AMERICAN LEAGUE
Devil Rays vs. Tigers
Tampa Bay: The Devil Rays were without a homer in three previous games before Wednesday, matching their longest drought of the year. They haven't been homerless over a longer stretch since a five-game drought last Sept. 20-25. ... RHP Ryan Rupe, who starts Thursday's series opener at Kansas City, has a 5.93 ERA since his recall July 9 from Triple-A Durham, but won his last two starts. Detroit: 3B Dean Palmer didn't start for the third straight day to rest an ailing right shoulder. Palmer has committed 16 errors, only three fewer than last season. ... C Brad Ausmus got a rare night off Wednesday as rookie Javier Cardona got the start. ... SS Deivi Cruz, who had a two-run triple while batting cleanup for the first time in his career Tuesday, was back in the No. 5 spot. That's where he's made most of his starts both since OF Juan Gonzalez and 1B Tony Clark went on the DL.

Indians vs. Blue Jays
Cleveland: Bartolo Colon allowed a season-high seven earned runs, throwing 97 pitches through the first five innings. ... The Indians have lost five of seven. ... Cleveland is 31-31 since manager Charlie Manuel returned from surgery to reattach his colon May 18. Toronto: Manager Jim Fregosi is one win away from 1,000. ... The Blue Jays have hit 108 home runs at SkyDome this season, four short of the club record. The AL record for home runs at home is 133 by Cleveland in 1970, and the ML record is 149 by Colorado in 1996. ... The Blue Jays traded minor league LHP Eric Gunderson to the San Francisco Giants for a player to be named or cash considerations. ... Attendance was 31,183, the second-largest crowd at SkyDome this season.

Twins vs. Red Sox
Minnesota: Because of Wednesday's rainout, the Twins pushed LHP Mark Redman's start back a day and moved lefty J.C. Romero to the bullpen. ... The last-place Twins are 3-0-1 in their last four series. ... DH David Ortiz has an eight-game hitting streak, batting .600 (18-for-30). He also has 17 walks in 23 games. Boston: The rainout was Boston's seventh of the year. ... The rotation from here: Tim Wakefield on Thursday, Pedro Martinez on Friday, Jeff Fassero on Saturday and Ramon Martinez on Sunday. That leaves Tomo Ohka for Monday. ... The Red Sox scored just five runs their last three games with 19 hits, five for extra bases. ... LF Troy O'Leary is hitting .400 (30-for-75) with four homers and 22 RBI in 18 games since coming off the DL.

Yankees vs. Orioles
New York: RHP Ramiro Mendoza (right shoulder weakness) said he felt good one day after his second minor league rehab start for Class-A Tampa. Mendoza said he's leaving Florida on Thursday to rejoin the Yankees. ... RHP Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez (right elbow) threw for the first time off a bullpen mound since being placed on the 15-day DL at the team's minor league complex in Tampa. 2B Chuck Knoblauch has a mild strain of his right elbow, an examination in New York revealed Wednesday. ... The Yankees will hold "Whitey Ford Day" at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 20. ... With their five homers Tuesday, the Yankees reached 12,000 since the franchise began play in 1903. Baltimore: LHP Chuck McElroy was made long man in the bullpen Wednesday, one day after he yielded six runs in one inning Tuesday. "As a reliever, you have to be prepared for anything," he said. ... OF Brady Anderson got the night off Wednesday after experiencing cramps in both legs one night earlier. ... Orioles rookie LHP John Parrish will get his next start Sunday against Cleveland.

