Astros suspend Chacon after altercation with GM Wade  —  Already upset that he was demoted from the Astros' starting rotation to the bullpen, Shawn Chacon was suspended indefinitely Wednesday night after a heated exchange turned violent with general manager Ed Wade an hour before the Astros played the Texas Rangers.

Flores' single gives Nationals win in ninth  —  WASHINGTON — Jesus Flores lined an RBI single to right-center with one out in the bottom of the ninth to give the Washington Nationals a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Wednesday.  —  The Nationals snapped a four-game losing streak and ended the Angels' five-game winning streak.

Crawford's 2 HRs, 10-run 5th lift Rays  —  MIAMI (AP)—Carl Crawford had two home runs before the Tampa Bay Rays really got started.  —  Crawford's second homer of the game started a 10-run, 14-batter, 32-minute barrage in the fifth inning, and the Rays defeated the Florida Marlins 15-3 Wednesday night …

Agent: Bonds has no interest in playing in minors  —  NEW YORK — Barry Bonds has no desire to play for an independent minor league team in an effort to spur interest among major league clubs.  —  The indicted career home run leader remains unsigned, even though he batted .276 last season with 28 homers …

Baseball's problem with bats  —  ESPN.com's Buster Olney wrote about this today and Tom Verducci has, too, for Sports Illustrated.  At this point, it's dereliction of duty not to write about it.  —  Baseball needs to do something about the crisis with maple bats.

Ortiz already in the swing of things  —  Red Sox manager Terry Francona revealed today that David Ortiz, who recently got the cast taken off his injured left wrist, hit off of a tee in front of doctors last night at Fenway Park, and that he “did OK” in the session.

Wakefield beats Big Unit, BoSox win 5-0  —  And it was the youngest player in Boston's lineup, 24-year-old rookie Brandon Moss, who drove in the two runs Johnson allowed.  —  Not since Sept. 26, 1965, when Satchel Paige made a one-game comeback after a 12-year absence from the majors …

Cubs bounce back from rare home loss  —  CHICAGO (AP)—Geovany Soto drove in three runs, Jim Edmonds homered and the Chicago Cubs jumped on spot starter Matt Albers early and went on to beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-4 Wednesday night.  —  Jay Payton hit a pair of two-run homers off Chicago starter Ted Lilly …

Detwiler, Wilson Carry Fresno to Title  —  OMAHA, Neb. — Fresno State was smashing in its final performance as college baseball's team of destiny, winning a championship that would have been impossible to predict.  —  With Steve Detwiler providing all the offense Justin Wilson needed …

DAMON SITS; DL POSSIBLE  —  PITTSBURGH - Johnny Damon has his fingers firmly crossed that the pain coming from the left arch doesn't land him on the disabled list for the first time in his career.  —  “I hope not,” Damon said when asked if the shelf was a possibility.  “I don't know, but Sunday it was real bad.

Ellis, A's have talks about extension  —  Second baseman wants to stay, and team wants same  —  OAKLAND — A's second baseman Mark Ellis openly admits to occasionally thinking about what it'd be like to play elsewhere, perhaps in front of sellout crowds and for ungodly piles of free-agent cash.

Nats offer Guzman two-year extension  —  Shortstop set to become free agent at season's end  —  WASHINGTON — In late May, it was reported that the Nationals and shortstop Cristian Guzman were not going to negotiate a contract extension during the 2008 season.