SUNDAY'S TIDBITS Line of the Day Roger Clemens Clemens won his 287th game, putting him 22nd on baseball's all-time victories list -- moving him past Hall of Famer Robin Roberts and matching Bert Blyleven. IP H ER BB SO 8 4 0 2 13 Hero of the day Red Sox first baseman Tony Clark gets the honor after diving to grab Jeff Cirillo's hard grounder -- which came with the bases loaded and the Mariners leading 2-1 -- and got the forceout at home in Boston's 3-2 victory over Seattle. Goat of the day Indians first baseman Jim Thome let Carolos Beltran's two-out grounder bounce through his legs at first, allowing two runs to score as Kansas City rallied for a 5-4 victory. Injury report Brewers placed OF Matt Stairs on the 15-day DL retroactive to Friday with a strained left hamstring and activated INF Luis Lopez. Braves shortstop Mark DeRosa returned to Atlanta on Sunday to undergo an MRI exam on his right ankle. DeRosa sustained ligament damage running out a double in Friday's game. Marlins SS Alex Gonzalez was placed on the 15-day disabled list and sent back to Miami on Sunday to consult with team physician Dr. Dan Kanell after dislocating his shoulder in Saturday's game. Mets 3B Edgardo Alfonzo missed his second straight game with a slightly strained hamstring. Valentine said Alfonzo plans to see his chiropractor on Monday, an off day. Streak of the day The Twins were held without an extra base hit for the first time in 33 games in their 3-0 loss to the Yankees. Stat of the day Following last weekend's three-game sweep at the Metrodome, the Yankees finished 6-0 against Minnesota this year. For the first time in their 42-year history, the Twins did not win a game against the Yankees. The last word "You guys make so much of these ballgames early in the year. They don't mean anything." -- Mariners manager Lou Piniella

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Royals at Indians
Kansas City: With their win Sunday, the Royals have won six of their last seven against Cleveland and lead the season series 6-3. Last year, the Royals went 8-11 vs. the Indians. ... Tony Pena, named manager last week after serving as Houston's bench club, likes what he has seen so far from his new team. "We may not be a great club, but we are going to surprise people," Pena said after the Royals took advantage of a passed ball and error in the ninth to beat the Indians 5-4 Sunday. "I don't care how it looks as long as it is a win." ... RHP Roberto Hernandez, who missed the first 25 games with a strained elbow, is now 5-for-5 in save opportunities. He gave up a single in the ninth inning Sunday, snapping his streak of retiring 17 straight batters. ... RHP Blake Stein will make his second start this season on Monday in Anaheim. Stein made his first 10 appearances of 2002 in relief.

Cleveland: RHP Bob Wickman took his second loss in three games on Sunday in the Indians' 5-4 loss to Kansas City, and the closer said afterward he has been pitching with a sore elbow since spring training. Wickman said he had the elbow examined in early April and he'll continue to pitch despite the discomfort. Wickman, pitching for the third time in two days, had saved a career-high 21 games before blowing Sunday's game in the ninth. ... 3B Travis Fryman's grand slam Sunday snapped an 0-for-17 slump for Cleveland hitters with the bases loaded. But even with Fryman's slam, the Indians are hitting just .158 (6-for-38) with the bases full. ... Jim Thome's double on Sunday was his 556th extra-base hit, tying him with Hal Trosky for third place on the club's career list. ... Indians starters have pitched at least 5 2-3 innings in 14 straight games.

Rangers at Tigers
Texas: Carl Everett, out with a strained right calf, played for Class-A Charlotte on Sunday on a rehabilitation assignment. He had played the previous two days in extended spring training games. He will rejoin the Rangers on Tuesday, at the earliest. ... Juan Gonzalez was booed in every at bat during the series in Detroit. Gonzalez had the worst season of his career in 2000 when he was a member of the Tigers and expressed frustration over the deep left and left-cenerfield of Comerica Park. "I was hoping that he would show Detroit that he still has a lot of power," teammate Alex Rodriguez said. Gonzalez went 0-for-4 and is batting .216 for the season.

Detroit: Since closer Matt Anderson's return from a sore right shoulder, the Tigers have two pitchers they feel comfortable with in save situations. Anderson and Joan Acevedo, who has six saves and filled the role while Anderson was injured. "It's a privilege to have guys like Acevedo and Anderson on the same team," manager Luis Pujols said. . . . The Tigers are 7-4 in one-run games and 6-0 in one-run games at Comerica Park.

