Notes: Gotay going great as starter  —  Second baseman thriving in new role as everyday player  —  NEW YORK — It's been a tough summer for Jose Valentin.  The Mets' second baseman has been persistently plagued by a gimpy right knee, an injury that won't fully be healed without offseason surgery.

D-backs can't get bats untracked  —  Arizona manages just six hits in loss to Padres  —  PHOENIX — Although the D-backs missed Padres ace Jake Peavy Sunday afternoon, it did not matter the way Justin Germano pitched.  —  Germano, who got the start after San Diego moved back Peavy's turn …

CASTRO'S NO TYPICAL BACKUP  —  Ramon Castro hadn't started a game in nine days, pinch-hitting just once in that time.  But don't confuse inactivity with inability.  Seemingly every time Willie Randolph turns to his backup catcher, Castro comes through.  Yesterday was no different.

Sox's old faces could end up in new places  —  BALTIMORE — American League Central "showdowns" with Cleveland and Detroit are looking more and more like a string of spoiler games and auditions for 2008 for the White Sox.  —  The Sox acknowledge that's their unenviable position entering …

Mets pen happy finish  —  Mets relievers know better than to crave attention.  Most of the time when they get it, it's for all the wrong reasons.  —  Now, though, it's for all the right ones.  —  The Mets got three more innings of scoreless relief yesterday - one each from Pedro Feliciano …

Phils handed 10,000th loss  —  Right-hander Eaton allows six runs in four-plus innings  —  PHILADELPHIA — Many of the Phillies' bags were packed and sitting by their lockers before Sunday's game against the Cardinals.  —  It's a standard practice of every road trip …

Time for Bonds To Go First Class  —  There is a way for Barry Bonds to redeem the irredeemable situation that baseball is in.  He could preserve the integrity of the game, assuming he wishes to preserve anything but himself, with a decent gesture that would earn back the public's trust.

Varitek gets thumbs down  —  Injured catcher is given a rest  —  Kevin Youkilis symbolized the Red Sox' day of missed chances when he struck out with a man on in the eighth inning.  (JIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFF)  —  With one out in the ninth inning yesterday and the Red Sox trailing by a run, Doug Mirabelli stepped to the plate.

Ichiro smashes yet another barrier  —  Ichiro Suzuki was a revolutionary from the day he sent foot in the major leagues, so maybe it only stands to reason that he now has a revolutionary contract, too.  For all of the money that has been thrown around in baseball in recent years, never has so much gone to a man with so little power.

M's lose Suzuki, fall 11-7 to Tigers  —  SEATTLE (AP) — Marcus Thames made certain Sunday wouldn't be a repeat of the World Series for Jeff Weaver.  —  Thames hit a two-out, three-run homer off Weaver in the fourth inning, Justin Verlander pitched seven solid innings in Detroit's 11-7 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Bonds rips Bonds  —  SAN FRANCISCO& Remember the happy, playful Barry Bonds who welcomed one and all at the All-Star Game only five days ago?  —  He's buried under a 0 for 20 slump, including a humiliating series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that included three losses and a flurry of strikeouts …

Lee ends HR drought as Cubs sweep Astros  —  CHICAGO (AP) — Derrek Lee knows the reason why the Cubs are winning now.  —  Lee broke a streak of 126 at-bats without a home run with a three-run shot in the second inning to help the Chicago Cubs complete a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros with a 7-6 win on Sunday.

Angels can't keep lid on Rangers  —  Teixeira's home run against Speier in 11th inning caps Texas rally, and Shields' scoreless streak is broken.  Figgins sets club record for steals.  —  The Angels won the cap-tipping contest, and the Texas Rangers won the war, ending Scot Shields' 24 2 …

Pirates Notebook: Maholm tilts starters' scale  —  ATLANTA — Look at Paul Maholm as the swing vote.  —  When he pitches as well as he has in his past nine starts, the Pirates' rotation goes from having two steady contributors in Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny to a majority of three.