Nats Trade Belliard To Dodgers  —  Minutes after playing in his final game with the Washington Nationals, Ronnie Belliard stood in the losing clubhouse — no longer his clubhouse — and weighed his emotions.  He recognized the good and the bad, he said.  He was heading into the thick of a playoff race …

Post-trade deadline deals paying off on mound  —  They were no more than blips on a radar screen a month ago, but these same pitchers are being asked today to save a season.  —  And they are delivering.  —  Paul Byrd, unemployed 3½ weeks ago, invigorated a Boston Red Sox staff looking …

Starter's Arm and Lead Are Protected  —  Without fanfare or a fist pump, Joba Chamberlain struck out A. J. Pierzynski to end the top of the third inning Sunday.  His 94-mile-per-hour fastball, Chamberlain's 35th pitch, had left Pierzynski motionless as it smacked into the catcher's glove.

Lackey joins elite group with 100th win  —  Ace becomes fifth Angels pitcher to reach milestone  —  ANAHEIM — John Lackey climbed a personal summit on Sunday, fittingly at the hands of the Athletics, an American League West rival he has dominated through the years.

Weekend Roundup  —  The always plain-spoken Charlie Manuel won't come out right out and predict that his team will become the first from the National League to win back-to-back World Series titles since the 1975-76 Reds.  However, the Phillies' manager likes his team's chances.  “I do.

Betances Out After Tommy John Surgery  —  Just had a great 15-minute chat with the Yankees Vice President of Scouting, Damon Oppenheimer.  —  He confirmed that Dellin Betances underwent Tommy John surgery several days ago and is rehabbing in Tampa.  —  There's TONS of great info from this interview as well, but that's the big one.

Matsuzaka roughed up in rehab outing  —  Daisuke Matsuzaka struggled in a rehab start for the Portland Sea Dogs this afternoon, going two innings and giving up five runs on four hits to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in Manchester, N.H. Matsuzaka had three walks and one strikeout on the day and threw 58 pitches.

Rookie Matusz leads O's over Tribe 5-2  —  BALTIMORE (AP) — Brian Matusz (FSY) pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, Felix Pie (FSY) homered, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Cleveland Indians 5-2 Sunday for a split of the four-game series.  —  Making his sixth major league start …

Kemp's sac fly in 12th lifts Dodgers  —  Outfielder also homers; Kershaw fans 11 in no-decision  —  CINCINNATI — Jonathon Broxton got Drew Stubbs to chase a slider down in the zone in the 12th inning to seal a 3-2 win over the Reds on Sunday.  It was a fitting way to end the game.

Phillies shut down Drabek for rest of '09  —  Prized pitching prospect not injured, won't pitch in AFL  —  PHILADELPHIA — Double-A Reading right-hander Kyle Drabek, considered to be the prized pitching prospect in the Phillies' organization, has been shut down for the rest of the season …

Mets shift fall league to D.R.  —  (UPDATED: 11 P.M.) CHICAGO — Adding to the questions about their post-Madoff financial health, the Mets have quietly shifted their fall instructional league in a reported cost-saving maneuver.  —  Former Mets GM Jim Duquette, now a baseball analyst for Sirius XM Radio …

Ruiz's two-run double lifts Phillies over Braves  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joe Blanton (FSY) got just enough run support for a change.  —  Carlos Ruiz hit a two-run, go-ahead double in the seventh inning and Blanton pitched seven strong innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night.

Wright Will Be Wearing New Helmet  —  As David Wright prepares to come off the disabled list Tuesday, he plans to make good on his word.  Even before he was struck on the helmet by a Matt Cain fastball on Aug. 8, he said he would wear the new extra-protective S100 helmet from Rawlings, no matter how it looked.