Twins at Yankees
Minnesota: The Twins have been outhomered 14-2 in six games against the Yankees this season. ... Minnesota was held without an extra-base hit for the first time since April 12 against Detroit, a span of 33 games. ... The Twins were shutout for the first time this season.

New York: The Yankees are 6-0 vs. the Twins this season, their longest winning streak against Minnesota when they won seven straight. ... With Robin Ventura's 11th homer, the Yankees have 22 in their past seven games and a major league-leading 70 after 44 games. They've homered in 11 straight games. ... Roger Clemens won the 287th game of his career, surpassing Robin Roberts and tying Bert Blyleven for 22nd place on the all-time list. Clemens also struck out 13, his most since fanning 13 on May 28, 2000, against Boston. He has 99 career double-digit strikeout games, third all-time behind Nolan Ryan (215) and Randy Johnson (171).

Athletics at Blue Jays
Oakland: The Athletics went 1-5 on their road trip. ... Oakland matched a season low with two hits. ... The Athletics were swept by Toronto for the first time since April 16-17, 1997 (two games). ... Oakland hasn't hit a home run in six games, the longest drought of the season. ... Oakland starters have gone 4-13 with one no decision in the last 18 games. ... Starter Tim Hudson has lost a career-worst four straight starts. .. Former Toronto closer Billy Koch said it wasn't a big deal that he was booed when he made his first appearance in Toronto since being traded to Oakland. "That's the big leagues," Koch said. "They booed me last year." Koch walked the bases loaded in the eighth before allowing a two-run single to Vernon Wells. He allowed four runs and didn't record an out.

Toronto: 1B Carlos Delgado's 12th home run gave him 736 RBIs as a Blue Jay, tying him for second on the career list with Joe Carter, just four behind George Bell. ... Attendance was 23,408 for Pat Borders bobblehead day. Borders was World Series MVP in 1992. ... C Tom Wilson missed his second straight game with a sore right elbow. Manager Buck Martinez said he expects Wilson to start Monday and Tuesday against the Yankees. Replacement Ken Huckaby collected his first major league RBI with a double in the eighth. ... RHP Bob File made his second rehab start in Dunedin on Saturday, allowing four hits, three walks and two runs in two innings. ... Injured starter Steve Parris, also in Dunedin, will pitch on Wednesday.

Angels at White Sox
Anaheim: Anaheim took two of three to win their seventh straight series, but manager Mike Scioscia said the team doesn't even look three or four games into the future. "Our focus isn't winning series. We're keeping our focus shorter -- on games -- then the series wins come when you keep the focus short," he said. ... The Angels have outscored opponents 161-65 in their last 21 games. "Our offense, which was struggling in the first three weeks of the season, has come alive. We're getting some pressure on clubs every night," Scioscia said. ... Jarrod Washburn continued to pitch well, allowing a run and three hits in seven innings. He is 4-0 with a 2.53 ERA in his last six starts. ... After Sunday's game the club activated RHP Donne Wall from the 15-day DL , and sent RHP Matt Wise to Triple-A Salt Lake City. ... The Angels have won eight of 10 from the White Sox.

Chicago: One of the guys happy to see LHP Kelly Wunsch back is Bob Howry, who teamed with Wunsch to form a solid setup combo for closer Keith Foulke in 2000. Howry said Wunsch, who returned Saturday after missing most of 2001 with shoulder ailments, gives the White Sox flexibility in the bullpen. "He's definitely a guy we're used to having around," Howry said. "On the field, it's definitely going to be big, because they seemed a little tentative to use (LHP) Mike (Porzio) in some situations. So for us to have two lefties that can go out there and get the job done in any situation adds a bonus to our bullpen." ... SS Royce Clayton was back in the lineup after not starting Saturday. Clayton's 69-game errorless streak, the longest in the AL at his position, was snapped Friday.

