The Boston Red Sox acquired Mark Kotsay from Atlanta for a minor leaguer Wednesday, adding depth to their outfield one day after J.D. Drew went on the disabled list. Kotsay hit .289 with six home runs and 37 RBIs in 88 games with the Braves. He arrived at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday before Boston's game against New York and was available off the bench.

No. 2 draft pick Pedro Alvarez refused to sign his contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the players' association filed a grievance Wednesday claiming the Aug. 15 deadline was unilaterally extended by Major League Baseball without the union's permission. The Pirates announced early on Aug. 16 that Alvarez, a power-hitting third baseman from Vanderbilt, agreed to a minor league contract with a $6...

Baseball's replay central is an 18-by-24 foot room on the fifth floor of a former baking factory in Manhattan's Meatpacking District that's crammed with so many computers and television screens that it looks like NASA's Mission Control. Five monitors stretch across the top of the wall, and beneath are eight, 46-inch screens split into two rows.

Matt Garza and two relievers combined on a six-hitter and Carlos Pena homered to lead AL East-leading Tampa Bay past Toronto 1-0 Wednesday night. Garza (11-7) allowed six hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 7 2-3 innings for the Rays. Grant Balfour got the final out in the eighth before Dan Wheeler pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 11 chances.

Two bunts, one double and nine well-pitched innings. The Chicago Cubs proved on a Wrigley Field-like day they can win when their bats aren't booming, and their by-the-textbook victory came before they begin what may be their toughest stretch all season. Jason Marquis shut down Pittsburgh's batters on a cool, windy day that must have made the Cubs feel at home, and Chicago turned two well-placed...

Knowing how many steps must happen in perfect order to throw out a runner from the outfield, Minnesota's Denard Span wasn't the least bit surprised to see Tug Hulett being sent toward home. Fortunately for the slumping Twins, Span was perfect. "I can see why so many third-base coaches send runners," Span said.

Last place San Diego made the improbable happen by sweeping NL West-leading Arizona. The Padres did it when Jody Gerut's go-ahead single capped a two-run rally in the eighth inning for a 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday. It was Arizona's fourth straight loss and fifth in six games. The Diamondbacks remained three games in front of the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers, who lost 5-4 at...

Josh Johnson threw a four-hitter for the first complete game of his career, and the Florida Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Wednesday night. Hanley Ramirez had a two-run single and Dan Uggla hit his 28th homer for the Marlins, who have won three of five. Johnson (4-0) struck out eight and walked three to improve to 3-0 with a 2.58 ERA in six starts on the road this season.