Cora exits finale early with stomach bug  —  WASHINGTON — Third baseman Alex Cora left Washington's game against the Phillies on Wednesday after the fourth inning with stomach issues.  —  He was 0-for-1 with a walk before giving way to Jerry Hairston Jr.  —  Cora also had a collision …

Wilpons should do the right thing and retire Carter's No. 8 with Mets  —  Mets on Twitter  —  The disgrace is that the Mets had 22 years to do the right thing based on performance, based on accomplishment, based on Gary Carter's inviolable place in the collective heart of their fans.

Dr. Damon Noto On Stem Cell Surgery: “You've just seen the tip of the iceberg here.  This is really going to explode.  —  Dr. Damon Noto is one of five doctors in the United State that performs the surgery that Yankees right-hander Bartolo Colon underwent last offseason to repair damaged ligaments …

Astros beat Cubs, rallying for six in ninth  —  CHICAGO (AP) Jordan Lyles didn't get the win in his major league debut, but he certainly made a big splash.  —  The 20-year-old right-hander pitched seven brilliant innings, but earned a no-decision as the Houston Astros came back to beat the Chicago Cubs 7-3 on Tuesday night.

As Mets' Image Slumps, So Does Attendance  —  Saturday night seemed like a perfect one for a baseball game: 70 degrees and breezy, with the workweek, because of the Memorial Day holiday, still more than 60 hours away.  The National League's best team and the Mets' longtime rivals, the Phillies, were in town at Citi Field.

Contact Us  —  Registration … Some sporting thoughts before sunrise ...  > If you don't believe in clutch, you will forever under-value Neil Walker.  —  I tweeted exactly that statement late last night, right after Walker overcame a lousy night by drilling a two-run single in the eighth inning …

Stunning, but true: Rockies tumble into fourth place after wretched May  —  Colorado Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki, right reacts after striking out during the second inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, May 31, 2011.  —  LOS ANGELES — The fourth-place Rockies.

Sore quad makes Holliday a late scratch  —  ST. LOUIS — Left fielder Matt Holliday was scratched from the starting lineup 25 minutes before the Cardinals' game against San Francisco on Tuesday with discomfort in his left quadriceps.  —  Holliday pinch-hit in the fifth inning Tuesday, striking out on three pitches.

Rangers' Lewis throws 8 scoreless, beats Price, Rays  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Colby Lewis(FSY) scattered four hits over eight innings, Elvis Andrus(FSY) had two RBIs and the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-0 on Wednesday.  —  Lewis (5-5) struck out eight and walked two.

World Baseball Classic Expanding to 28 Teams  —  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The World Baseball Classic will expand from 16 to 28 countries with the addition of a new qualifying round for the 2013 international competition, organizers said on Wednesday.  —  The new round of qualifying for the tournament …

Konerko homers to lead White Sox to win over Red Sox  —  BOSTON — Paul Konerko hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning and a two-run homer in the ninth to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 7-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday and a sweep of their three-game series.

Ordonez to begin rehab with Toledo on Friday  —  DETROIT — Tigers manager Jim Leyland has talked with frequency about his offense treading water until Magglio Ordonez returns, when he hopes he can get the contributions Ordonez made at the plate last year.  He won't have to wait much longer to find out.

O's designate catcher Fox for assignment  —  The Orioles designated backup catcher Jake Fox for assignment on Wednesday in order to make room for southpaw starter Brian Matusz, who had been on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left intercostal muscle.

Ludwick, Latos help Padres take rare series win over Braves  —  ATLANTA — Ryan Ludwick had an RBI single in the three-run seventh, Heath Bell struggled to earn a fourth straight save and the San Diego Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 on Tuesday night for their season-high fourth consecutive victory.