Mariners at Red Sox
Seattle: 1B coach Jerry Moses shook off a sharp shot off his right ankle hit by Carlos Guillen in the second inning. The ball ricocheted into right field, Moses quickly clapped his hands and the game continued without interruption. ... Freddy Garcia lost despite the seventh complete game of his career and Seattle's first of the season. ... Ichiro Suzuki went 2-for-3 with two walks and is batting .524 against Boston this season and .460 for his career. ... Manager Lou Piniella explained his decision to attempt a steal with pinch-runner Luis Ugueto with two outs in the ninth. Ugueto was thrown out, ending the game. "If we hadn't been playing that way, we wouldn't be in first place," Piniella said.

Boston: Owner Tom Werner and his companion, Katie Couric of the "Today" show, sat in the box next to the Red Sox dugout. ... Red Sox manager Grady Little missed the game after his mother, Dorothy, passed away Saturday afternoon in Bryan, Texas. Bench coach Mike Stanley managed the team Sunday. ... Rickey Henderson, who needs one game to reach 3,000 for his career, sat out his second straight game after playing five in a row in place of the injured Manny Ramirez. ... John Burkett hasn't given up more than two walks in any of his six starts. ... Tim Wakefield has allowed four earned runs and a .141 batting average in 23 2-3 innings of relief. In two starts, he's allowed five earned runs in eight innings. ... Brian Daubach has RBIs in six straight games for the first time in his career.

Devil Rays at Orioles
Tampa Bay: Manager Hal McRae praised DH Greg Vaughn for maintaining a positive attitude during his home run slump, which ended Saturday when Vaughn hit his first two homers of 2002. "He was very professional the whole time," McRae said. "He was always trying to help someone else. He didn't get consumed by it, he wasn't selfish." Vaughn had gone 222 at-bats since his last homer Aug. 5 at Chicago. "I never considered sitting him, I just waited for the slump to end," McRae said. "He's our best home run threat. It doesn't make sense to sit a guy like that." ... OF Ben Grieve, bothered by a bruised left thumb, did not start Sunday. Grieve went 0-for-4 Saturday with two strikeouts, extending his slump to 3-for-32 and dropping his average from .298 to .250. ... C Toby Hall missed his second straight start after taking a foul tip off his right thumb Friday. ... 2B Brent Abernathy snapped an 0-for-13 slide with three hits Saturday. ... LHP Wilson Alvarez, on the 15-day DL since April 15 with a right rib strain, made his second rehab start Sunday at Double-A Orlando. ... Three of LHP Doug Creek's six major league wins have come vs. Baltimore.

Baltimore: RHP Jason Johnson, on the DL with a chip fracture of his right middle finger, threw for 15 pain-free minutes in the bullpen Sunday morning. Manager Mike Hargrove said Johnson will have to go through another bullpen session before a minor league rehabilitation assignment that could begin later this week. ... OF-DH Marty Cordova got a day off Sunday. He had made 20 consecutive starts. ... Hargrove thinks pitching coach Mark Wiley has discovered a mechanical flaw in the delivery of RHP Jorge Julio, who has blown two saves and allowed three ninth-inning homers in his last four outings. "In baseball terms, he's leaving the rubber real quick," Hargrove said. "I don't know that that's the problem, but that would certainly elevate his pitches."

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cubs at Brewers
Chicago: Although rumors are swirling that manager Don Baylor might be fired, he isn't worried. "I have never thought about it," Baylor said. However, he admitted it has been hard to lose so many games. "Everybody feels pressure," he said, "Everybody is stressed. It's tough to watch. Coaches are suffering through it like the players." ... The Cubs are off Monday. On Tuesday they begin a four-game series at home against Pittsburgh. ... Fred McGriff's two-run homer in the eighth inning gave him 452 for his career, tying him with Carl Yastrzemski for 26th all-time. His two RBIs tied him for 50th with Hall of Famer Joe Cronin with 1,424 RBI. He has also homered in 40 ballparks, tying the record held by Ellis Burks.

Milwaukee: The Brewers placed Matt Stairs on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 16 with a strained left hamstring. Taking his spot on the roster is INF Luis Lopez, who had been on the 15-day DL all season because of a strained quadriceps muscle. ... Pitcher Jose Cabrera doesn't care where he pitches. He made two emergency starts last, but will soon go back to the bullpen. Said Cabrera, "Just put me on the mound, whether it's as a starter, set-up reliever or closer. I'm going to try to do my best."

