Notes: News not all bad during skid  —  May not Astros' favorite month; Lamb bats in leadoff spot  —  PHOENIX — For the past week, the Astros have had trouble pitching and they've had trouble hitting, adding up to a seven-game losing streak heading into Sunday's matinee affair with the Diamondbacks.

Pierre's HBP lifts Dodgers by Cubs in 11  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Juan Pierre didn't care how ugly his game-winning RBI was, as long as he got it.  —  Andre Ethier hit a game-tying home run in the eighth, and Pierre got hit with the bases loaded in the 11th to force in the winning run …

The manager strikes back  —  Torre takes shots at ump after Abreu is punched out  —  Maybe it was meant to divert attention from his players.  Or maybe it was just frustration bubbling over.  —  Whatever the case, in 12 seasons as Bombers manager, Joe Torre has never shown as much anger as he did in the Yankee clubhouse yesterday.

Cabrera rips Yankees fans  —  'They don't appreciate good baseball,' says Angels shortstop, who praises fans in Anaheim and Boston.  —  NEW YORK — The New York Yankees might have the most fans, but they don't have the best fans.  So says Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

Mets extend NL East lead to 4 1-2 games  —  MIAMI (AP) — Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez often lauded the strength of the New York Mets' lineup over the weekend.  To his chagrin, the NL East leaders backed up that praise.  —  The Mets continued their mastery of left-handers …

If Perlozzo goes, Johnson may return … Although the Orioles still haven't decided whether they will fire embattled manager Sam Perlozzo, they have discussed some potential replacements if they do, including one name that harks back to their winning past.  —  According to two club sources …

Bats Fall Silent in Series Finale  —  I'd like to take a moment to announce a few things:  — Starting this week, a new member will join the Jays Nest family.  In the first few weeks, he will be doing a Blue Jays history feature (name to be announced soon) that I'm sure will be appreciated by all visitors of this site.

Zambrano puts hurt on L.A.  —  Ace manhandles Dodgers, tells media to find new angle because he's still feeling no pain  —  LOS ANGELES — Carlos Zambrano waited until after the game to make his point to the media.  But the Cubs pitcher delivered the message loud and clear for 7 2/3 innings …

Bonds finally connects for 746th homer  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Barry Bonds broke out of a lengthy home run slump Sunday, hitting his 746th career homer in the sixth inning against Colorado to pull within nine of Hank Aaron's career record 755.  —  Bonds hesitated slightly to watch …

To Love and to Cherish for All Eternity, or Not  —  I am no stranger to divorce.  I am a two-time loser, having severed my unions with both the man I married when I was too young to know better and the man I wed when I was too work-obsessed to pay attention.

The Old Ballgame, Recreated in Color  —  HE roots for Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and the rest of the team at least once a week, but after a few innings Graig Kreindler often feels compelled to flip off the TV and head downstairs to his basement painting studio in Airmont, N.Y. There …

Teixeira: Will Texas hold him?  —  If you look at the potential sellers at the July 31 non-waivers trade deadline, there's a whole lot of nothing available from Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Washington and Colorado.  Cincinnati could offer supplementary pieces such as Jeff Conine and David Weathers …

Padres place Brian Giles on 15-day DL  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) — Padres right fielder Brian Giles went on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with an annoying bone bruise in his right knee.  —  To take his place on the roster, the Padres recalled infielder-outfielder Paul McAnulty from Triple-A Portland.