Hardy's slam helps Brewers rip Mets 12-3  —  NEW YORK (AP) — J.J. Hardy, Ben Sheets and the Milwaukee Brewers showed they can beat one of the best teams in the National League.  —  Hardy hit a grand slam and Tony Gwynn Jr. played a fantastic all-around game to back a solid pitching performance …

Pirates Notebook: Castillo requests trade  —  Agent asks team to explore deal if no playing time available  —  Jose Castillo's agent has asked the Pirates to try to trade his client if he cannot play regularly.  —  Castillo, the team's everyday second baseman for three years before becoming …

Peavy fans 10 as Padres rout Cardinals  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres could have used this kind of performance against the St. Louis Cardinals the last two Octobers.  —  Ace Jake Peavy became the first pitcher in franchise history to strike out at least 10 in four straight starts …

Rocketing Back to the Past  —  Curmudgeons might point to Roger Clemens' recently inked contract with the Yankees and his sweetheart "stay at home except for game days" deal with the Astros in 2006 as the ultimate proof of what's wrong with baseball in the 21st century.

Page Granted Personal Leave, Expected Back  —  Mitchell Page, the Washington Nationals' hitting coach, has been granted a leave of absence for undisclosed personal reasons, General Manager Jim Bowden announced before last night's game.  —  Bowden declined to elaborate on Page's situation …

DeWitt backs La Russa '100 percent'  —  SAN DIEGO — Challenged for almost two weeks by the death of relief pitcher Josh Hancock, Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. expressed "100 percent support" for manager Tony La Russa and his handling of what La Russa has called a "brutal" situation.

Willie still stands by Pelfrey  —  Willie Randolph insisted last night that Mike Pelfrey "is still my fifth starter," regardless of the results the rookie gets today in his sixth start this season.  —  But with Orlando Hernandez moving closer to returning after throwing a bullpen session Thursday …

Ortiz tries to right a wrong  —  The bat of David Ortiz is much larger and significantly more ominous when he swings it indoors.  Before last night's game against the Orioles, Ortiz was taking cuts in the clubhouse, with big, broad, ferocious strokes.  —  "I'm angry, bro," he declared.

The Commissioner of Baseball Is on Deck  —  Bud Selig, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, slowly turned the desk chair in his 30th-floor corner office toward a panoramic view of Lake Michigan.  Few could see him here, but Selig knows the eyes of the nation's baseball fans are watching him.

Notes: Sadler promoted from Triple-A  —  Veteran fills utility role in Callaspo's absence  —  HOUSTON — With Triple-A infielders Brian Barden and Augie Ojeda both injured, the D-backs decided to select the contract of utility man Donnie Sadler from Tucson on Friday to replace infielder Alberto Callaspo …

Lee hit streak ends at 17 games  —  PHILADELPHIA — It took 33 games for a team to figure out a way to stop Derrek Lee, but the Phillies managed to do it on Friday.  —  When Lee went 0-for-4 in the 7-2 loss to the Phillies, it was the first time this season he had not reached base.

Gonzalez, Wilson bullish about Braves  —  Former Pirates return to PNC Park as winners  —  Braves relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez has a 1.17 ERA this season.  —  Mike Gonzalez and Craig Wilson are sure to experience some warm sentiments today when they play at PNC Park for the first time as anything other than Pirates.