NEW YORK METS: LHP Billy Wagner turned his right ankle awkwardly while covering first base on the final play of the game, but said he's fine. "I just didn't want that ball getting by me. I didn't want to throw another pitch," Wagner said. ... Rickey Henderson joined the coaching staff and was in uniform, wearing No. 24. He plans to be with the team for a week. Henderson, baseball's career leader in runs and stolen bases, was a guest instructor with the Mets during spring training. ... The Mets improved to 26-17 on the road. ... RHP Steve Trachsel won his fifth consecutive start. "He's tough because actually with him it's not always good to be ahead in the count," Yankees slugger Jason Giambi said. "You're not always going to get a fastball." Trachsel and Giambi were teammates at Long Beach State in 1991 on a team that went to the College World Series.
NEW YORK YANKEES: RHP Mike Mussina said he felt fine, one day after sustaining a slight strain in his right groin early in his outing against the Mets. The 37-year-old Mussina, enjoying his best season in years, hopes to make his next scheduled start Wednesday night in Cleveland, but said he won't know for sure if he'll be able to do so until at least Sunday. Even if his turn gets pushed back, it's not a big problem, because Mussina is slated to make only one more start before the All-Star break anyway. ... SS Derek Jeter is the only player to appear in all 53 regular-season games between the Mets and Yankees since interleague play began in 1997. ... Jeter and 1B Andy Phillips combined for a nice play to retire speedy Jose Reyes leading off the third. ... LHP Matt Smith has not allowed a run in 11 appearances this season, covering 10 innings. ... Longtime public address announcer Bob Sheppard was absent after leaving Friday night's game because of laryngitis.
Astros-Rangers
HOUSTON: Houston leads this year's Silver Boot Series 3-2 against Texas. The Astros will take the trophy back for the first time since 2003 with a victory Sunday -- or a loss by five runs or less. ... Before their 7-0 victory Saturday, the Astros had scored only five runs the previous four games, all losses. ... Houston has turned a majors-best 99 double plays after two Saturday. ... 2B Craig Biggio is only one hit shy of matching Babe Ruth for 38th on the career hits list with 2,873.
TEXAS: Texas fell to 21-22 at home with its 7-0 loss to Houston on Saturday. The Rangers haven't been above .500 at home since May 24, 2005. ... 3B Hank Blalock was 0-for-4, the first time this season he's been hitless in three straight games. ... Rangers opponents have scored first in 10 straight games. Texas is 3-7 in those games. ... Texas is 7-10 in interleague games. ... 1B Mark Teixeira ended June with 12 doubles, a franchise record for doubles in that month. Ruben Sierra (1989) and Rusty Greer (1997) held the previous mark with 11.
White Sox-Cubs
CHICAGO WHITE SOX: Manager Ozzie Guillen said he expects to be criticized when All-Star selections are announced Sunday because, as usual, there will be some deserving players left off the AL roster. "I'm going to take the heat. But I don't pick this team myself," Guillen said. "One thing you have to remember, I have to pick the best guys to win the game." The league that wins the All-Star game will have home-field advantage in the World Series and that was a big plus for the White Sox last year when they won the first two games at home against the Astros. ... Guillen said he was upset with Pablo Ozuna for not telling him his hamstring was bothering him before Friday's game. Ozuna had to leave the game in the first inning after hobbling from first to third on a single. "He should have told me that he's not 100 percent. We could deal with that," Guillen said. "We were lucky that it wasn't worse. Every player counts for me."
CHICAGO CUBS: RHP Kerry Wood will play catch and long toss over the next week as the Cubs try once again to get their injury-plagued starter ready to return to the mound. Wood began the season on the DL, made four starts and then went back to the DL after the shoulder began troubling him. He had surgery last August. On Monday, Wood went to see the Cincinnati doctor who did the operation and underwent bio-mechanical testing that showed he had a muscle imbalance in the shoulder. "We're definitely going to have to go backward as far as his endurance. There is no question about it," trainer Mark O'Neal said Saturday. "I'd say he's probably got a week's work of playing catch and long toss before we even think about doing anything on the mound." Wood starts feeling discomfort around the 65-pitch count, so the Cubs will try to build him back up gradually. ... Aramis Ramirez's three-run shot in the fifth inning Saturday was the Cubs' 12,000th homer. Jacque Jones added a solo drive in the seventh. Ramirez also doubled and tripled. ... Saturday's game was the second straight in which a Cub fell a hit shy of the cycle. Juan Pierre singled, doubled and tripled on Friday.
