Sanchez … DENVER(AP) Jonathan Sanchez tossed five solid innings, Aaron Rowand hit a three-run homer and the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 6-3 on Friday night in the opener of an important four-game series.  —  Sanchez (6-10) allowed an unearned run and two hits to win …

Problem with Penny is hammered home  —  Penny for your thoughts.  Penny Hardaway.  Penny Marshall.  Three-penny opera.  Penny wise, pound foolish.  Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.  —  Brad Penny.  —  Enough.  No need to pile on the guy.  Brad Penny is, after all, almost a .500 pitcher (7-8).

Rushing to the Record Book After a Wild Game at Fenway  —  BOSTON — One of the fun things about Yankees/Red Sox games is the postgame fact sheet.  (What, you were expecting the crisp pace?)  When there's a notable game, like the 20-11 beatdown by the Yankees on Friday, there's always an interesting historical context.

Billy Says No, Phillies Say No  —  Billy Wagner doesn't need the Phillies, and the Phillies don't need Billy Wagner.  —  The Mets, who are practically eliminated from postseason contention, put Wagner on waivers Wednesday for the possibility of trading him before the end of the season.

Crasnick: Oakland Athletics pitcher Justin Duchscherer has clinical depression  —  Oakland Athletics pitcher Justin Duchscherer has been diagnosed with clinical depression and will miss the rest of the 2009 season as he undergoes treatment for the condition, his agent said Friday.  —  Duchscherer

Sheffield: I never asked for a contract extension  —  problem making his mind known, be it to Mets management or the umpiring crew.  He'll get his money's worth somewhere.  —  Sheffield, who started in leftfield in Friday's 4-2 win over the Phillies, went 1-for-4 before getting thrown …

PEDROIA'S EFFORT LEVEL LEAVES ROBBIE IN DUST  —  BOSTON — I formed a seven- man committee comprised of one NL GM, one AL GM, and five assistants — three NL and two AL — and posed this question:  —  If you could have Robinson Cano or Dustin Pedroia for the next five years, who would you take and why?

Cubs' Piniella: I'm staying for 2010  —  With ownership issue settled, Lou intends to manage next year  —  LOS ANGELES — With news Friday that terms of the Cubs' sale to the Ricketts family were finalized, one of the next major orders of business followed quickly, with manager Lou Piniella telling …

Thunder toss 10-inning one-hitter  —  Bush, four relievers combine on Trenton's 15th shutout  —  The Trenton Thunder's Eastern League-leading 15th shutout was unconventional, to say the least.  —  Paul Bush and four relievers combined on a one-hitter Friday night at Waterfront Park …

Melvin not in selling mode  —  By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel  —  Washington, D.C. - Despite the Brewers' free-fall out of the playoff race, general manager Doug Melvin told me Friday he has no plans to sell off players before September.  —  In a period of only 12 days …

Talk about Blanco returning is clear  —  Add catcher Henry Blanco to the short list of veteran free agents the Padres might be interested in retaining for the 2010 season.  —  “Henry has done a nice job, particularly as an example and mentor for our young Latin American players,” Padres General Manager Kevin Towers said last night.

Angels' ninth-inning rally comes up short  —  Napoli's three-run homer not enough in loss to Blue Jays  —  TORONTO — Second baseman Aaron Hill got the Blue Jays started with his bat and saved them not quite three hours later with his glove.  —  Hill's diving stab, robbing Juan Rivera …