Nationals' Stairs notches 100th career pinch-hit  —  PHILADELHIA — Matt Stairs' first hit of the season Wednesday night also was the 100th in his career as a pinch-hitter.  And that, he said, is the secret of the success that made the 43-year-old wonder the active leader in that specialty …

Brian Sabean mum on trade report  —  San Francisco Giants general manager Brian Sabean did not want to discuss a report stating that the Giants have had internal discussions about acquiring New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes.  —  “I can't respond to that.  Honestly, I haven't seen or talked …

Tigers suddenly have teeth again  —  DETROIT  —  Five years have passed since the Detroit Tigers last reached the playoffs, five years since one swing turned Magglio Ordoñez into a Michigan folk hero, five years since the founding of a “Jim Leyland for Governor” Facebook group.

Dodgers are shells of their former selves  —  LOS ANGELES - Beneath the bluest skies, set amid towering palm trees, in a place where the game once grew with or without tending, baseball is ill.  —  It has become a charming old-timer who bounces the ceremonial first pitch and is cheered anyway …

Lind Hits 2-Run Homer in Blue Jays' Win  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Adam Lind hit a two-run homer, Brandon Morrow pitched into the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Wednesday night.  —  Lind connected in the first inning and finished with four hits.

Angels Top Red Sox 5-3 on Abreu's Single in 13th  —  BOSTON (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels closed out a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox early Thursday morning, getting a two-run single from Bobby Abreu in the 13th inning of a game that took more than 7½ hours to complete.

Yanks say Hughes will miss another 6-8 weeks  —  DETROIT — The Yankees will be without Phil Hughes for another six to eight weeks as team doctors continue to search for the cause of his mysterious loss of velocity.  —  General manager Brian Cashman on Wednesday revealed on a conference call that Hughes …

DeJesus' 2 HR's Power A's Past Indians 3-1  —  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — David DeJesus hit his first two home runs of the season, Trevor Cahill pitched another gem and the Oakland Athletics snapped Cleveland's seven-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory over the Indians on Wednesday night.

Wilson dominant as Rangers beat Mariners 5-2  —  SEATTLE—C.J. Wilson struck out 12 in a six-hitter while Mitch Moreland and Chris Davis homered off Seattle rookie Michael Pineda as the Texas Rangers beat the Mariners 5-2 Wednesday night.  —  Wilson (4-1) retired the final 14 batters in his fourth career complete game.

Worley, Ibanez lead Phillies past Nationals 7-4  —  PHILADELPHIA—Vance Worley threw six sharp innings, Raul Ibanez homered and had three hits, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 7-4 Wednesday night.  —  Worley (2-0) allowed one run and four hits …

Wrapping it up from Fenway Park  —  A few post-game notes you may be interested in:  —  • Bobby Jenks, who warmed up at one point, couldn't pitch.  Terry Francona said his arm “cramped up.”  No word on his status in terms in terms of his short-term availability.

Markakis, Arrieta Lead Baltimore Past KC 3-2  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Nick Markakis homered, Jake Arrieta pitched seven strong innings and the rejuvenated Baltimore Orioles got a lucky landing Wednesday night to beat Kansas City 3-2, snapping the Royals' four-game winning streak.

Luke Scott on Obama's birth certificate: “Anybody can produce a document”  —  That sound you hear is Luke Scott's agent and most of the Orioles' front office simultaneously slapping their hands to their foreheads in exasperation as they read Sam Mellinger's column in today's Kansas City Star.

In which I (sort of) defend Jeter  —  Rob Neyer is even more down on Derek Jeter than I am:  —  Just to be clear about this ... the issue isn't *where* Captain Groundout bats in the lineup, but that he's in the lineup at all.  —  No one is going to accuse me of kidding myself …