Diamondbacks-Athletics
ARIZONA: Manager Bob Melvin has yet to decide who will start Monday against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. RHP Juan Cruz, on the DL since June 4 with a sore right shoulder, played catch Saturday a day after throwing a bullpen session. He could start Monday, though either way the Diamondbacks plan to keep him in the rotation -- meaning his fill-in, RHP Edgar Gonzalez, might go into the bullpen. "Potentially," Melvin said. "We'd like to get (Juan) back in the rotation." ... Melvin is going to be cautious with INF Tony Clark, who is nursing a sore right shoulder, before the All-Star break. He could probably play as designated hitter this series, but "we want to give him some added rest," Melvin said. Clark might need a cortisone shot before the break. ... Sunday's series finale features two eight-game winners in Oakland ace Barry Zito and Arizona's Brandon Webb. "For the fans, it's a marquee matchup," Melvin said. ... Arizona won back-to-back games for the first time since sweeping a four-game series at Atlanta from June 1-4. Melvin went with the same lineup as Friday night, when the Diamondbacks won for only the fourth time in 24 games to conclude a terrible June (8-20). They are on a nine-game road trip leading into the All-Star break.
OAKLAND: RHP Rich Harden, on the DL for a second time this season due to a strained ligament in his right elbow, said he had no ill effects Saturday after playing catch Friday for the first time since being shelved June 8. "I feel good," he said, though Harden still could be about 3 1/2 weeks from a return to the rotation. ... 3B Eric Chavez was held out of the lineup with inflammation in his forearms that has been bothering him for several weeks. Marco Scutaro started at third. ... LHP Joe Kennedy (left shoulder tendinitis) threw off the mound. ... The latest A's fan giveaway: oven mitts and potholders. ... Oakland, which had its season-best eight-game home winning streak snapped Friday night with a 6-4 defeat, lost a series to Arizona for the first time in five sets. This series marked the first meetings between the clubs since July 6-8, 2001, when the A's earned a three-game sweep. ... Oakland, which came in with an AL-worst .249 batting average, hasn't been no-hit since July 13, 1991, by four Baltimore Orioles pitchers -- though the A's didn't get their first hit off Miguel Batista until Frank Thomas' two-run homer in the seventh. The Big Hurt has 465 career home runs, tying him with Dave Winfield for 25th place on the career list.
Dodgers-Angels:
LOS ANGELES DODGERS: 1B Nomar Garciaparra, the NL batting leader, singled in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. ... Closer Eric Gagne said he called off a scheduled throwing session Friday because of continued discomfort in his right elbow. Gagne, who has pitched only two innings for the Dodgers after undergoing surgery to remove a nerve in his elbow, said he's certain he'll return sometime this season. "He's still not in a position where he's ready to throw a ball yet," manager Grady Little said. "He's still got some pain. So until that time comes, we'll just be on hold." ... LHP Mark Hendrickson was taken out after the fifth inning as a precautionary measure. He was struck in the left biceps by Vladimir Guerrero's liner in the fifth -- the next-to-last batter he faced. "We knew as time went on it would tighten up on him," Little said. "He wanted to pitch more out there, but it wasn't worth taking a chance."
LOS ANGELES ANGELS: OF Garret Anderson was mired in an 8-for-56 slump before he lined a two-run double in the third and a single in the sixth, giving him 2,000 career hits. ... RHP Jered Weaver, recalled Friday, will pitch Monday night at Seattle. Weaver was recalled when his older brother Jeff was designated for assignment after going 3-10 with a 6.29 ERA in 16 games for the Angels. "Obviously, mixed emotions," Jered said regarding the circumstances that led to his being recalled. "Not really the circumstances I wanted to come back on, but obviously, it's a very business-oriented game, and I'm definitely coming to realize that." Jered Weaver, the Angels' first-round pick in the 2004 draft, made four starts with the team earlier this season, going 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA. ... The Angels have committed 31 errors in their last 27 games and lead the AL with 65. They have allowed 58 unearned runs this season compared to 45 all of last year.
NEW YORK YANKEES: RHP Mike Mussina said he felt fine, one day after sustaining a slight strain in his right groin early in his outing against the Mets. The 37-year-old Mussina, enjoying his best season in years, hopes to make his next scheduled start Wednesday night in Cleveland, but said he won't know for sure if he'll be able to do so until at least Sunday. Even if his turn gets pushed back, it's not a big problem, because Mussina is slated to make only one more start before the All-Star break anyway. ... SS Derek Jeter is the only player to appear in all 53 regular-season games between the Mets and Yankees since interleague play began in 1997. ... Jeter and 1B Andy Phillips combined for a nice play to retire speedy Jose Reyes leading off the third. ... LHP Matt Smith has not allowed a run in 11 appearances this season, covering 10 innings. ... Longtime public address announcer Bob Sheppard was absent after leaving Friday night's game because of laryngitis.
Astros-Rangers
HOUSTON: Houston leads this year's Silver Boot Series 3-2 against Texas. The Astros will take the trophy back for the first time since 2003 with a victory Sunday -- or a loss by five runs or less. ... Before their 7-0 victory Saturday, the Astros had scored only five runs the previous four games, all losses. ... Houston has turned a majors-best 99 double plays after two Saturday. ... 2B Craig Biggio is only one hit shy of matching Babe Ruth for 38th on the career hits list with 2,873.
TEXAS: Texas fell to 21-22 at home with its 7-0 loss to Houston on Saturday. The Rangers haven't been above .500 at home since May 24, 2005. ... 3B Hank Blalock was 0-for-4, the first time this season he's been hitless in three straight games. ... Rangers opponents have scored first in 10 straight games. Texas is 3-7 in those games. ... Texas is 7-10 in interleague games. ... 1B Mark Teixeira ended June with 12 doubles, a franchise record for doubles in that month. Ruben Sierra (1989) and Rusty Greer (1997) held the previous mark with 11.
White Sox-Cubs
CHICAGO WHITE SOX: Manager Ozzie Guillen said he expects to be criticized when All-Star selections are announced Sunday because, as usual, there will be some deserving players left off the AL roster. "I'm going to take the heat. But I don't pick this team myself," Guillen said. "One thing you have to remember, I have to pick the best guys to win the game." The league that wins the All-Star game will have home-field advantage in the World Series and that was a big plus for the White Sox last year when they won the first two games at home against the Astros. ... Guillen said he was upset with Pablo Ozuna for not telling him his hamstring was bothering him before Friday's game. Ozuna had to leave the game in the first inning after hobbling from first to third on a single. "He should have told me that he's not 100 percent. We could deal with that," Guillen said. "We were lucky that it wasn't worse. Every player counts for me."
CHICAGO CUBS: RHP Kerry Wood will play catch and long toss over the next week as the Cubs try once again to get their injury-plagued starter ready to return to the mound. Wood began the season on the DL, made four starts and then went back to the DL after the shoulder began troubling him. He had surgery last August. On Monday, Wood went to see the Cincinnati doctor who did the operation and underwent bio-mechanical testing that showed he had a muscle imbalance in the shoulder. "We're definitely going to have to go backward as far as his endurance. There is no question about it," trainer Mark O'Neal said Saturday. "I'd say he's probably got a week's work of playing catch and long toss before we even think about doing anything on the mound." Wood starts feeling discomfort around the 65-pitch count, so the Cubs will try to build him back up gradually. ... Aramis Ramirez's three-run shot in the fifth inning Saturday was the Cubs' 12,000th homer. Jacque Jones added a solo drive in the seventh. Ramirez also doubled and tripled. ... Saturday's game was the second straight in which a Cub fell a hit shy of the cycle. Juan Pierre singled, doubled and tripled on Friday.