Pirates at Astros
Pittsburgh: Texas A&M quarterback Mark Farris isn't really interested in resuming his baseball career. But he did stop by the Pirates clubhouse before the game to visit with his former manager in Pittsburgh's farm system, Pirates field coordinator Jeff Banister. Farris was the first round selection of the Pirates in 1994 but Farris gave up baseball after reaching Double-A and returned home to play football for the Aggies. Banister would have liked to see what would have happened if Farris had stayed. "He showed Mark Grace-type power in the gaps," Banister said. "On the selfish side, I would have liked to have seen him continue in baseball. But being from Texas and being a football player, I knew that burning desire was still there."

Houston: Opening day starter Wade Miller is looking forward to his second rehab assignment on Thursday for Triple-A New Orleans.He'll throw 80 pitches to further test his recovery from a pinched nerve in his neck and if he passes that hurdle, he'll start for the Astros against St. Louis on May 29. Miller admitted to being a little stiff from his first rehab assignment on Friday but added "it's a good stiffness."

Reds at Cardinals
Cincinnati: Ken Griffey Jr. could return to the lineup this week from a knee injury, or maybe not. "He's getting closer, but we don't know exactly when," manager Bob Boone said. The Reds are in first place in the NL Central without him. "I covet Ken Griffey Jr. One thing we're afforded by playing so well is that we can give him full time to recover," Boone said. "And we can certainly err on the conservative side." ... RHP Scott Sullivan allowed a career-worst five runs in 1 1-3 innings Sunday, giving up two-run home runs to Tino Martinez in the seventh and Placido Polanco in the eighth. "My mechanics were not where I want them," Sullivan said. "If I knew what it was, I wouldn't do it. It's as simple as that. I'm getting my rear end handed to me." ... Aaron Boone is in a 1-for-19 slump.

St. Louis: The Cardinals started all three catchers -- Mike Matheny, Mike DiFelice and Eli Marrero -- the first three games of the series. "It's probably the most unsettled part of the club right now," manager Tony La Russa said. No one has caught consecutive games since Matheny on May 10-11. ... Tino Martinez was 2-for-4 for only his fourth multihit game in 43 games. Martinez is batting .217. ... RHP Woody Williams, who's 3-1 with a 3.26 ERA in five career starts against the Reds, pitches in the series finale on Monday. Last year he was 2-0 against Cincinnati. ... Polanco's home run Sunday was his first since July 27, 2001, against the Cubs. Last year he hit three home runs and he had a career-best five in 2000. A .299 career hitter, he's been bothered by a bone bruise on the middle finger of his right hand most of the year and is batting .268. "I don't think it's that, I'm letting things get in my head," Polanco said. "I don't like making excuses and I'm just going to get treatment and hopefully it goes away. I don't need this, you know." ... Eli Marrero's three-run homer was his first since April 6. He's tapered off to a .284 average after beginning the year 11-for-15.

Braves at Rockies
Atlanta: SS Mark DeRosa was flown back Atlanta on Sunday to undergo an MRI exam on his right ankle on Monday. DeRosa hurt the ankle running out a double in the fifth inning Friday. ... Call it the anti humidor effect. After having a 1.91 ERA in four previous starts at Coors Field, RHP Kevin Millwood's ERA rose to 3.62 after his Saturday outing (five earned runs in four innings). ... Opposing batters were hitting .196 against LHP Damian Moss.

Colorado: RHP Shawn Chacon (strained right pectoral muscle) continues to show improvement and with two strong outings from Denny Stark has raised questions for manager Clint Hurdle. "Let's not lose sight of what Shawn did for this club before the injury," Hurdle said. "I see this as a pleasant problem and a sign we are getting to be a good ballclub." ... With a lefty pitching Larry Walker was out of the starting lineup. Walker is 1-for-7 in the series. ... Hurdle hasn't named a No. 1 catcher, but Bobby Estalella has caught three of the past four games. ... The three-game series with Atlanta drew 126,288 fans, exceeding the previous high for a three-game series this year of 115,922 for three home games in a series with Philadelphia.

