Manny Ramirez Explored Exemption to Drug Policy  —  Around the time Major League Baseball suspended Manny Ramirez for violating its drug program last season, his representatives told officials in the commissioner's office that they planned to file for permission to use a banned drug that would boost his testosterone levels.

Pirates disclose extensions for Huntington, Russell  —  One-year terms added last October were kept quiet by team president  —  The timing hardly could have been worse for Frank Coonelly, the Pirates' president, to disclose this afternoon that he quietly gave general manager Neal Huntington …

Arroyo homers, leads Reds over Dodgers 7-1  —  CINCINNATI—Hitting.  Pitching.  Defense.  Bronson Arroyo did it all.  —  The lanky right-hander hit the first of Cincinnati's three homers off rookie John Ely, pitched seven innings and completed three double plays while covering first base Thursday …

Recap: Red Sox 8, Diamondbacks 5  —  Red Sox sweep serpents  —  THE BIG PICTURE  —  This time, the Red Sox [team stats] finished the job.  Unlike their previous four series, when they won the first two games but were unable to complete the sweep, they never relented against the lowly Diamondbacks last night.

K-Rod has goal: Be mightier than Mo  —  Just 28 years old, Mets closer says ‘I think 700 saves is possible’ if he stays healthy  —  They say baseball is a game of numbers, the one sport above all that defines greatness with stats.  Those numbers and stats suggest the man …

Cubs close to signing first-round pick  —  CHICAGO — The Cubs have agreed to terms with first-round pick Hayden Simpson, pending a physical, and the right-handed pitcher could sign this weekend.  —  Simpson, who was the 16th overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft out of Southern Arkansas …

Yanks ban vuvuzela pests' instrument of torture  —  Those vuvuzela horns may be all the rage at the World Cup in South Africa, but the Yankees won't let fans toot, toot, toot for the home team.  —  When “bleacher creature” Anthony Zachariadis wailed on one of the plastic horns at Tuesday night's game …

Umpires reverse call in Kansas City  —  KANSAS CITY — In what might have been a historic moment, umpires in the Royals-Astros game on Thursday night reversed a decision and ruled an out on a play that never really occurred.  —  Certainly few witnesses could remember a similar ruling that unfolded quite this way.

Post Game: Mets 6, Indians 4  —  The Mets (38-28) defeated the Indians (25-40) by the score of 6-4 tonight at Progressive Field in Cleveland.  —  The Mets have won seven in a row including their first six on this nine game road trip, have swept their second straight opponent on the road …

TIGERS COMPLETE SWEEP OF NATIONALS IN DETROIT  —  The Sports Network  —  Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Miguel Cabrera went 2-for-5 and knocked in three, as the Detroit Tigers completed a three-game interleague series sweep of the Washington Nationals with an 8-3 victory at Comerica Park.

Cupid strikes: Mariners bullpen catcher marrying woman he spotted in stands  —  Jason Phillips grabbed a baseball, scribbled his phone number on it, got the woman's attention and tossed it to her.  And for the rest of the game, he was left to wonder how she'd respond.  —  The courtship started in a bullpen, of all places.

Suspended Torrealba rails against ump  —  Catcher is appealing his 3-game suspension  —  The suspension of Yorvit Torrealba had been issued, and while the Padres are appealing to have the length of punishment cut down, their catcher was making the kind of personal appeal that could have the opposite effect.

Rangers looking to add high-end hurler  —  Club could target big names like Lee, Oswalt  —  MIAMI — The Rangers are calling many clubs and inquiring about starting pitching.  That includes Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee, according to industry sources.  —  There is nothing imminent on any front …

O's have chips to play at Trade Deadline  —  Wigginton, Millwood most likely to be dealt to contenders  —  SAN DIEGO — As June hits the midway-marker, the steady flow of trade rumors picks up steam and general managers around baseball make inquiries and begin to delve into the inventories of organizations.