BASEBALL NEWS

• Rays beat Red Sox 9-8 in 11 innings; even ALCS 1-1 10/12/2008, 1:39 a.m. CDT
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — B.J. Upton and the Tampa Bay Rays won a game of home run derby with a shallow fly ball. Pinch-runner Fernando Perez dashed home on Upton's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and the Rays outlasted the Boston Red Sox 9-8 early Sunday, evening the AL championship series at one game each.

• Beckett struggles again in Game 2 of ALCS 10/12/2008, 1:19 a.m. CDT
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Josh Beckett's reputation as a postseason ace is taking a beating.

• Dodgers try to keep Philly winless in L.A. 10/11/2008, 7:09 p.m. CDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trailing 2-0 in the National League championship series, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the Philadelphia Phillies right where they want them — at home.

• Dice-K pitches Red Sox over Rays in ALCS opener 10/11/2008, 6:15 a.m. CDT
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Daisuke Matsuzaka's brilliant escape act bewildered Tampa Bay and put the Boston Red Sox on top in the AL championship series.

• Myers helps Phillies take 2-0 lead over Dodgers 10/11/2008, 12:37 a.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Brett Myers stood on first base, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders. He couldn't explain his hitting success, and no one ever expected it.

• Tiger Stadium preservationists meet deadline 10/10/2008, 10:25 p.m. CDT
DETROIT (AP) — What remains of Tiger Stadium will remain standing at least until March 1 while preservationists raise money to renovate the stadium and reopen it as a recreational and educational complex.

• Manuel's mother dies before Game 2 of NLCS 10/10/2008, 9:04 p.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A grieving Charlie Manuel was in the dugout for the Philadelphia Phillies' 8-5 win over the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NL championship series Friday, hours after his mother died.

• Former baseball star Canseco detained at US border 10/10/2008, 9:03 p.m. CDT
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jose Canseco was held for nearly 10 hours by immigration authorities after agents said they stopped the former baseball star as he attempted to bring a fertility drug from Mexico, his lawyer said Friday.

• Kansas City Royals raise ticket prices 10/10/2008, 6:07 p.m. CDT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals are raising prices on most of their tickets for 2009.

• Manuel manages Phils in Game 2 despite mom's death 10/10/2008, 5:32 p.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A grieving Charlie Manuel was in the Philadelphia Phillies' dugout Friday afternoon for Game 2 of the NLCS, just hours after his mother died.

• Tiger Stadium's 2nd life may be in new cars, roads 10/10/2008, 5:28 p.m. CDT
DETROIT (AP) — Going to a baseball game in Detroit used to mean heading to Michigan and Trumbull, the intersection that became shorthand for Tiger Stadium. Go there today, and all that remains is a small slice of the arena that once drew throngs of fans to see legends like Ty Cobb and Hank Greenberg play.

• Tiger Stadium's 2nd life may be in new cars, roads 10/10/2008, 6:12 a.m. CDT
DETROIT (AP) — Going to a baseball game in Detroit used to mean heading to Michigan and Trumbull, the intersection that became shorthand for Tiger Stadium. Go there today, and all that remains is a small slice of the arena that once drew throngs of fans to see legends like Ty Cobb and Hank Greenberg play.

• Phillies beat Dodgers 3-2 in NLCS opener 10/10/2008, 5:32 a.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pat Burrell, Chase Utley and the Philadelphia Phillies had more than enough power to offset Manny Ramirez in the NL championship series opener.

• Padres downplay sale report 10/9/2008, 9:58 p.m. CDT
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres dismissed as "highly speculative" a report that owner John Moores will sell 49 percent of the team as part of a divorce settlement with wife Becky.

• Phils lead Dodgers 3-2 in opener after 6 innings 10/9/2008, 9:39 p.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Chase Utley hit a tying two-run homer and Pat Burrell added a solo shot off Derek Lowe in a three-run sixth inning, giving the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-2 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night in Game 1 of the NL championship series.