Diamondbacks-Athletics
ARIZONA: Manager Bob Melvin has yet to decide who will start Monday against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. RHP Juan Cruz, on the DL since June 4 with a sore right shoulder, played catch Saturday a day after throwing a bullpen session. He could start Monday, though either way the Diamondbacks plan to keep him in the rotation -- meaning his fill-in, RHP Edgar Gonzalez, might go into the bullpen. "Potentially," Melvin said. "We'd like to get (Juan) back in the rotation." ... Melvin is going to be cautious with INF Tony Clark, who is nursing a sore right shoulder, before the All-Star break. He could probably play as designated hitter this series, but "we want to give him some added rest," Melvin said. Clark might need a cortisone shot before the break. ... Sunday's series finale features two eight-game winners in Oakland ace Barry Zito and Arizona's Brandon Webb. "For the fans, it's a marquee matchup," Melvin said. ... Arizona won back-to-back games for the first time since sweeping a four-game series at Atlanta from June 1-4. Melvin went with the same lineup as Friday night, when the Diamondbacks won for only the fourth time in 24 games to conclude a terrible June (8-20). They are on a nine-game road trip leading into the All-Star break.
OAKLAND: RHP Rich Harden, on the DL for a second time this season due to a strained ligament in his right elbow, said he had no ill effects Saturday after playing catch Friday for the first time since being shelved June 8. "I feel good," he said, though Harden still could be about 3 1/2 weeks from a return to the rotation. ... 3B Eric Chavez was held out of the lineup with inflammation in his forearms that has been bothering him for several weeks. Marco Scutaro started at third. ... LHP Joe Kennedy (left shoulder tendinitis) threw off the mound. ... The latest A's fan giveaway: oven mitts and potholders. ... Oakland, which had its season-best eight-game home winning streak snapped Friday night with a 6-4 defeat, lost a series to Arizona for the first time in five sets. This series marked the first meetings between the clubs since July 6-8, 2001, when the A's earned a three-game sweep. ... Oakland, which came in with an AL-worst .249 batting average, hasn't been no-hit since July 13, 1991, by four Baltimore Orioles pitchers -- though the A's didn't get their first hit off Miguel Batista until Frank Thomas' two-run homer in the seventh. The Big Hurt has 465 career home runs, tying him with Dave Winfield for 25th place on the career list.
Dodgers-Angels:
LOS ANGELES DODGERS: 1B Nomar Garciaparra, the NL batting leader, singled in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. ... Closer Eric Gagne said he called off a scheduled throwing session Friday because of continued discomfort in his right elbow. Gagne, who has pitched only two innings for the Dodgers after undergoing surgery to remove a nerve in his elbow, said he's certain he'll return sometime this season. "He's still not in a position where he's ready to throw a ball yet," manager Grady Little said. "He's still got some pain. So until that time comes, we'll just be on hold." ... LHP Mark Hendrickson was taken out after the fifth inning as a precautionary measure. He was struck in the left biceps by Vladimir Guerrero's liner in the fifth -- the next-to-last batter he faced. "We knew as time went on it would tighten up on him," Little said. "He wanted to pitch more out there, but it wasn't worth taking a chance."
LOS ANGELES ANGELS: OF Garret Anderson was mired in an 8-for-56 slump before he lined a two-run double in the third and a single in the sixth, giving him 2,000 career hits. ... RHP Jered Weaver, recalled Friday, will pitch Monday night at Seattle. Weaver was recalled when his older brother Jeff was designated for assignment after going 3-10 with a 6.29 ERA in 16 games for the Angels. "Obviously, mixed emotions," Jered said regarding the circumstances that led to his being recalled. "Not really the circumstances I wanted to come back on, but obviously, it's a very business-oriented game, and I'm definitely coming to realize that." Jered Weaver, the Angels' first-round pick in the 2004 draft, made four starts with the team earlier this season, going 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA. ... The Angels have committed 31 errors in their last 27 games and lead the AL with 65. They have allowed 58 unearned runs this season compared to 45 all of last year.
