Penny granted release, making room for Wagner  —  Veteran right-hander Brad Penny requested and received his release tonight in a move that clears a roster spot for reliever Billy Wagner and gives Penny time to join a new team before postseason rosters are set.  —  “I asked for my release and I got it,” Penny said.

Posada leaves game after being nicked  —  Catcher aggrivates left ring finger, listed as day-to-day  —  NEW YORK — Yankees catcher Jorge Posada has a bruised left ring finger and is listed as day-to-day after being forced to leave Wednesday's 9-2 victory over the Rangers.

Marlins notebook: Team waited before placing Nick Johnson on DL  —  MIAMI GARDENS — Larry Beinfest, the Marlins president of baseball operations, said the organization was holding out hope that Nick Johnson could help in some way before it ran out of time and was forced to place him on the disabled list Tuesday.

Griffey moves past hometown  —  DETROIT — CNati.com recently caught up with former Red Ken Griffey Jr., who after nine seasons in his hometown of Cincinnati, was traded to the White Sox last season and then signed with the Seattle Mariners during spring training.

Matt Murton, the Mets' injuries, Derek Jeter and more on the “List” ruling  —  Yeah, that's right, Matt Murton.  —  On Twitter last night, FireJerryManuel wrote to me, “Can you write something on how dumb the Mets would be to not claim Murton and to pay Frenchy 5 million instead of him?”

Red Sox walk off on Papi's second shot  —  Ortiz's solo homer in ninth helps Boston edge Chicago  —  BOSTON — David Ortiz has never enjoyed playing extra innings.  On Wednesday night, he made sure they weren't necessary.  —  Never afraid to shine with the game on the line …

Milton Bradley accuses some fans of racial taunts  —  But Chicago Cubs outfielder offers no examples of such abuse  —  Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley roams the outfield in the first inning of a 9-4 victory over the Nationals on Wednesday.  (Scott Strazzante, Chicago Tribune / August 26, 2009)

DEREK JETER AND MINKA KELLY ENGAGED?  —  ARE Derek Jeter and Minka Kelly (above) ready to take the next step?  “Derek and Minka are secretly engaged,” an insider told Page Six.  The Yankee captain and the actress are telling close pals to “save the date” for nuptials in the fall.

Oswalt falls, says Astros have ‘no fire’  —  Cards' starter subdues bats on second successive night  —  ST. LOUIS — The biggest statement Roy Oswalt made on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium wasn't with his best fastball or his knee-buckling curve.  —  Not long after the Astros lost …

Game 127: Rangers at Yankees (updated with Girardi pre-game audio)  —  YANKEES (79-47)  —  Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (10-7, 4.08).  —  RANGERS (70-55)  —  Borbon DH  —  Young 3B  —  Hamilton CF  —  Cruz RF  —  Kinsler 2B  —  Murphy LF  —  Teagarden C  —  Davis 1B  —  Andrus SS

Jayson Stark picks his MVP, Cy Young and rookie award winners  —  NL MVP is all but locked up, but the rest of the award races are still up for grabs  —  Is it too soon to mail Albert Pujols his National League MVP trophy right now?  —  Seriously.  With all due respect to the fabulous work …

Redding, Mets beat Marlins in front of sparce crowd  —  MIAMI (AP) — Tim Redding (FSY) pitched 6 2-3 innings Thursday to give the Mets' injury-ravaged staff a boost and help New York snap a five-game skid with a 10-3 victory over the Florida Marlins.  —  Redding (2-4), making …

Walking Off  —  “...in the Retrosheet era.”  —  There's no denying the immense drama that surrounds the walk-off home run.  From Bobby Thomson in 1951 to Bill Mazeroski in '60, Kirk Gibson in '89, Joe Carter in '93, Big Papi in 2004 and more, the walk-off home run has been inspiring writers and baseball fans alike for decades.