Hughes recalled, may start Wednesday  —  Pitcher fans 12 for Scranton on Friday; Robertson to bullpen  —  NEW YORK — Hours after celebrating a Triple-A championship, Phil Hughes and David Robertson were recalled to New York to help the Major League club finish out its season.

Snider powers Jays by BoSox in DH opener  —  BOSTON (AP)—The Toronto Blue Jays aren't only affecting the AL East race, they're trying to make their own playoff chase.  —  Late-season call up Travis Snider homered, doubled and drove in five runs, leading A.J. Burnett and the Blue Jays …

Surgery looms as Beltre plays on  —  Seattle (57-89) at Los Angeles (90-57), Saturday, 6:05 p.m. PT  —  ANAHEIM — It looks as if third baseman Adrian Beltre will play the remainder of the four-game series against the AL West champion Angels and likely have surgery some time next week …

Brewers dismiss Triple-A manager  —  Kremblas told he wouldn't be considered for Major League job  —  PHILADELPHIA — The Brewers dismissed Triple-A manager Frank Kremblas earlier this week after a 59-81 season, the first in Kremblas' four years in Nashville that the team did not win a division title.

Qualls in, Lyon out as closer for Diamondbacks … PHOENIX (AP) — Chad Qualls has replaced struggling Brandon Lyon as the Arizona closer as the Diamondbacks try to stay in the NL West race over the final two weeks of the season.  —  The right-handed Qualls (4-8, 3.11 ERA) …

The Mystery of Barry Zito  —  Barry Zito, a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, is tall and slim and as handsome as a male model, a pretty-boy actor, which is part of the problem.  Even at 30, he looks more boyish than mannish, wide-eyed, with a too-innocent smile for a man his age.

Braves edge Mets, finally win 1-run road game  —  NEW YORK —The Mets let one slip away Saturday, and nobody needs to tell them they can't afford to make a habit of that the way they did last September.  —  Jeff Francoeur hit a tying single in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves rallied …

Where are they now?  Former Met Dave Kingman  —  The man they called Kong and Sky King is laughing over the phone as he drives around his native Lake Tahoe.  The subject is his golf game and, Dave Kingman says, there's no comparison between his skill on the links and the days when he was one of baseball's most-feared sluggers.

Royals setting sights on improvements  —  Kansas City (62-83) at Cleveland (71-74), Friday, 6:05 p.m. CT  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Although the news was a foregone conclusion, the Royals were officially eliminated from the playoffs after Wednesday's 7-1 loss to Twins.  —  That fact caused manager Trey Hillman to look to the future.

Thomas planning a healthy return in 2009  —  (09-12) 20:58 PDT — Frank Thomas said Friday that he will not require surgery on his injured right quadriceps; there is no tear in the area where the muscle connects with the knee, just scar tissue breakdown and tendinitis.

Gomez, Span power Twins' 12-2 victory over Orioles  —  BALTIMORE — First place in the AL Central is within the Minnesota Twins' grasp.  —  Denard Span homered twice and drove in four runs, Carlos Gomez had a career-high four RBIs and the Twins moved within a half-game of the division lead …

Angels farmhand Aldridge suspended 50 games … NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Angels minor league pitcher Ryan Aldridge was suspended for 50 games Saturday after testing positive for an amphetamine.  —  The penalty will take effect at the start of next season.

Owings sent to Reds to finish Dunn deal  —  Slugging pitcher struggled after strong start to the season  —  PHOENIX — Micah Owings was donning a different shade of red in an unfamiliar part of Chase Field on Friday night.  —  After receiving the news that he had been traded to the Reds …