The Final 9

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter tied Lou Gehrig's longstanding team record for career hits with three in a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay Wednesday night. Jeter now has 2,721 base hits. 

The AL East-leading Yankees beat the White Sox Sunday, 8-3, to improve baseball's best record to 82-48. Mark Teixeira hit his 32nd home run in the win. Johnny Damon hit his 24th homer of the season for New York.

Adam Wainwright of St. Louis became the majors' first 16-game winner, in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Nationals. Chris Carpenter has the best earned run average in baseball. Joel Pineiro has 13 wins for the Cards, leaders of the NL Central.

Hideki Matsui hit two of the Yankees' five home runs in an 8-4 win in Boston Sunday night. Derek Jeter homered to lead off the game. Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano also went deep in the victory.

Philadelphia's Eric Bruntlett made an unassisted triple play to end Philadelphia's 9-7 win Sunday over the Mets. He's just the second player in big league history to get the last three outs of a game on his own.

Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals agreed to a contract just before Monday's midnight deadline. Strasburg was the number one overall draft pick.

Three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez recorded a win in his big league season debut Wednesday night. He started and pitched five innings in the Phillies 12-5 win over the Cubs.

Pedro Martinez pitches Wednesday for the first time this season. The three-time Cy Young winner starts for the Phillies vs. the Cubs. Martinez signed with the Phils in July.

The Rays hit four home runs in a 6-4 win over Boston Wednesday night. Tampa Bay trails second place Boston by three games in the AL East.

Detroit rallied to beat Baltimore Monday, 6-5. Clete Thomas hit a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game. Baltimore scored five runs in the first inning.

Recently acquired Victor Martinez tied a career high with five hits as Boston outscored Baltimore Sunday, 18-10. The Red Sox reached season highs in runs and hits, with 23.

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said he was surprised he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. Ortiz said he will look into why he tested positive.

Former Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame Sunday. Rice had to wait until his final year of eligibility to be selected. He hit 382 career homers.

Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford talks about winning MVP honors for the All-Star Game. The Rays' outfielder made a great catch to save a home run. The AL won the game, 4-3.

The American League beat the National League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game, 4-3. The NL has not won the game since 1996. Carl Crawford was named game MVP.

A fan settled a lawsuit claiming he was kicked out of old Yankee Stadium by a police officer for leaving his seat to use the bathroom during the playing of "God Bless America."

The American League starters for the All-Star Game were announced Sunday. Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter got the most votes in the AL. This will be Jeter's 6th All-Star start.

Mariano Rivera became just the second reliever to record at least 500 saves, as the Yankees beat the Mets Sunday night, 4-2. The Yanks won the season series against the Mets.

San Francisco lefty Randy Johnson won his 300th game Thursday in a 5-1 victory over Washington. Johnson is just the 24th pitcher to reach that lofty plateau.

Yankees star Alex Rodriguez slid for the first time Wednesday since surgery on his hip. The Yankees have said that sliding was one of the final tests in his rehab.