye (July 1999).

CHICAGO: With the White Sox 14 games behind first place Minnesota, White Sox GM Ken Williams decided to start making moves. On Thursday, the White Sox dealt 2B Ray Durham to Oakland for Triple-A RHP Jon Adkins. "Ray Durham has a tremendous amount of talent,'' manager Jerry Manuel said. "He's a young man that has really shown that he will show up for the big games.'' Durham will be eligible for free agency after the season. Durham's former teammates understand the move and were not surprised. "It's not something new, it's been happening for years,'' Sandy Alomar said. "It's been speculated and Ray (Durham) has a value. He's going to be easy to trade because he only has two months left on his contract.'' ... The White Sox recalled Willie Harris from Triple-A Charlotte. Harris will take the roster spot of Durham and will play regularly at second base. Harris started at second base and batted second Friday. "He's a guy that will have a green light, he will have the freedom to play his style of game.'' ... Manuel said that he has been in contact with Williams about possible other moves, but he did not want to discuss specifics. Frank Thomas, RHP Todd Ritchie, and Alomar all have been amid trade rumors. "A lot of the times the trades that you don't make are the best trades,'' Manuel said.

Angels-Mariners
ANAHEIM: Manager Mike Scioscia said he would activate closer Troy Percival off the DL after the game. He said he would announce a roster move at that time. Percival has been out since July 12 because of an infected abrasion of his left Achilles. Percival is 3-1 with 22 saves in 24 chances. He has converted 14 straight opportunities. RHP Ben Weber has been the Angels' closer in Percival's absence and has earned a save in each of his last four appearances. ... 3B Troy Glaus is in a 4-for-29 slump and his batting average has dropped to .243. He has 16 homers and 67 RBI. Scioscia did not start him Thursday against Oakland. Glaus was back in the starting lineup Friday. "He's going to bounce back out of it,'' Scioscia said. "We're counting on him.'' ... Scioscia, whose team swept the Mariners in a three-game series in Anaheim last weekend, played down the importance of his team's three-game series in Seattle, a matchup between the top two teams in the AL West. "I'll let you guys talk about it as pivotal and important games,'' he said. "I think it's too early to say it's a pivotal series or they're must wins or you're sending a message.''

SEATTLE: Leadoff hitter Ichiro Suzuki leads the AL with 19 intentional walks and he's closing in on Ken Griffey Jr.'s club record of 25 intentional walks set in 1993. Suzuki has drawn 46 walks this season. ... The Mariners have been in sole possession of first place in the AL West since April 11. They took a one-game lead over Anaheim into their weekend series with the Angels. Their biggest lead this season has been 6{ games. ... LHP Arthur Rhodes, a key member of the Mariners' bullpen, has not allowed a walk to any of the last 72 batters he has faced. Rhodes last walked a batter May 29 to Tampa Bay's Greg Vaughn. ... Manager Lou Piniella also played down the importance of the Mariners-Angels series this weekend. "A lot of things could happen between now and September,'' he said before the game. "You're not going to win the division just because you win the series. Let me emphasize this is just July.'' ... The Mariners have 11 shutouts this season, the third highest total in franchise history. The team had a club-record 14 shutouts last season.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cubs-Cardinals
CHICAGO: Sammy Sosa entered Friday's game hitting .214 (3-for-14) this season against the Cardinals. As a team, Chicago is hitting .192 (35-for-182) against St. Louis. ... The Cardinals are 16-2 in their last 18 games against the Cubs at Busch Stadium, outscoring Chicago 115-52. ... Fred McGriff is three RBI shy of Hall of Famer Billy Williams' career total of 1,475. McGriff has 72 RBI this season, including 21 in his last 19 games. McGriff began the season with 14 consecutive 80-RBI seasons, including seven 100-RBI campaigns. The only player in big-league history with a longer streak is Hank Aaron at 17 years.

ST. LOUIS: Garrett Stephenson will throw a simulated game Sunday. Stephenson has been disabled since May 30 after undergoing surgery for removal of dead tissue from his left leg. He threw 60 pitches Thursday at Busch Stadium after warming up with 20 long tosses. After his simulated game, Stephenson will begin a rehab assignment. "I want to get back to help these guys win more games,'' Stephenson said. "They're not doing a bad job now but I want to help me. If I do it for me, then I can help these guys. I feel zero, literally zero pain. I need to get my arm strength back. I've been off and on since February.'' Stephenson missed all last season after undergoing successful "Tommy John'' surgery on April 25. ... Tino Martinez is playing through back pain. He suffered back spasms Tuesday in San Francisco and missed games on Wednesday and Thursday. He was back in the lineup for Cubs, who are throwing three right-handers this weekend. Monday is an off-day for the Cardinals. "If I took time, it would go away but I don't have the time. Two or three days may help it, but I'm not complaining. I'm playing. All these games mean something.'' ... Placido Polanco started at second base in place of Fernando Vina, who sat out with a sore wrist. It was his fourth start at second after 30 at third and nine at shortstop this season. "I'm comfortable over there at second,'' Polanco said. "It's not a problem.''

Pirates-Astros
PITTSBURGH: The Pirates have gone 5-16 and been outscored 136-90 in their 21 games over the two-plus years at Minute Maid Park. They were winless in seven games in 2000, 2-5 last season and brought a 3-4 record into Friday's game. ... Rob Mackowiak is hitting more than 100 points better vs. left-handed pitching (.344) than he is against righties (.227). ... Brian Giles has almost the same disparity the other way, hitting .325 vs. righties and .239 against lefties.

HOUSTON: With six starting pitchers on the roster now that Dave Mlicki has returned from the DL, the Astros said Friday that Nelson Cruz is the odd man out and will return to the bullpen. Cruz started five games since the Astros rotation was hit with several injuries and went 1-1 with a 4.42 ERA during them. ... Richard Hidalgo, who is 1-for-7 in this homestand, didn't start for the third straight game Friday.

Marlins-Expos
FLORIDA: The Marlins' bullpen has allowed just two earned runs over its last 27 2/3 innings for a 0.65 ERA. Florida relievers have 25 strikeouts while allowing seven hits and nine walks over that span. ... 1B Derek Lee extended his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games Friday. ... The Marlins hired Dan Jennings as their vice president of player personnel on Friday. Jennings began his scouting career with Cincinnati in 1986 and had been Tampa Bay's scouting director since Aug. 1995.

MONTREAL: 2B Jose Vidro returned to the lineup after missing five straight starts with stiffness in his lower back. ... C Michael Barrett missed his second straight start because of a bruised left forearm. ... The Expos are 9-16 since RHP Bartolo Colon was acquired from Cleveland on June 27, and 4-10 since acquiring LF Cliff Floyd from Florida on July 11. ... Floyd, who is mired in a 1-for-21 slump, was dropped from third to sixth in the batting order. He is hitting just .186 (8-for-43), including two doubles, one homer and two RBI, in 12 games with Montreal.

Reds-Mets
CINCINNATI: Despite a recent 0-for-8 stretch, 3B Aaron Boone is hitting .327 since the All-Star break, with two homers and seven RBI. Boone is hitting .249 overall. ... Friday's starter, Elmer Dessens, entered the game with a 17-inning scoreless streak, which ended after a single an error and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning. He induced a 5-2/3 double play, but after another walk, hit Jeromy Burnitz with a pitch loaded to force in a run, which was unearned because of the error on 1B Adam Dunn. ... The Reds began a stretch in which they play 21 of their next 25 games outside the NL Central. Cincinnati began the night four games behind St. Louis in the division.

NEW YORK: 2B Roberto Alomar led off the game with his 2,500th career hit, a single to center field. Alomar, who got the hit off Elmer Dessens, became the seventh switch-hitter to get 2,500 hits. The others are Pete Rose, Eddie Murray, Frankie Frisch, George Davis, Max Carey and Tim Raines. ... Just three active players have more hits than Alomar -- Rickey Henderson (3,031), Tim Raines (2,599) and Rafael Palmeiro (2,569). ... The Mets recalled RHP Satoru Komiyama from Triple-A Norfolk on Friday and designated LHP Bobby Jones for assignment. Komiyama went 2-0 with an 0.67 ERA in five starts since he was optioned to Norfolk on June 30. Komiyama, who was at Shea Stadium before the game against Cincinnati, will work out of the bullpen, GM Steve Phillips said. "I think he's stretched out, so he can give us a start if we need it,'' Phillips said. "We have no current or urgent need for a starter.''

Phillies-Braves
PHILADELPHIA: Friday's game was the Phillies' first night game in a week, since they lost 4-1 to the Braves last Friday. ... The Phillies haven't lost in eight road series (6-0-2) since a three-game sweep by Montreal on May 24-26. ... CF Doug Glanville was out of the lineup after starting the previous four games. Ricky Ledee led off and played center. ... The Phillies lead the NL with 423 walks, 204 doubles and 332 extra-base hits, even though they were 47-54 entering Friday's game. ... After a 9-18 start, the Phillies are 38-36.

ATLANTA: C Javy Lopez was out of the lineup again with a strained right shoulder, and he'll sit Saturday, too, since RHP Greg Maddux is pitching. Lopez hasn't played since Sunday, when he hurt his shoulder in the eighth inning on a throw to first base. "It feels great,'' he said. "Two more days off so by the time I come back, I'll be feeling, I wouldn't say 100 percent, but 98 percent.'' ... RHP Darren Holmes, out with a right thumb laceration, was eligible to come off the DL but didn't. "Obviously, I want to be out there,'' he said. "We're in the situation right now where we can take some time. And I'm thankful for that.'' He injured his thumb off the field in Montreal, when he slipped off a curb. "I'm getting a seeing-eye dog,'' Holmes quipped.

Rockies-Brewers
COLORADO: Entering Friday's game at Milwaukee, the Rockies were hitting .222 on the road and .316 at Coors Field. Some of the players struggling on the road include Juan Pierre (.316 at home, .206 on the road), Juan Uribe (.281, .187) and Brent Butler (.320, .211). Colorado is 16-34 on the road. ... After the weekend series with the Brewers, the Rockies will fly to Utica, N.Y., and take a bus to Cooperstown to play the Chicago White Sox in the Hall of Fame exhibition game Monday. ... Larry Walker has 12 of the team's 23 outfield assists.