Royals vs. White Sox
Kansas City: The Royals completed their nine-game road trip 6-3. ... Kansas City is one of two teams with a winning record (6-3) against the White Sox, joining Anaheim. ... The Royals are 41-19 when they score five or more runs. ... RHP Dan Reichert has a 1.00 ERA in three road starts. ... OF Jermaine Dye has three homers in two games. He is one homer shy of reaching his career high of 27 last year. Chicago: Jose Valentin's pinch-hit homer was the third by the White Sox this season. ... The White Sox are 17-9 in one-run games. ... Keith Foulke blew his first save in his last six chances. ... RHP James Baldwin has allowed one home run in each of his last nine starts. He is tied for the AL lead with Kansas City's Jeff Suppan after giving up two Wednesday to raise his season total to 28. ... OF Herbert Perry homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Angels vs. Rangers
Anaheim: Tim Salmon entered Wednesday night with a career batting average of .431 (62-for-144) with 12 homers and 40 RBI in 36 games at The Ballpark in Arlington. Salmon's average (based on at least 100 at-bats) and RBI totals rank first among Rangers opponents. Paul O'Neill is second with a .394 average and Albert Belle is the RBI runner-up with 39. ... Anaheim's bullpen was 3-1 with three saves and a 2.57 ERA in eight games against Texas this season. Texas: With All-Star C Ivan Rodriguez out for the season, Rangers GM Doug Melvin is getting more calls from other baseball executives about Texas' impending free agents. Closer John Wetteland, 1B David Segui and 2B Luis Alicea are drawing the most interest. Melvin said he will consider any deal that would bring top-end prospects to Texas. ... 1B Rafael Palmeiro started the night with 1,305 RBI, tying him with Roberto Clemente for 69th, two behind Eddie Collins and Paul Molitor. Palmeiro has driven in 657 runs as a member of the Rangers, leaving him third behind Juan Gonzalez (1,075) and Rodriguez (704).

Athletics vs. Mariners
Oakland: After Tuesday night's 8-7 victory over the Mariners, the Athletics have 17 one-run wins, tied for second most in the AL behind Anaheim's 21. The A's have won 13 of their last 14 one-run decisions after starting the season 4-11 in one-run games. ... A's closer Jason Isringhausen, who gave up Jay Buhner's 300th career homer Tuesday night, has three saves, a blown save and a loss in his last five appearances. Seattle: All-Star SS Alex Rodriguez, who returned to the Mariners' lineup Tuesday night after a 14-game absence because of a sprained right knee and a concussion, was in the starting lineup batting third again Wednesday. ... Rodriguez is tied for fifth for most home runs before the age of 25. Rodriguez, who celebrates his 25th birthday Thursday, has 172 career homers. That ties ex-teammate Ken Griffey Jr., who also hit 172 homers before his 25th birthday. The top four for most homers before the age of 25 are: Eddie Mathews, 190; Mel Ott, 176; Jimmie Foxx, 174, and Mickey Mantle, 173.

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Brewers vs. Pirates
Milwaukee: The Brewers changed the starting time of their Sept. 27 home game against Cincinnati -- the last night game in County Stadium -- to 6:05 p.m. CT, so they can stage a post-game fireworks show. The game was to have started at 7:05 p.m. ... RHP Jeff D'Amico is 4-0 with a 0.45 ERA in July, allowing two earned runs in 39 2-3 innings. He has a 1.77 ERA, but is not listed among the NL ERA leaders because he is not averaging an inning pitched for each of his team's games. He has pitched 76.1 innings, and must average about seven innings during each of his remaining starts to qualify for the ERA title. ... D'Amico has one more start in July, on Sunday against Colorado. ... The Brewers estimate that 78 percent of Miller Park is finished. Pittsburgh: Pirates GM Cam Bonifay said Tuesday that talks on a proposed $60 million, six-year contract with C Jason Kendall are stalled. Kendall, who said repeatedly he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, apparently is balking at the large amount of deferred money. ... The Pirates have not allowed an opponent to score in the first inning in 10 games. ... LHP Jimmy Anderson, 1-0 with an 0.00 ERA in 14 2-3 innings in two starts since returning from the minors, starts Thursday against Milwaukee. ... RHP Rich Loiselle, currently on a minor league rehabilitation assignment, was promoted from Double-A Altoona to Triple-A Nashville. He pitched two scoreless innings Tuesday at Omaha. ... CF Brian Giles' average has slipped from .343 in mid-June to .301. The only Pirates player to start every game this season, he had four homers in 38 games after hitting 19 in his first 60 games.

