11th-hour loss for Sox: Grueling start to road trip  —  OAKLAND, Calif. - Groggy and in dire need of sleep after an overnight, cross-country flight landed them in the Bay Area yesterday morning at about the time folks back home were preparing to begin their work day, the Red Sox [team stats] …

Clemens hopeful after MRI  —  CHICAGO — Roger Clemens still hopes to make his 2007 Yankees debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday after an MRI exam showed he had a scar tissue injury in his right groin.  —  Clemens had originally planned to start Monday night at the Chicago White Sox.

Nationals Counting on Draft-Day Payoff  —  Usually by early June, Dana Brown can't hide the bags under his eyes.  Over the past five years, Brown's job title has been "director of scouting" — first for the Montreal Expos, then for the Washington Nationals.

Finance 101 with Capuano  —  Brewers lefty speaks with kids about being savvy with money  —  MILWAUKEE — Chris Capuano smiled sheepishly as third-graders sitting in front of him bombarded him with questions and comments.  —  "Do you have a piggy bank?"  —  "What's your favorite animal?"

Peavy, Haren honored as May's Pitchers of the Month  —  San Diego Padres right-hander Jake Peavy has been voted National League Pitcher of the Month and Oakland Athletics right-hander Dan Haren has earned American League Pitcher of the Month honors for May, it was announced today.

Mailbag: Will Rangers make moves?  —  Beat reporter T.R. Sullivan answers Rangers fans' questions … Ok, so maybe trading Mark Teixeira isn't the answer.  Maybe even firing people isn't the right answer, as well.  Please tell me this though, assuming the Rangers struggle yet again this season, what is the answer?

White Sox still looking for some relief  —  White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen stood near a practice mound in spring training, watching left-hander Andrew Sisco unleash one wicked fastball after another.  —  "Everyone in the bullpen has closer stuff," Guillen proclaimed.

Notes: Weaver takes next step back  —  Right-hander looks good while throwing simulated game  —  SEATTLE — Right-handed pitcher Jeff Weaver took one step closer to returning to the rotation, throwing a simulated game before Sunday's series finale against the Rangers.

Rangers' Diaz makes his case  —  Hitting .297 since being called up, Diaz has earned right to stay  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  SEATTLE - Victor Diaz has earned his keep.  Or at least an extended stay on the roster.  —  The Rangers will have a decision to make Tuesday, when Jerry Hairston Jr. returns from the disabled list.

Rheinecker pulled from Triple-A start  —  Pitcher may start for Padilla on Tuesday  —  Triple-A Oklahoma pitcher John Rheinecker was pulled from his start Monday in Oklahoma City in case Texas starter Vicente Padilla is unable to pitch Tuesday night against Detroit.

Timely hit eludes Mets in loss  —  Perez goes seven innings, allowing three run on four hits  —  NEW YORK — Nine weeks into their season and three days into June, the Mets no longer need look on the rest of their month with the sense of trepidation that existed when they first saw their schedule.

EL DUQUE'S SCHOOLING A HIT FOR GOMEZ  —  Facing Orlando Hernandez's maddening array of breaking balls is the kind of thing that can put some hitters into a funk.  Apparently it was just the tonic to help struggling rookie Carlos Gomez get out of his.  —  Gomez snapped an 0-for-18 hitless skid Saturday …

Jon Heyman: Piniella needs to share blame for Cubs' woes  —  High-priced Cubs manager quick to criticize players  —  Also in this column  —  The mix of "Sweet" Lou Piniella and the Lovable Loser Cubs already has been as combustible as feared, maybe even more so.