AMERICAN LEAGUE

Royals vs. Tigers
Kansas City: RHP Andy Larkin, claimed off waivers from Cincinnati on Wednesday, is visiting Comerica Park for the second time in a week. He was with the Reds for a three-game series against the Tigers from Sunday through Tuesday. Larkin figured he was ticketed for Triple-A Louisville when the Reds put him on waivers. "It's nice to still be in the big leagues," Larkin said. "This looks like a good team with a lot of young guys." ... Manager Tony Muser said RHP Jose Santiago was sent to Triple-A Omaha to rediscover his slider. Santiago had a 1.59 ERA in his first 12 games out of the bullpen this year, but that climbed to 4.14 with three blown saves in his last 21 appearances. "He's just been stuck out there with a fastball," Muser said. Detroit: 2B Damion Easley's streak of 99 straight errorless games ended when he couldn't handle Johnny Damon's grounder in the seventh inning. The American League record is 104 by Roberto Alomar. Ryne Sandberg set the major league record of 123 with the Cubs in 1989-90. ... 1B Eric Munson's call up from Double-A Jacksonville may be short. Munson, the Tigers' first choice in the 1999 June draft, was recalled when Tony Clark went on the disabled list last Sunday. Detroit has since acquired 1B Hal Morris in a cash deal with Cincinnati. "I'm just glad to have the experience, no matter how long it lasts," said Munson, 22, who lined out to left in his first major league at-bat Wednesday against Roger Clemens in Yankee Stadium. "It was fun being in the dugout with the guys. This is something I'll remember."

Orioles vs. Blue Jays
Baltimore: Rookie Ivanon Coffie made his fourth start at third base since being recalled from Double-A Bowie on July 15. Both Cal Ripken (inflammation in his lower back) and Ryan Minor (strained rib care muscle) are on the 15-day disabled list. ... RHP Sidney Ponson left Thursday's game with acute neck stiffness. He underwent an MRI on Friday. He's OK, and is expected to make his next start. Toronto: RHP Frank Castillo, who missed his last two starts with a tender right elbow, is expected to start Sunday. ... RHP Esteban Loaiza, acquired from Texas on Wednesday, will start Saturday. To make room on the roster, the Blue Jays will demote RHP Matt Dewitt. ... SS Alex Gonzalez, on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right groin, will make a rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. He's expected to be activated before Saturday's game.

Devil Rays vs. Yankees
Tampa Bay: Yankees starter Dwight Gooden was the fourth ex-Tampa Bay pitcher to work against the Devil Rays. The others were Jason Johnson (for Baltimore in 1999), Dennis Springer (for Florida in 1999) and Bobby Witt (Cleveland in 2000). ... Jose Canseco entered Friday night's game needing three home runs to tie Dave Kingman for 23rd place on the career list with 442. ... Devil Rays prospect Joe Kennedy, a left-hander for Class A Charleston, struck out 17 batters Thursday night and did not allow a walk. New York: Public address announcer Bob Sheppard will be missing this weekend at Yankee Stadium. Sheppard, who has been announcing games for 50 years, will be in Cooperstown, N.Y., for Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. ... The back-to-back 10-strikeout games by Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte on Wednesday and Thursday were the first for the Yanks since 1998 when David Wells and David Cone did it.

White Sox vs. Red Sox
Chicago: Jose Valentin kept his power swing going when he hit his 15th homer in the first inning. He hit another homer Sunday, accounting for Chicago's only run in a 5-1 loss to Minnesota. The White Sox entered Friday's game with 6.2 runs per game, most in the majors. ... There were some favorable signs for the White Sox in the first game of the series. They were 12-2 in their last 14 series openers and starter James Baldwin's road ERA was 2.69. It was 4.30 overall. ... Chicago's young team got younger when pitcher Lorenzo Barcelo was called up to the majors on Tuesday. He's 22, bringing the average age of the White Sox to 26.6. Boston: The Red Sox finally found a way to get Pete Schourek out of their rotation. They placed him on the disabled list with a sore left shoulder and replaced him on the roster with Tomo Ohka, who pitched a perfect game this season with Triple-A Pawtucket of the International League. Schourek is 2-9 for the season and 0-6 with six no-decisions since his last victory May 15, more than two months ago. He went 2 1/3 innings Thursday night and was the losing pitcher in a 9-4 loss to Baltimore in the second game of a doubleheader. ... Nomar Garciaparra started his climb back to the .400 mark with a first-inning single. He began the night at .396 after going 0-for-5 Thursday night. ... Carl Everett, who appealed his 10-game suspension for bumping an umpire, had more woes when he struck out in the first. It was his fifth straight strikeout since he homered in his first at-bat Thursday.