Astros vs. Reds
Houston: The Astros completed their first sweep of the season and first in Cincinnati since September 1986. ... The Astros have won a season-high five in a row. ... RHP Octavio Dotel hasn't allowed a run in eight relief appearances covering 9 1-3 innings this season. He has converted both save chances. ... Jeff Bagwell has homered in five of six games. ... Moises Alou's upper-deck homer was only the 33rd in Riverfront Stadium's 30-year history. Alou said he's had only one other upper-deck homer in the majors -- in Shea Stadium off Dwight Gooden. Cincinnati: SS Barry Larkin is expected to be back in the lineup Friday. He dislocated the pinkie finger on his right hand while making a tumbling catch in the fourth inning, popped it back in place on the field and left for X-rays that found no fracture. ... RHP Steve Parris gave up three solo homers in the sixth inning, continuing a puzzling trend. In his last 11 starts, Parris has given up 17 homers -- 15 solo shots. He gave up four solo homers on June 10 in Cleveland, three against the Indians on July 8 in Cincinnati and three more Wednesday. The last nine homers he's allowed have come with the bases empty. ... 1B Sean Casey singled in the ninth, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games. ... RHP Mark Wohlers pitched two scoreless innings. Wohlers, coming back from reconstructive elbow surgery last July, has pitched six scoreless innings in three appearances.

Cubs vs. Phillies
Chicago: Manager Don Baylor pushed starter Kerry Wood back two days in the rotation. Wood will start Saturday at home against San Francisco. Baylor said he thought Wood matched up better against the Giants. ... RHP Rick Aguilera recorded his 311th save Tuesday, tying him with Tom Henke for eighth place on the career list. Philadelphia: Thursday's starter Robert Person worked seven innings against Pittsburgh on Saturday, his first start since being activated from the disabled list. ... C Mike Lieberthal hit off the tee Tuesday night and expects to be back when the Phillies travel to San Diego next week. ... RHP Wayne Gomes (elbow tendinitis) is much improved. The reliever threw briefly off the mound for the first time Tuesday.

Marlins vs. Braves
Florida: OF Mark Kotsay returned to the lineup after missing Tuesday's game with back spasms. He batted second, bumping SS Alex Gonzalez back to his normal eighth spot in the order. Mark Smith filled in for Kotsay on Tuesday and went 0-for-5, striking out to end the game with the potential tying run on third. Smith also batted in the sixth with the bases loaded and no outs, hitting a dribbler to the mound that resulted in a force at home. The Marlins failed to score that inning and wound up losing 6-5. ... The Marlins acquired RHP Manny Aybar from Cincinnati for Class A pitcher Jorge Cordova. Aybar was 1-2 with a 5.19 ERA in 33 relief appearances for the Reds. The Marlins cleared a roster spot by designating LHP Ron Mahay for assignment. Mahay, acquired from Oakland on May 11 for cash, was 1-0 with a 6.04 ERA in 18 games. Atlanta: The Braves juggled their rotation this week, leaving a question on whether LHP Terry Mulholland or RHP John Burkett is the fifth starter. RHP Greg Maddux was bumped up a day to pitch Thursday's game against the Marlins, while RHP Andy Ashby, acquired during the All-Star break, will pitch Friday against Houston rather than Saturday. Mulholland (9-9, 5.80 ERA) was originally scheduled to pitch Thursday. Now, the Braves are undecided about whether to start him or Burkett (7-4, 4.70) Saturday against the Astros. Mulholland could be more valuable in the bullpen, where he would give the Braves a third left-handed reliever. ... C Eddie Perez, out for the season after rotator cuff surgery, is able to lift his right arm above his head, but still can't bring it back into a full throwing motion. Perez hopes to begin throwing within a month and possibly play winter ball to test his shoulder before spring training.

Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals
Arizona: Arizona heads to Florida after Thursday's game against St. Louis, and will start newly acquired pitcher Curt Schilling on Friday. Not like they need the help. The Diamondbacks are 6-1 at Pro Player Stadium and have a 14-3 career mark against the Marlins. ... Heading into Wednesday's game, the Diamondbacks were held to three runs in each of their last three games, all losses. ... Thursday's starter, Geraldo Guzman, is coming off his first major league defeat, a 7-3 loss at Cincinnati last Saturday. Guzman (2-1) made his big league debut July 6 in Houston, a 2-1 win. St. Louis: Closer Dave Veres was ready to pitch Wednesday, two days after he felt a twinge in his right shoulder while picking up his 19-month-old son, Ty. "I'll have to put him on a diet. He's down to 22 1/2 pounds," Veres said. ... Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said the closed-door meeting following Tuesday's game against Arizona with injured slugger Mark McGwire, general manager Walt Jocketty and the team's medical staff took place to update everyone on McGwire's progress. He's missed 15 games with knee tendinitis, and remains "nowhere close" to being ready to play, La Russa said. ... On Thursday, Rick Ankiel (7-5) will start for the second time this season against Arizona. Last time, he allowed one unearned run in six innings of a 6-1 win.

Dodgers vs. Rockies
Los Angeles: The Dodgers on Wednesday acquired right-hander Ismael Valdes and cash considerations from the Chicago Cubs for two minor leaguers -- P Jamie Arnold and OF Jorge Piedra. Valdes, 26, spent the first six years of his major league career with the Dodgers, going 61-54 with a 3.38 ERA in 176 games. He was traded last December to the Cubs, where he was 2-4 with a 5.37 ERA in 12 starts. ... The announcement of the trade that sent Curt Schilling to Arizona was unwelcome news to Dodgers manager Davey Johnson. "We are not in a position to make those kinds of trades, not with the position our minor league system is in," Johnson said. "Schilling has done well against us, but he does well against everyone." ... Referring to the disappearance of the bunt as a major offensive weapon, Johnson said, "It used to be 500 runs was a big deal, and now teams are scoring 1,000 runs. Why bunt, for heaven's sake?" ... While closer Jeff Shaw has struggled, right-handed reliever Mike Fetters has gone 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 29 appearances. "He's been as important as anyone in our bullpen," Johnson said. "To think I didn't even know he was in our organization in spring training." Colorado: Slugger Larry Walker was given the day off Wednesday by manager Buddy Bell, who told Walker of the decision Monday. Walker, the two-time defending NL batting champion, is hitting .185 (10-for-54) with two homers and 12 RBI in 17 games. Although Walker is still bothered by persistent inflammation in his right elbow, Bell said he has seen some resurgence in Walker's bat. "He's hitting the ball on the nose," Bell said. "The first three months were a wash for him, a time when he was trying to find his stroke." For the season, Walker is hitting .311 with six homers and 37 RBI. ... Asked about the Schilling-to-Arizona deal, Bell said, "It is a sign of the times. Players move because of free agency and teams trying to get better. It definitely makes them (Arizona) better." ... Rockies right-handed reliever Jerry Dipoto, continuing his slow recovery from surgery, threw two innings against hitters before batting practice Wednesday. It's the first time Dipoto has thrown since April 25. He underwent surgery for a bulging disk in his neck on May 3.

Giants vs. Padres
San Francisco: The deal that sent RHP Curt Schilling to Arizona was generally downplayed by the Giants, although manager Dusty Baker acknowledged that the combination of Schilling and LHP Randy Johnson could be one of the NL's most potent. "We have to worry about ourselves," Baker said. "We can't be reactive to what they did." One reason why the Giants might not be overly concerned with Schilling is that he is only 3-5 lifetime against San Francisco. ... With nearly two-thirds of the season complete, Baker said it is nearing the point where it will be tough to give his top players a day off. LF Barry Bonds was held out of the starting lineup, due in part to his struggling bat. "It's like in the NBA where Shaq and Kobe sit out the start of the fourth quarter, then play the final 10 minutes," Baker said. San Diego: RHP Steve Montgomery will undergo surgery Thursday to repair a partial tear of his right rotator cuff. Montgomery, one of three pitchers acquired in an offseason deal with Philadelphia for RHP Andy Ashby, will be the eighth Padres player to undergo surgery since the start of the season. Montgomery was 0-2 with a 7.94 ERA in seven games. ... Tony Gwynn presented pro tennis player Alexandra Stevenson with a bat he used during the 1998 World Series before the game. Gwynn was following through on a promise he made to give Stevenson a game bat if she beat a Top 20 player.