Phillies at Diamondbacks
Philadelphia: In a long session with beat writers Sunday, manager Larry Bowa talked about his team's mental mistakes, lack of intensity and absence of leadership. That means he is the one who must mold the team into a winner. "I've been there. I know what I'm talking about," he said. "I know what it takes to win. If you want to learn, hop on. If you don't want to learn, hop off, because as good as some of these guys are, they've never won, and there's a reason. Whether it's mental or whether it's physical, there's a reason." ... At 3-18 entering Sunday's game, the Phillies' road record is the worst in the majors. Tampa Bay is 4-18. ... On their 0-6 road trip, Philadelphia pitchers have an 8.01 ERA.

Arizona: OF Danny Bautista, sixth in the NL in batting with a .338 average, was out of the lineup for the second game in a row Sunday because of a stiff back. ... 1B Erubiel Durazo, who has four homers, two doubles and 11 RBIs in his three games back with the team, sat out Sunday's game as a day off. ... LHP Randy Johnson will be on the mound Tuesday when the Diamondbacks face NL West rival San Francisco for the first time this season. ... RHP Rick Helling will miss a start in the rotation. His next scheduled start is Saturday against Los Angeles.

Mets at Padres
New York: 3B Edgardo Alfonzo missed his second straight game with a slightly strained hamstring. Manager Bobby Valentine said Alfonzo plans to see his chiropractor on Monday, an off day. The Mets open a three-game series at Philadelphia on Tuesday. ... Valentine said C Mike Piazza didn't start after reporting that he was a little sore. Piazza did pinch-hit, striking out to end the ninth. Valentine expects Piazza back behind the plate on Tuesday.

San Diego: By winning 4-3 on Sunday, the Padres avoided their first four-game sweep by the Mets since 1988. ... San Diego went 4-3 on the homestand, coming from behind for all four wins. ... The Padres are 11-3 this year in series finales, including 6-1 at home. ... Steve Reed struck out the Mets' side in the ninth to extend his scoreless streak to a bullpen-high 12 straight innings.

Expos at Dodgers
Montreal: RHP Troy Mattes, sidelined since March 22 because of tendinitis in his shoulder, will be examined Monday by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. Surgery on Tuesday is a possibility. ... Jose Vidro's bunt single in the third inning Sunday extended his hitting streak to 14 games, eclipsing his previous career best. ... LHP Bruce Chen lasted only 33 pitches Sunday, surrendering five runs and four hits. Chen was inserted into the rotation on April 27, and has allowed 17 earned runs over 19 innings in his five starts. He was used exclusively as a starter by the Phillies and Mets after being dealt to Philadelphia by Atlanta in July 2000. "He had nothing -- no location, no velocity, no idea, nothing," manager Frank Robinson said. ... The Expos have played a major league-leading 27 games decided by two runs or less (12-15), including 18 games decided by one run (7-11) -- which also leads the majors.

Los Angeles: RHP Andy Ashby admitted he was embarrassed Sunday while rounding the bases on his first home run in 473 major league at-bats. "I don't ever think I'm going to hit a home run, believe me. I was just happy I made contact," Ashby said. "It was a pretty weird feeling, but it was pretty neat. I was kind of embarrassed. T-Bone (first base coach John Shelby) was telling me to slow down, and I said, `No -- not until I see the umpire tell me it's a home run."' ... Slumping RF Shawn Green, benched Saturday night for the first time in his three seasons with Los Angeles, was back in the lineup on Jewish Community Day at Dodger Stadium. He was the only left-handed bat in the starting lineup, and doubled his last time up to end an 0-for-18 drought. It was the first time he hit a ball out of the infield in six games.

Marlins at Giants
Florida: SS Alex Gonzalez was headed back to Miami Sunday to consult with team physician Dr. Dan Kanell after dislocating his shoulder in Saturday's game. Gonzalez said Saturday he was told he'd miss six weeks. Andy Fox was in the lineup at shortstop. ... Florida RHP Brad Penny was also on his way back home to meet with Kanell after leaving Saturday's game in the fourth inning with a sore right elbow. Penny (3-3) first experienced the sore elbow on May 2 against St. Louis. He was diagnosed with an inflamed nerve and missed a start before returning at 13 at Colorado.

San Francisco: Barry Bonds, who hit a single-season record 73 homers last season, got a scheduled day off. Bonds hit a pair of home runs in Saturday's 10-5 victory over the Marlins, giving him 15 this season. He needs one more home run to match Mark McGwire on the career list with 583.