Owner: Battered Red Sox Need ‘Miracle’  —  The Boston Red Sox are typically the last baseball club that West Coast Bias cares to write about, but the aversion today isn't driven by fatigue with one of Big Media's darlings.  —  Fear, rather, is at work, as FanHouse doesn't pay sportswriters idled …

With Yanks' Help, Red Sox Edge Closer  —  A quick glance at the American League East standings reveals that no team has clinched the title — not the Yankees, not the Tampa Bay Rays and not the Boston Red Sox, who do not care about the injuries that have ravaged their infield, outfield, catching depth and rotation.

Weaver bests Verlander in Angels' win over Tigers  —  DETROIT—Jered Weaver allowed three hits over seven innings to best Justin Verlander, Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer and tossed a bag of baseballs onto the field after being ejected, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 4-2 on Friday night.

Jays' Cecil tops Garza in duel  —  Toronto starter Brett Cecil struck out nine batters and the Blue Jays took advantage of a pair of Tampa Bay errors to beat the Rays 2-1 on Friday night.  —  Tampa Bay has the second best record in baseball, but Cecil (9-5) has now beaten them three times this season.

Manny Ramirez delays MRI exam  —  LOS ANGELES — With progress having apparently stalled on his strained right calf, Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez was scheduled for an MRI exam in Phoenix on Friday.  But the exam never happened because Ramirez, who suffers from claustrophobia, couldn't stay in the MRI tube long enough.

Mets prospects scratched; trade next?  —  A pair of New York Mets prospects were scratched from the starting lineup 10 minutes before Friday's Triple-A Buffalo game, signaling a trade might be brewing involving the major league club.  —  Two sources — one with ties to the organization …

Martino: Phils fight while Mets flop  —  The Mets sat in first place in the National League East when they made their initial visit to Philadelphia this year back in May.  Reminded of that fact then, one prominent Phillie smirked, rolled his eyes and said, “Yeah, we'll see about that.”

Baker, Reds working toward extension  —  CHICAGO — The early groundwork toward a contract extension for Reds manager Dusty Baker appears under way.  —  “I've been approached in the last couple days,” Baker said on Friday.  “There are some things starting.”  —  Baker's three-year contract with Cincinnati expires after the season.

Gibson: Time is right to take chances  —  PHOENIX — If the word unorthodox comes to mind while watching a D-backs game this August or September, don't be surprised.  Maybe even expect it.  —  The D-backs (41-68) are 23 games back of their weekend opponent, the National League West-leading Padres …

Orioles win again, top White Sox 2-1 in 10 innings  —  BALTIMORE—Adam Jones singled in the winning run with two outs in the 10th inning, and the Baltimore Orioles extended their unbeaten run under new manager Buck Showalter with a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

LaPorta's 9th-inning homer gives Indians win  —  CLEVELAND—Matt LaPorta homered leading off the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Cleveland Indians a 7-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.  —  LaPorta connected for his sixth homer off Matt Guerrier (2-7) …

Hudson leads D-backs to 2-1 win over Padres  —  PHOENIX—Dan Hudson pitched into the eighth inning to outduel Jon Garland in his second start with Arizona and Adam LaRoche hit his 18th homer, lifting the Diamondbacks past the stumbling San Diego Padres 2-1 on Friday night.

Giants not awarded waiver claim on Dunn; It probably was the Dodgers  —  I have just learned that the Giants were not the team that was awarded the waiver claim on Nationals power man Adam Dunn.  That's not much of a surprise.  The Giants had the third-best record in the National League …