Utley breaks right hand  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Phillies All-Star second baseman Chase Utley broke his right hand when he was hit by a pitch during Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Washington Nationals.  —  Utley was hit in the fifth inning by Washington's John Lannan, who was making his major league debut.

Nats near two-year extension for Young  —  PHILADELPHIA — First baseman Dmitri Young is close to signing a two-year extension with the Nationals, according to multiple sources.  The move would come a few days after the team signed infielder Ronnie Belliard to an extension.

Saltalamacchia-Teixeira deal in the works  —  PLAYER OF THE DAY JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA Catcher, Atlanta Braves  —  Long regarded as one of the top offensive prospects in the game, "Salty" could end up having been the key to the biggest deal of this year's trade deadline.

A-Rod's 499th homer could become No. 500  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Just in case his 499th homer turns out to be No. 500, Alex Rodriguez already has the ball.  —  The Yankees' third baseman, set to become the youngest member of the 500-homer club, hit an eighth-inning drive off Gil Meche …

Costas not upset about Bonds' comment  —  NEW YORK (AP) — A day after Barry Bonds called him a "little midget man who knows (nothing) about baseball," broadcaster Bob Costas said he wasn't upset with the San Francisco Giants slugger and responded with a jab of his own.

Fan's thrown water bottle hits Piazza in head  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mike Piazza said he will press charges against a fan who allegedly threw a half-full water bottle at him during Wednesday afternoon's Oakland Athletics-Los Angeles Angels game, hitting the A's designated hitter in the back of the head.

Another White Sox trade possibility  —  You know Kenny Williams doesn't want to trade Jon Garland.  But the Mariners appear to have joined the Yankees in the pursuit.  If Seattle does a deal for Garland, it will probably revolve around outfielder Wladimir Balentien, who has the potential to develop into a big-time power hitter.

Pirates end Mets' 3-game winning streak  —  NEW YORK (AP) — After five innings Thursday, the Pittsburgh Pirates had managed one scratch one infield hit against Oliver Perez and trailed by a run.  Eleven batters had gone down in a row, four straight on strikeouts.

Red Sox win 14-9 slugfest over Indians  —  CLEVELAND (AP) — Over the fence, over the bushes and into the trees.  Manny Ramirez's homer was something to behold.  —  Ramirez hit the third-longest home run at Jacobs Field, a tree-clearing solo shot into a monument area …

Trade Winds: D-Train on the block?  —  Sources indicate Marlins may have softened stance on Willis  —  Will the D-Train be pulling out of the South Florida station?  —  The Marlins have publicly insisted they want to keep Dontrelle Willis, not trade him, but multiple Major League sources …

KYLE HAS EYE OF TIGERS  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. - In what only can be described as a strange twist, the Tigers have an interest in taking Kyle Farnsworth off the Yankees' hands.  —  According to multiple sources, the Tigers are looking to make a deal that would bring Farnsworth back to the team he pitched 46 games for in 2005.

Botts eyeing one-way trip to Arlington  —  Tearing it up in Triple-A, slugger ready for return to Rangers  —  OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Jason Botts has a new attitude, a new approach to hitting and a .318 batting average with 74 RBIs for Triple-A Oklahoma.  —  Everything has gone well for him …