MILWAUKEE: Reliever Mike DeJean apologized Friday for looking like a "raving lunatic'' while going nose-to-nose in a blowup with manager Jerry Royster on the pitcher's mound in Houston on Wednesday. "It happened. I can't change it. All I can do is apologize for it and try to prove to everybody that I'm not the raving lunatic that I looked like the other night.'' ... The Brewers need to go 28-32 in their final 60 games to avoid the franchise's first 100-loss season ever. They already have 67 losses, which matches the team's loss total in 1982 when it won the AL crown with a 96-67 record.

Padres-Diamondbacks
SAN DIEGO: SS Deivi Cruz is hitting.421 (8-for-19) in a five-game tear that began Sunday against Arizona's Randy Johnson, the starter for this game. Cruz snapped a 220 at-bat homerless streak with a solo shot off Johnson in the Padres' 11-9 victory. ... With the major league debut of LHP Jason Kershner on Thursday night, the Padres have tied the major league record for pitchers used in a season (29). That doesn't include INF D'Angelo Jimenez, who retired the four batters he faced on June 30 at Kansas City. ... One reason for the pitching staff's instability is ligament-replacement surgery for RHP Adam Eaton and LHP Kevin Walker last August. Eaton, a member of the rotation in 2000, threw 72 pitches in a simulated game Friday, and manager Bruce Bochy said both were progressing. "It's a temptation,'' Bochy said about bringing Eaton and Walker back too quickly. "But we want to bring those two along slow. It's been a long road for them.'' ... Bochy said injured C Wiki Gonzalez (strained right hip flexor) and OF Ray Lankford (right hamstring strain) should rejoin the club in San Diego next weekend. ... The Padres, who were shut out an NL-high 16 times last season, have been blanked nine times this year after the 10-0 loss Thursday night in the series opener with Arizona.

ARIZONA: The competition for playing time in RF since World Series hero Danny Bautista was injured in May has elicited the best from Quinton McCracken and David Dellucci. McCracken is hitting .583 (7-for-12) during the first four games of a seven-game homestand, and Dellucci has hit .458 (11-for-24), with four homers, a triple and seven RBI, in his last seven starts. "Dave has had such a good approach lately. He's been our hottest hitter, along with Q,'' manager Bob Brenly said about the decision to start Dellucci against San Diego RHP Jake Peavy. ... Dellucci was slotted third in the batting order -- only the 12th time he has batted third with the Diamondbacks, who claimed him in the November 1997 expansion draft from Baltimore. His last time at that spot was Aug. 5, 1998. "It feels good to see that they noticed,'' Dellucci said. "But I'm just excited to in the lineup regardless of where I'm hitting. The pitchers in this league don't save pitches for the guy in the 3-hole, so I'm expecting them to pitch me the same.'' ... RHP John Patterson, who earned his first win in the majors the night before, didn't sustain any long-term damage from being hit on the left wrist by a grounder off the bat of Deivi Cruz and should be able to make his next scheduled start. Brenly has to decide next week whether to bring Rick Helling off the DL, which would probably mean a trip back to Triple-A Tucson for Patterson. ... The Diamondbacks signed Robert Ferris, their 47th-round draft pick, to a minor league contract.

Dodgers-Giants
LOS ANGELES: LHP Odalis Perez returned to the Dominican Republic for personal reasons and is expected to return to the Dodgers in Cincinnati on Monday. Perez, who was skipped over in the rotation one time around because of fatigue, is scheduled to start Thursday. ... INF Tyler Houston was in uniform (No. 28) for Friday's game and made his Dodgers debut at first base. ... 1B Eric Karros needs one home run to break a tie with Vic Wertz for 128th on the career home run list. Karros has 266 homers. OF Shawn Green began the day tied for 196th all-time with 219 career homers. ... RHP Kevin Brown, recovering from back surgery, was expected to throw in the bullpen in Los Angeles on Friday, while RHP Darren Dreifort threw in the bullpen in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO: The Giants were dealt another blow on Friday when OF Shawon Dunston was scratched from the lineup because of back pain. "He felt he wasn't going to be ready,'' trainer Stan Conte said. "I was surprised he scratched himself before the game.'' OF Tsuyoshi Shinjo went on the DL following Thursday's game against St. Louis and the Giants are also without the services of Barry Bonds and Reggie Sanders. All three regular outfielders, with a combined 822 career homers, are out with hamstring troubles. ... OF Tony Torcato, recalled from Triple-A Fresno, made his major league debut. He started in right field. "I got here at two o'clock and he was already dressed,'' manager Dusty Baker said. ... INF Ramon Martinez, who made his first major league appearance in the outfield when Shinjo went down, started in left field in place of Dunston. The starting outfield on Friday has a combined 43 career home runs (Martinez, Torcato, Tom Goodwin). ... C Benito Santiago is expected to undergo a procedure to drain his swollen left eye on Saturday.