Pelfrey leads Mets to ninth straight win  —  NEW YORK (AP)—Jerry Manuel insisted that the All-Star break was coming at a good time for the Mets.  A chance to rest a tired bullpen and maybe get some banged up guys back.  —  Then Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer Sunday night …

Pettitte rips Yankees effort as bats flop  —  TORONTO - The Yankees bats made little noise Sunday.  Andy Pettitte, however, certainly pumped up the volume afterward.  —  With the Yankees seemingly already in All-Star break mode during Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays, Pettitte called out his team …

Celebration by Angels' Francisco Rodriguez leaves A's cold  —  Reliever's reaction after escaping a bases-loaded jam to secure his 38th save annoys some players in Oakland dugout.  —  OAKLAND — Francisco Rodriguez punctuated his major league-leading 38th save with a celebration …

Cards mourn loss of Ricketts  —  PITTSBURGH — With an inexhaustible passion for teaching and the people he taught, Dave Ricketts molded several generations of catchers for the Cardinals, friends and pupils said Sunday after learning the longtime coach had died early that morning.  He had turned 73 on Saturday.

Ziegel: In amazing turnaround, they're all stars at Shea  —  Sunday night, the Mets won for the ninth straight time, 7-0 against the rocky Rockies.  They scored early and often, got huge home runs from the firm of Carlos and Carlos, fielded flawlessly, and Mike Pelfrey, who was 2-6, is now 8-6.

NETWORKS IGNORE BALLPARK-TIX HIKES  —  ONE can understand, if not appreciate, why the story is not spoken during games on SNY and YES, networks owned by the Mets and Yankees, respectively.  —  But nothing prevents it from being told on national telecasts, those on Fox, ESPN and TBS, where the Mets and Yanks play almost every weekend.

Marmol replaces Wood on NL All-Stars  —  Blister will keep Cubs closer out of Midsummer Classic  —  CHICAGO — Cubs pitcher Carlos Marmol was named to the National League All-Star team to replace teammate Kerry Wood, who cannot pitch because of a blister on his pitching hand.

Today's lineup, and things that might affect future lineups  —  Bos and I had a wide-ranging discussion this morning with Nats principal owner Mark Lerner.  We talked everything from offseason strategy to federal investigations.  —  Here is just an excerpt from some of the most interesting things he said...

Sox in first place at All-Star break  —  The Red Sox have gone into the All-Star break with a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles before 37,344.  They are one-half game in first place over the Tampa Bay Rays, who lost their seventh straight game, a 5-2 decision to the Cleveland Indians yesterday.

YANKEES MAY BE LOOKING PAST '08  —  Opposing teams say the Yankees' strategy right now appears to be to determine if they are truly in the race in the next 10 days, and if so, then act, but only on a smaller scale to land a left-handed reliever or a secondary starting pitcher.

Bottom 9th: World preserves shutout  —  The United States put together its best rally of the game, but it still couldn't scratch out a run as the World team preserved a 3-0 victory.  —  Third baseman Wes Hodges opened the inning with a double, but when Jamie D'Antona and Nate Schierholtz flied …