• Dodgers lead Phils 1-0 after 3 innings in Game 1 10/9/2008, 8:38 p.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Manny Ramirez hit an RBI double against Cole Hamels, and the Los Angeles Dodgers took a 1-0 lead over the Philadelphia Phillies after three innings Thursday night in Game 1 of the NL championship series.

• Rays ready for ALCS ... and rivalry with Red Sox 10/9/2008, 5:48 p.m. CDT
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Winning creates a rivalry, the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays claim, rather than years of testy relations between the teams.

• Mets' Burgos jailed for 3 months ahead of trial 10/9/2008, 4:13 p.m. CDT
NAGUA, Dominican Republic (AP) — New York Mets pitcher Ambiorix Burgos will be jailed for three months while awaiting trial for a hit-and-run accident that killed two women.

• Cole Hamels vs. Derek Lowe as NLCS opens tonight 10/9/2008, 11:23 a.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The weatherman is calling for beautiful early autumn weather when the National League Championship Series begins Thursday night in the City of Brotherly Love. The NL East champion Phillies will send Cole Hamels to the mound to face Derek Lowe of the West-winning Dodgers. The winner of the best-of-seven series goes to determine who goes to the World Series.

• Baker to manage son's youth team 10/9/2008, 11:23 a.m. CDT
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Dusty Baker is going back to youth baseball.

• Cole Hamels vs. Derek Lowe as NLCS opens tonight 10/9/2008, 6:43 a.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The weatherman is calling for beautiful early autumn weather when the National League Championship Series begins Thursday night in the City of Brotherly Love. The NL East champion Phillies will send Cole Hamels to the mound to face Derek Lowe of the West-winning Dodgers. The winner of the best-of-seven series goes to determine who goes to the World Series.

• Dice-K gets ball in ALCS opener vs. Rays 10/9/2008, 5:18 a.m. CDT
BOSTON (AP) — Daisuke Matsuzaka will be on the mound for the Red Sox when the AL championship series begins Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.

• Cubs exercise Rich Harden's $7 million option 10/9/2008, 12:37 a.m. CDT
CHICAGO (AP) — Rich Harden's $7 million option for next year was exercised Wednesday by the Chicago Cubs, one day after a test showed the hard-throwing right-hander had no structural damage in his pitching shoulder.

• Confident Rays prepare to take on Red Sox in ALCS 10/8/2008, 6:18 p.m. CDT
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Young, eager and brimming with confidence. The surprising Tampa Bay Rays spent the entire season dispelling the notion that they were too inexperienced to compete with the Boston Red Sox, and the AL East champions aren't about to stop believing in themselves now that they're four wins from the World Series.

• Arizona Diamondbacks' pool company under water 10/8/2008, 5:46 p.m. CDT
PHOENIX (AP) — The staggering economy has sent a ripple through the Arizona Diamondbacks' swimming pool.

• Cubs exercise Rich Harden's $7 million option 10/8/2008, 5:41 p.m. CDT
CHICAGO (AP) — Rich Harden's $7 million option for next year was exercised Wednesday by the Chicago Cubs, one day after a test showed the hard-throwing right-hander had no structural damage in his pitching shoulder.

• Doc: Schilling could have been ready for playoffs 10/8/2008, 5:29 p.m. CDT
BOSTON (AP) — Curt Schilling could have been ready to pitch in the AL championship series, according to his surgeon.

• Phillies need more production from Utley, Howard 10/8/2008, 5:01 p.m. CDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — For all their big hits and long homers during the regular season, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard have to provide the Philadelphia Phillies with more offense in October.

• Matsuzaka to open for Red Sox against Rays 10/8/2008, 4:47 p.m. CDT
BOSTON (AP) — Daisuke Matsuzaka will be on the mound for the Red Sox when the AL championship series begins Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.

• A capsule look at the AL championship series 10/8/2008, 3:40 p.m. CDT
(AP) — A look at the best-of-seven American League championship series between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays: