Offerman goes off  —  Former Red Sox infielder Jose Offerman was arrested Tuesday night after charging the mound and hitting the pitcher and catcher with his bat during an independent minor league game.  —  He was charged with two counts of second-degree assault, and posted $10,000 bond.

Hill Picks Up Where He Left Off, but Nats Lose  —  When the fans at RFK Stadium last saw Shawn Hill on the mound, he was twirling five no-hit innings, making another step toward taking over the top spot in the Washington Nationals' rotation.  Last night, it was as if Hill merely had pressed pause …

Grand night for O's, Huff  —  Slam sparks biggest rout of season; Cabrera cruises  —  NEW YORK - If nothing else, Orioles manager Dave Trembley assures that his team will not lie down over the final two months of the season.  There will be no countdown to the season's final day …

Green adjusts as Willie gives Milledge shot  —  PITTSBURGH - Willie Randolph met with Shawn Green in the manager's office after the right fielder was left out of the lineup in favor of Lastings Milledge last night against the Pirates.  Green wasn't told he lost his job, but it's clear his playing time is diminishing.

After minor difficulties, Pedro makes pitch for major move  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Pedro Martinez is very much aware that the Mets' lead in the NL East has grown precarious.  When the righthander stepped on the mound for his second rehab start yesterday at Tradition Field …

Another transaction  —  I know the Hillenbrand move confused some people yesterday, but there was certainly reasoning behind signing him and then bringing him up.  Nomar Garciaparra, who has been dealing with a strained left calf for a while, has finally had to go on the disabled list …

De Aza will get a chance to impress in center  —  MIAMI GARDENS Center fielder Alejandro De Aza has found his name in the starting lineup all six games since coming off the disabled list Aug. 8.  —  He'll undoubtedly get at least a game, perhaps two or three, off in the next few weeks …

Upper Cust  —  Jack Cust homered twice last night as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-3.  That gives Cust twenty home runs in eighty three games.  With a .404 OBA and a .550 slugging percentage, Cust is having a great half season.  As I've said many times …

Gagné throws it into reverse  —  Eric Gagné lived the entire Boston experience in one short inning.  He was the goat, the piñata, and the object of scorn.  And then he was the greatest thing since sliced Yaz Bread.  —  He was booed and ridiculed.  He heard words he never heard in the Bible.

This is going to hurt for a while  —  The ball bounced under Matt Kemp's glove and rolled toward the right-field wall, a shiny white mistake in an embarrassing sea of green.  —  Groans.  —  The ball flew off Matt Kemp's bat and drifted over the center-field fence, a shiny white souvenir in a triumphant sky of blue.

In time, knuckleballer could leave greats in his wake  —  In 1992, a 26-year-old Pirates rookie who had just become the first knuckleballer to win a postseason game since Tom Sturdivant of the Yankees in 1956 told reporters, "It's exciting to finally have a dream come true.  I may not have a chance to do this again."