Beckett baffles batters  —  Sox starter perfect for 5 1/3, goes eight for ninth victory  —  Refreshingly, Red Sox righthander Josh Beckett didn't sit at his postgame news conference last night and repeat what most pitchers say after being involved in an outing about which the words ``no-hitter" and ``perfect game" start to circulate.

Redemption for Orioles … It wasn't about rivalry or even revenge.  For the home team, the first regular-season baseball game here between the Washington and Baltimore franchises since 1971 had nothing to do with the club in the visiting dugout.  —  It was all about the collective psyche of the Orioles …

Mariners Notebook: Putz settles in as closer  —  Guardado biting his lip, won't ask team to trade him  —  SAN DIEGO — J.J. Putz is the Mariners' closer.  —  Nobody will say it officially, but the company line when Eddie Guardado was demoted in early May — it's just temporary until he gets …

RANGERS NOTES  —  Manager has lots of faith in DeRosa  —  DENVER — Buck Showalter made it official Friday:  —  Mark DeRosa has earned a job as a Rangers starter.  —  In one sense, that's not news.  DeRosa has been in the lineup in all 20 games in June.

Tomko strong, but suffers injury in win  —  Righty tosses five scoreless innings, but strains oblique muscle  —  LOS ANGELES — Brett Tomko eliminated the bad pitches Friday night, but not the bad luck.  —  Tomko had to leave after five scoreless innings with a strained left oblique muscle …

O's leading contender to sign Ortiz off scrapheap … The Baltimore Orioles are the leading candidates to sign pitcher Russ Ortiz, who was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks despite having $22 million left on his four-year, $33 million contract.  —  "The Orioles are the frontrunners …

No place like home for Roe  —  LAFAYETTE GRAD HOLDS LEXINGTON TO TWO RUNS IN HOMECOMING  —  The Lexington Legends could have done without the return of the native last night.  —  Lafayette High School grad Chaz Roe held the Legends to two runs through six innings, then turned matters …

Mulder MRI shows problem  —  DETROIT  —  Lefthander Mark Mulder will be shelved at least through the All-Star break and probably longer after an MRI on Friday found that he has been pitching with a shoulder impingement, inflammation of the rotator cuff and slight fraying of the labrum.

Time With the Yankees Helps Girardi, Just Not on This Night  —  Joe Torre began managing almost three decades ago and at this stage of his career he can enjoy the success of his coaching protégés like Willie Randolph of the Mets and Joe Girardi of Florida.

Santana, Angels polish off D-Backs  —  Rookie Napoli goes 3-for-3, including eighth home run  —  PHOENIX — The youth movement continues for the Angels.  —  A variety of factors, including injuries and subpar play, has forced a number of rookies and younger players in the lineup.

Myers, Schilling duel at Fenway  —  Philadelphia (35-38) at Boston (43-28), 1:20 p.m. ET  —  Of the six former World Series MVPs pitching in the Majors, the Phillies have faced five this year: Tom Glavine, Livan Hernandez, Mariano Rivera, Randy Johnson and Josh Beckett.