Closer's Canine Eats Historic Baseball

With Dodgers in NLCS, only Philly-Colorado remains up in the air

(NEWSER) - The Yankees wrapped up a sweep of the Twins tonight in Minneapolis, getting homers from Jorge Posada and suddenly clutch Alex Rodriguez in a 6-1 win. They advance to face the Angels, who mounted an unlikely ninth-inning comeback this afternoon, scoring off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon three times and hanging on for a 7-6 victory and their own sweep in Boston. More»

Papelbon says parties beat prez at game

(NEWSER) - Red Sox hurler Jonathan Papelbon says having the president around at the All-Star Game was “fun”—but not as fun as Playboy's hospitality, Subway Squawkers reports. “I enjoyed the parties more than the president, to be honest with you,” the skin mag's shindig being his favorite, Papelbon told a Florida radio station. Still, Obama helped “to kind of rejuvenate the midsummer game classic.” More»

Catcher is out with his wife

(NEWSER) - Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek has filed for divorce, the Boston Globe reports. Vartiek filed the papers on July 28 in Gwinnett County, Ga., where his family lives during the offseason. The captain and his wife have been married since 1997, and have three daughters ages 8, 6, and 3. The free-agent-to-be isn’t doing so hot at the plate either, batting just .216 on the year. More»

Lamb has key hit in ninth-inning rally for Minnesota

(NEWSER) - Struggling Mike Lamb lifted the Minnesota Twins past the Boston Red Sox 7-6 last night with a two-run single in the ninth against Jonathan Papelbon, who blew his second consecutive save opportunity. Delmon Young led off the ninth with a single, and advanced on a sacrifice by Matt Tolbert. Adam Everett popped out, Young stole third without a throw, and Carlos Gomez walked and moved up on a steal. More»

(NEWSER) - Placido Polanco hit a broken-bat, tiebreaking single with two outs in the ninth off Jonathan Papelbon to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 10-9 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night. Boston had everything set up for its sixth straight win, rallying from a four-run deficit with its star closer on the mound. More»