Nats blank Braves in finale  —  Bergmann, three relievers combine on two-hit shutout  —  ATLANTA — At 9:32 p.m. ET on Thursday night, the Nationals took a lead for the first time since beating the Marlins on a walk-off single by Dmitri Young on April 4.  The lead stuck and they blanked the Braves …

Ringolsby: Diversity, for one, is thriving  —  On Sunday, baseball will honor the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers, an event that not only marked the breaking of the color barrier in baseball but began to open doors in society in general.

Mets know they're in for lots of nervous time  —  Carlos Beltran was wearing a neophrene hood that made his face look as if it was peering out of a small ship's porthole.  Julio Franco came in from batting practice rubbing his hands together and said, "Look.  They're freezing."

Prior leaves game with sore shoulder  —  Mark Prior's first extended spring outing ended badly on Thursday when the injury-plagued right-hander was forced to leave his start early.  —  Prior experienced discomfort in his right shoulder, according to a statement by the Cubs.

Waiver Wired: Lidge Out  —  The baseball season is about 5-6% over for most teams, yet like clockwork, fantasy owners are panicking.  My teams, packed to the brim with Mark Teahens and Kelly Johnsons, are hitting about .200.  Can't...resist...must...drop Lance Berkman for Akinori Iwamura …

No act: Reyes balanced  —  They sound like baseball oxymorons, phrases that appear contradictory but make perfect sense upon closer examination.  Be quick but don't hurry.  Be intense but not tense.  Or Willie Randolph's favorite when it comes to Jose Reyes' hitting style: Be aggressive but be patient.

Ahead of the pack  —  Angels stand out as top World Series contender  —  Also in this column:  —  Everyone in baseball is talking about the current state of parity, how there are no superpowers anymore and about how almost anyone can win any division (no, not the Nationals).

Sox rainout moves Dice-K to Tuesday  —  Originally set for Friday, Tavarez to take righty's place Monday  —  BOSTON — The most significant cause and effect from the Red Sox's rainout on Thursday against the Mariners is that Daisuke Matsuzaka's next start will now be on Tuesday in Toronto instead …

Notes: Dotel setback, return uncertain  —  Pain forces reliever to cut Thursday's rehab session short  —  BALTIMORE — Octavio Dotel's recovery from a strained left oblique muscle took another detour Thursday when the Royals reliever had to cut short a rehabilitation session at the team's Spring Training facility in Surprise, Ariz.

Benoit getting his opportunity  —  Manager once wondered why reliever didn't have bigger role  —  ARLINGTON — Ron Washington, coaching third base for the Oakland Athletics, was not the first to wonder about Joaquin Benoit.  —  He was hardly the first or the only one to wonder what a pitcher …