postGame: Mets 7 Nationals 2  —  The Mets (85-67) defeated the Nationals (58-95) by the score of 7 to 2 in Washington, D.C., tonight.  —  For a recap, boxscore and stats from tonight's game, click here.  —  Lastings Milledge misjudged a hit by Daniel Murphy in the first inning, which allowed Jose Reyes to score the game's first run.

White Sox drop series in New York  —  Vazquez struggles as AL Central lead is trimmed to 1 1/2 games  —  NEW YORK — It took Ozzie Guillen one disparaging word to describe his team's 9-2 loss before 53,152 at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night.  —  That same word could have described …

On Loney's hit, Dodgers prevail in 12  —  Bases-loaded RBI single trims LA's magic number to seven  —  PITTSBURGH — If things break just right, the Dodgers can mark their 50th anniversary in Los Angeles by clinching the division title at home after edging the Pirates on Thursday in 12 innings …

Burrell lifts Phils to seventh straight  —  Slumping outfielder's two-run shot the difference vs. Braves  —  ATLANTA — Pat Burrell struck out five times Tuesday.  —  Five times, and looked bad doing it.  He stroked a single on Wednesday, but not much else.

Jays send Marcum's MRI results to Dr. Andrews  —  TORONTO (AP) -Blue Jays right-hander Shaun Marcum got an MRI exam Thursday, and the team said he won't pitch again this season.  —  Marcum, 9-7 with a 3.39 ERA in 25 starts, left Tuesday's game against Baltimore after two-plus innings with a sore arm and numbness in his pinkie.

Cubs score 4 in 9th, beat Brewers in 12  —  CHICAGO (AP)—Geovany Soto and the Chicago Cubs can almost taste the champagne after one of their sweetest and most improbable victories of the season.  —  Soto hit a tying three-run homer with two out in the ninth inning, Derrek Lee singled …

LYMAN WESLEY BOSTOCK, JR. BELOVED HUSBAND-SON NOV. 22, 1950-SEPT. 24, 1978  —  “I used to go and kneel at his grave and cry,” she says.  “And one day I went and I said — it was like a voice was speaking to me — I said, 'You know what?  He's not here.  Why are you doing this to yourself?'

Angels hold on to beat A's  —  They take a 6-0 lead into the ninth inning and nearly give the game away before Francisco Rodriguez regains control.  —  OAKLAND—After a lackluster loss Tuesday night and a messy, error-marred defeat Wednesday night, the Angels regained their edge …

Bedard's injury seldom leaves players the same  —  Of 36 pitchers with torn labrum, only one returned to earlier form  —  A double play is known as “a pitcher's best friend.”  A torn labrum should probably be known as his worst enemy.  —  A broken arm, a torn rotator cuff, even the dreaded …

Rays unable to protect late lead  —  Twins' five-run ninth off Wheeler, bullpen erases five homers  —  ST. PETERSBURG — All season long, the back end of the Rays' bullpen has been a place where opposing rallies have gone to die.  —  Entering Thursday night's game, the Rays had a record …

Marlins beat Astros for eighth straight win  —  MIAMI GARDENS — Now comes the tough part.  —  The red-hot Marlins won their eighth straight game Thursday night, completing a sweep of the Astros with an 8-1 victory without injured All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez.

9/16/08 at Yankee Stadium  —  I attended this game with my friend Jordan (aka “hockeyguy1011” if you read the comments) and his friend Josh.  They'd flown in from Florida just to see Yankee Stadium, and of course they were each hoping to catch a commemorative ball.

Rays could shift Upton to right field  —  Maddon pondering idea to take stress off center fielder's leg  —  ST. PETERSBURG — B.J. Upton took batting practice prior to Thursday's game, and while he stated his availability to pinch-hit, the Rays could explore another option to get the center fielder …

The genius of Manny Ramirez … “The reluctance to put away childish things may be a requirement of genius.”  —  The following column is dedicated to the admittedly bizarre proposition that one Manuel Aristides (Onelcida) Ramirez, sometimes known as Man-Ram or Manny Being Manny or just plain Manny, is a genius.