Derek Jeter's 3,000 hit ball nabbed by Highland Mills resident Christian Lopez at Yankee Stadium  —  It was the perfect birthday present for a lifelong Yankees fan like Christian Lopez: The historic baseball drilled by Derek Jeter for his 3,000th hit.  —  And while Lopez was thrilled by the gift …

Frankie becomes client of agent Boras  —  PHOENIX — Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez has switched agents from Paul Kinzer to Scott Boras, according to an industry source.  —  Rodriguez, who signed a three-year, $37 million free-agent contract prior to the 2009 season, will vest …

Pirates option Alvarez to Triple-A  —  PITTSBURGH—The Pittsburgh Pirates activated slugging third baseman Pedro Alvarez from the disabled list on Saturday and immediately optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis.  —  Alvarez, the 2008 No. 2 overall draft pick who was in his first full major league season …

A-Rod has slight tear in knee, could miss a month  —  NEW YORK—New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has a slight tear in the cartilage of his right knee and was deciding on the best course of action heading into the All-Star break.  —  Yankees manager Joe Girardi revealed details of the injury at a press conference Saturday.

David Ortiz thinks Kevin Gregg is the one who should play the game right  —  Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz said Saturday that he does not “feel proud” of the eighth-inning altercation between the Sox and Orioles in Friday's 10-3 Boston win.  After hitting a fly ball …

Gonzalez, McCann Lead Braves Past Phillies in 11  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Alex Gonzalez hit the go-ahead RBI single and Brian McCann added a two-run homer in the 11th inning to lift the Atlanta Braves to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

Cubs GM Jim Hendry promises to be aggressive as trade deadline nears  —  Third-base coach Ivan DeJesus congratulates Aramis Ramirez on his solo shot in the first.  Jared Wickerham~Getty Images  —  PITTSBURGH — Matt Garza's bold and inexplicable conjecture aside, this year's Cubs are closer …

Bautista powers Blue Jays past Indians 5-4  —  CLEVELAND—Jose Bautista led off the 10th inning with his second homer of the game, lifting the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night.  —  Bautista, who leads the majors with 31 homers …

Cardinals Rally to Beat Diamondbacks 7-6  —  ST. LOUIS (AP) — Albert Pujols tied it in the eighth inning with his first home run since returning the disabled list and rookie pinch-hitter Tony Cruz hit a game-ending RBI double in the ninth, capping the St. Louis Cardinals' comeback …

Jimenez Gives Up 5 Hits in 8 Innings for 2-1 Win  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Ubaldo Jimenez allowed one run in eight innings and Todd Helton homered, doubled and drove in both runs as the Colorado Rockies beat the Washington Nationals 2-1 on Saturday night.  —  Jimenez (4-8) retired the first 13 batters …

Bruce's solo shot lifts Reds over Brewers in 10  —  MILWAUKEE — Jay Bruce hit a solo homer to start the 10th inning and Cincinnati exploded for five runs to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-4 on Saturday night after the Reds met before the game to clear the air following more than a week of frustration.

Hunter homers twice, drives in five at Angels beat Mariners  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — Torii Hunter drove in a season-high five runs with a pair of homers, Mark Trumbo also went deep and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 on Saturday night to tie the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West.

15 MLB Player All-Star Game Bonuses  —  On Tuesday, the MLB All-Star Game will be played in Phoenix.  The Mid-Summer Classic is a chance for fans to see some of the games most popular players, and by extension, the belief is, the best players.  —  That's changed over the years.

Dodgers eke out a 1-0 win, but Steve Garvey appears to be out of a job  —  Garvey, a former All-Star player with the Dodgers, says he has been dismissed from his job as a team executive, a move he attributes to his public interest in buying the troubled franchise.  He calls for owner Frank McCourt to let go of the club.