Indians vs. Twins
Cleveland: Omar Vizquel entered the game one shy of the American League record for most games without an error. Vizquel started at shortstop. He has been perfect for 94 games, tying the mark set by Cal Ripken in 1990. It is the third longest streak in major league history. The major league record is 101 games set by Rey Ordonez of the New York Mets. ...The Indians recalled right-hander Kane Davis from Triple-A Buffalo. To make room, right-hander Jim Brower was optioned to Buffalo. Davis was 0-2 with a 14.46 ERA in 9 1/3 innings earlier this season. He began the season with Double-A Akron before moving up to the Bison where he was 2-0 with a 4.20 ERA in six games. Brower was 2-3 with a 6.58 ERA in 13 games (10 starts) with Cleveland. ... The Indians started an 11-game trip Friday. After the weekend series with the Twins, Cleveland will visit Toronto, Baltimore and Tampa Bay before returning home. They will also play Arizona on Monday in Cooperstown, N.Y. in the annual Hall of Fame exhibition game. Minnesota: Manager Tom Kelly returned to the team an hour prior to game time but did not manage the Twins. Kelly had been tending to his ailing father, Joe, in Fort Myers, Fla., since the All-Star break. Minnesota is 4-4 under interim manager Ron Gardenhire. ... The Twins gave away 10,000 bobble-head dolls with the likeness of Tony Oliva on it. ... Minnesota entered the three-game weekend set 4-2 against the Indians. The Twins haven't won a season series from the Indians since 1993 when they won eight of 12 meetings.

Angels vs. Athletics
Anaheim: OF Tim Salmon was in the starting lineup for the first time since July 16 on Friday night. He's been out with inflammation of his left shoulder. Salmon received an injection in the left shoulder joint July 18 by Angels team doctor Lewis Yocum. Salmon is 5 for his last 37 over 10 games with 15 strikeouts entering play Friday. ... The Angels are playing their first game in Oakland this season, even though the two teams have already finished their six games in Edison Field. The Angels visit Oakland again in late September. ... 28 of Anaheim's last 41 victories have been decided by three runs or less. Oakland: A's manager Art Howe announced that LHP Barry Zito would make his major-league debut on Saturday against the Anaheim Angels. Zito is 8-5 with a 3.19 ERA for Triple-A Sacramento and has thrown 22 consecutive scoreless innings. "He's been pitching well and deserves the opportunity," Howe said. "Anyone who has seen him lately feel he's ready." Zito officially takes the spot of RHP Omar Olivares, who is currently on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder. Unofficially, he's moving RHP Ariel Prieto out of the rotation. Prieto is still on the team, but could be part of a move to be announced Saturday. ... Howe, who suffered a hamstring pull while arguing a play at the plate Thursday, was in good spirits before Friday's game despite the painful muscle pull. "I just hope there's no arguments or it's not on the other side of the field," Howe said. "It'll take me a while to get there. Maybe I'll be able to think about what I'm going to say on the way there." ... Olivares, according to Howe, is "making progress, slowly, but he's making it." Olivares has not pitched in a game since June 17 and has yet to make a rehab start. He was originally expected back July 17, but that's been pushed back to early August.

Rangers vs. Mariners
Texas: Rangers C Ivan Rodriguez was not in the starting lineup Friday night against the Mariners. Manager Johnny Oates gave him the night off. "He's played almost every game for us," Oates said. "And he's been dragging a little bit." Rodriguez, the AL All-Star catcher, has a five-game hitting streak, but is 6-for-31 on Texas' current road trip to see his batting average drop from .299 to .285, the lowest since June 25 when he was hitting .280. "He'll be back in there tomorrow," Oates said. "Believe me, I need him in there." Rodriguez played in 88 of the Rangers' first 93 games. He was given last Saturday off against Arizona's Randy Johnson. Seattle: All-Star SS Alex Rodriguez is close to getting back in the Mariners' lineup. Rodriguez, who is on the disabled list with a sprained right knee, took ground balls and did some hitting and some running before his team's game with Texas Friday night. Afterward, Rodriguez and trainer Rick Griffin agreed that Rodriguez has a chance to play here Monday night against Oakland. "By Monday, I'll be in the lineup," Rodriguez said. "I'm getting a little frustrated sitting around waiting, but we have to do what's best for the team." Griffin said Rodriguez met with Dr. Larry Pedegana, the Mariners' medical director, and Pedegana told him he should be ready to play "in three or four days." He said Rodriguez probably is running at 70 percent and the Mariners hope to get him up to 80 to 85 percent the next two or three days. He's eligible to come off the disabled list Saturday.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Brewers vs. Cubs
Milwaukee: Pitcher John Snyder said he didn't even pick up a baseball over the All-Star break. "I didn't touch a ball for three days and now my release point is messed up," said Snyder, 0-3 in four July starts. Snyder has walked 48 batters in 67 1/3 innings. ... The Brewers are in the midst of an eight-game stretch in which they play six games in Chicago. Milwaukee played the White Sox July 16-18 and returned home to host Pittsburgh before coming to Wrigley Field for a three-game series. ... Friday was the last day on the job for Amy Abramczyk, the manager of media relations for the Brewers, who is moving to Houston to become assistant sports information director for the Cougars. Chicago: Manager Don Baylor and his coaching staff met with Andy MacPhail, who has taken over the general manager duties, before Friday's game. "Now that he's the general manager, I think he wanted to get a sense of what everyone was feeling about certain players," Baylor said of MacPhail, who is handling the GM duties following the resignation of Ed Lynch. MacPhail wanted the input as he prepares for the July 31 trading deadline. ... MacPhail didn't waste any time. After Friday's game, the Cubs announced they traded OF Glenallen Hill to the New York Yankees for minor league pitchers Ben Ford and Ozwaldo Mairena. Ford was assigned to Triple-A Iowa and Mairena to Double-A West Tenn. INF Chad Meyers was called up from Iowa to take Hill's spot on the roster. ... Sandy Alomar Sr. handled first-base coaching duties in place of Billy Williams, who was attending Hall of Fame festivities in Cooperstown. ... RHP Kyle Farnsworth, called up from Triple-A Iowa Thursday, will be used in relief but not as the closer. "It is not what he's brought here to do," Baylor said.

Phillies s. Pirates
Philadelphia: 1B Rico Brogna came off the disabled list Friday but was not in the starting lineup against Pittsburgh left-hander Jimmy Anderson. Brogna has been out since May 11 when a pitch from Montreal's Matt Blank broke his left elbow. With rookie Pat Burrell playing regularly, the Phillies are expected to trade either Brogna or Ron Gant. Brogna politely declined to discuss his situation before Friday's game. C Mike Lieberthal went on the disabled list with a sprained left ankle. He was injured in a collision with New York Yankees OF Bernie Williams in a July 17 game. Lieberthal will be eligible to return on Aug. 2. Gary Bennett and Tom Prince are handling catching duties in his absence. Pittsburgh: OF Emil Brown was called up from Triple-A Nashville and manager Gene Lamont says Brown will get a chance to play. "He hit .300 last year and he was doing it again this year so it's time to find out what he can do," Lamont said. Brown was batting .312 with five home runs and 25 RBI in 70 games at Nashville. Brown will get some starts in right field, although Bruce Aven played there on Friday. The roster spot for Brown was created by optioning left-handed reliever Jeff Wallace to Nashville. Wallace has struggled with his control (22 walks in 22 innings) and Lamont said he'll be able to pitch regularly in the minors, something he wasn't doing with the Pirates.

Expos vs. Marlins
Montreal: Vladimir Guerrero, who missed his first game of the season Thursday against the New York Mets because of a strained hip flexor, was not in the lineup Friday night. ... Jeff Cox, who replaced Luis Pujois as the Expos' bench coach, joined the team Friday. Pujois and pitching coach Bobby Cuellar were fired after Thursday's victory over New York. Bullpen coach Brad Arnsberg will replace Cuellar. ... Montreal right-hander Mike Thurman, who started Friday night, has spent 104 days (two trips) on the DL this season because of elbow tendinitis. Florida: Luis Castillo's leadoff single Friday night extended his hitting streak to a Marlins season-high 13 games. ... The Marlins began Friday 9-3 in home games attended by more than 20,000 fans. ... With a split in Thursday's doubleheader against Atlanta, Florida still has never been swept in a home twinbill.

Diamondbacks vs. Reds
Arizona: Diamondbacks starter Mike Morgan singled in each of his first two at-bats, extending his hitting streak to four games. ... Morgan was trying for his first win as a starter. He was 4-0 with five saves out of the bullpen, 0-2 as a starter. Cincinnati: Larry Luebbers, scheduled to start Saturday's game, was scratched Friday night because of tightness in his forearm. He'll get a few days of rest. The Reds hadn't decided on his replacement. ... 3B Aaron Boone was fitted for a brace for his sprained left knee Friday. He'll start testing the knee in the next 10 days, when the Reds will decide whether to activate him or consider surgery.

Mets vs. Braves
New York: Al Leiter made his first start at Turner Field since Game 6 of last year's NL Championship Series, when he pitched on three days' rest for only the second time in his career. In the playoff game, Leiter was pulled after six batters, retiring none as the Mets fell behind 5-0. New York rallied to take a pair of one-run leads, then lost 10-9 in 11 innings on a bases-loaded walk, sending the Braves to the World Series. ... The Mets called up C-INF Mike Kindade from Binghamton of the Double-A Eastern League and optioned RHP Jim Mann to Norfolk of the International League. Kinkade was in uniform, wearing No. 33. Atlanta: The American flag atop the center-field scoreboard at Turner Field was at half-staff for the game against the Mets in honor of Sen. Paul Coverdell. Georgia's senior senator died Tuesday of complications following a massive stroke. He was 61. Coverdell's body was lying in state earlier Friday at the Georgia capitol, less than a mile from the stadium. A memorial service is scheduled Saturday. ... The Braves bolstered their bench by claiming C Paul Bako off waivers from the Florida Marlins. Fernando Lunar, hitting just .185 with no homers and five RBIs, was optioned to Class AA Greenville.

Cardinals vs. Astros
St. Louis: The Cardinals said Mark McGwire is eligible to come off the disabled list Saturday, but they don't expect him to play before they return home Tuesday for a series with the Diamondbacks. ... The Cardinals purchased the contract of C Rick Wilkins from Triple-A Memphis Friday and optioned C Keith McDonald to Memphis. Mike Matthews was transferred from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL to make room for Wilkins, who is a career .244 hitter. Houston: After Reds manager Jack McKeon ripped the Astros for opening the retractable roof at mid-game Thursday, Astros president Tal Smith said the team has no intentions of changing its policy. McKeon said the roof should stay open or closed but that wind conditions arising after the opening of the game are unfair. "We reviewed it with Major League Baseball before the season," Smith said. "It's the same policy Seattle and other places have. Frankly, it's not any different than a change in wind direction in an outdoor game." ... Three Astros remain among the top seven in the National League in getting hit by pitches. Craig Biggio is tied for first with 16; Richard Hidalgo is tied for second with 15; and Jeff Bagwell is tied for seventh with nine.

Padres vs. Rockies
San Diego: Phil Nevin is 10-for-27 in his last seven games. ... When asked about his pick to win the NL West, San Diego manager Bruce Bochy didn't hesitate. "Arizona. Any time you have a horse like Randy Johnson, you can ride him. But I suspect you won't know who wins until the last couple of weeks. ... About San Diego's role, Bochy said, "We hate to think we are spoilers right now. Heck the Giants were 9½ games back at one time and look where they are. Realistically we know it is going to be tough. ... Righthander Steve Montgomery was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained right shoulder. It is the second stint on the DL this season for Montgomery, who was sidelined from spring training until June 27 with the injury. Montgomery was acquired in an off-season trade that sent Andy Ashby to Philadelphia. ... With RHPs Carlton Loewer and Brian Boehringer undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery on Tuesday, seven Padres have had surgery since opening day. ... Tony Gwynn heads the list of nine Padres on the disabled list. ... "This has been my most challenging year as a manager," Bochy said. "We've had to call up guys this year that we probably wouldn't have taken a look at until next year. You try and look at a silver lining and it has been giving us a chance to look at some young guys and help us with our decisions in the winter."' ... OF Eric Owens is 13-for-74 with two RBI since June 26. ... Adam Eaton has worked at least six innings in seven of his past eight starts. Colorado: Jeff Cirillo was back in the starting lineup after sitting out Thursday, only the fifth game he's missed. ... Colorado has been outhomered (141-97) by the largest margin of any National League team. ... When told of the New York Yankees' reported interest in him, right fielder Jeffrey Hammonds said, "I haven't heard the talk, but I know one thing. George (Steinbrenner) gets what he wants." ... LHP Scott Karl allowed three earned runs in seven innings of work at Triple-A Colorado Springs in a Thursday rehab start. "Like hitters, pitchers can get into slumps and lose confidence," Colorado manager Buddy Bell said. "Scott will get more starts there, but I don't know how many." ... Since losing 12 of 14, Bell sees no panic in his team that begins a seven-game homestand, all against NL West teams. "We'd just like to get on a run," Bell said. "It's important now with the schedule that we have." ... Colorado is 8-1 against the NL West at home. ... SS Neifi Perez was inserted into the second spot in the batting order for the third time this year. 2B Mike Lansing has been in that spot for 77 games, Terry Shumpert eight, Brian Hunter four and Jeff Cirillo twice.

Giants vs. Dodgers
San Francisco: When they began their season-long 12-game road trip Friday night with their first game at Dodger Stadium this year, the Giants were a season-high 11 games over .500. Their 48-30 record since April 21 is the best in baseball, following a 4-11 start. "Everyone was making such a big deal out of the way we started off the season, but we were just kind of laughing at it because it's such a long year," 1B J.T. Snow said. "No one ever said anything in here and we never really had a team meeting, we just kept playing. We've won a lot of games in July, but I haven't noticed a difference in the team or the way guys are going about their business from the time we started off 4-11, as opposed to now." ... Jeff Kent, the Giants' candidate for league MVP, entered Friday's game with an NL-leading 88 RBI. The Giants have had the league's top run producer seven times since Monte Irvin led then to the 1951 pennant with 121 RBI. ... Shawn Estes entered Friday's start against the Dodgers with a 6.35 ERA on the road, compared to 2.09 at home. Los Angeles: Gary Sheffield began the weekend series against the arch-rival Giants with a 33-31 advantage over Barry Bonds for the NL lead in home runs. Giving him even more incentive in this showdown with Bonds was a list put out by The Sporting News, which lists the top 50 players in baseball and doesn't include Sheffield, who needed one more homer to equal last season's total. "How could he not be in the top 10 -- the top five? That's unbelievable," manager Davey Johnson said. ... Reliever Mike Fetters, whose five-game suspension for his role in the May 16 brawl with fans at Wrigley Field was reduced to one game last month, served the suspension on Friday night.