Grand Slam

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- On a night when the Orioles' young phenom pitcher was at his most effective, their veteran second baseman hit a grand slam and their sleep-deprived closer had to hold on for four outs, it was perhaps baseball's most understated offensive weapon that halted the Orioles' five-game losing streak in an 8-7 win against the Tampa Bay Rays. A two-out walk. A two-out walk by the free-swinging Felix Pie, who had two strikes against him before shifting into patient zone, watching four consecutive pitches go by and trotting to first to load the bases in a 1-1 game in the sixth.

WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND -- As the fifth set expanded to 6-6 and 10-10 and then an inconceivable 14-14 and refused to end, this latest masterpiece of a Wimbledon final seemed to heave with the audacious aim of rivaling its hallowed predecessor. Whether it succeeded in the end would prove debatable, but nobody at Centre Court on a sunny, blustery Sunday at the All England Club will lament having witnessed a men's singles final so commendable that the fans wound up chanting the name of the man who did not win. "Roddick!

When he was at the plate in the fifth inning, Orioles catcher Matt Wieters stepped out of the batter's box to allow the applause from the frenzied crowd to grow louder. It was his night, so it seemed the least that the 23-year-old could do for one of his new teammates. Wieters' efforts were rewarded when Luke Scott finally emerged from the home dugout and briefly acknowledged the curtain call and the chants of "Luuuuke" with a quick wave. Scott did the impossible Friday night, overshadowing the much-anticipated major league debut of the Orioles' top prospect.

News item: The Ravens might make an offer to the Arizona Cardinals for disgruntled wide receiver Anquan Boldin, though it would probably cost them a first- and third-round draft choice. My take: That's a steep price, but I think general manager Ozzie Newsome should seriously consider it. That late first-round pick isn't likely to add a new dimension to the Ravens' offense. Boldin would. News item: Through the first 10 games of the season, the Orioles' offense averaged 6.4 runs and 10 hits.

One hit, a grand slam by Melvin Mora in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night, led to an anticlimactic 6-0 win for the Orioles and propelled them to a second consecutive series victory to start a season for the first time in 11 years. Afterward, manager Dave Trembley doled out praise to just about everyone in an Orioles uniform. To starter Jeremy Guthrie, who threw six scoreless innings and has advanced to 2-0 for the first time in his career. To Gregg Zaun, the catcher who was behind the plate for the club's first shutout of 2009, something the Orioles accomplished just four times all last season.

Report: Urine samples link Bonds to steroids baseball Federal prosecutors preparing for Barry Bonds' perjury trial are said to have evidence that links Bonds to the use of performance-enhancing drugs other than the "cream" and the "clear." A person who has reviewed the evidence told The New York Times that the authorities detected anabolic steroids in urine samples linked to Bonds that they gathered in connection with their investigation. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Grand fashion: : The Orioles broke the game open in a seven-run sixth inning that included Aubrey Huff's fourth career grand slam. It was the 11th grand slam the Indians have allowed this season, most in the majors and extending their franchise record. Doubling out of skid: : Orioles center fielder Adam Jones was in an 0-for-16 skid since he homered in his first at-bat coming off the disabled list Sept. 1. But in the third inning, Jones broke the slump with a double off Cleveland's Fausto Carmona.

BEIJING - The world of tennis, as we know it, spun off its axis a bit here Thursday night in front of thousands of enthusiastic Chinese spectators. This is the Beijing Olympics, not Wimbledon or another Grand Slam tournament. No ivy-covered walls here, no red clay or echoes of Jimmy Connors under the lights in the Big Apple. The stadium here is a big, circular chunk of concrete. It has all the charm of a freeway ramp. Yet it might long be remembered for this night, when what was predictable and comfortable in the sport came unhinged.

Matt Wieters keeps writing unbelievable baseball stories with his bat down on the Double-A Bowie farm. Thursday afternoon, the 6-foot-5 catcher walked to home plate as a pinch hitter with two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth inning and the Baysox trailing Harrisburg 8-3. Wieters hit the first pitch high over the right-field wall for a grand slam at Prince George's Stadium, bringing the tying run, Lou Montanez, to the plate. Montanez has been the hottest hitter in the Eastern League the past few weeks, taking over the home run lead with 22, RBI lead with 77 and runs scored lead with 75 while being tied for fifth in batting average at .315 through Saturday.

They stood and cheered for several moments, waiting for outfielder Jay Payton to emerge from the dugout and acknowledge the crowd. When Payton didn't, starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera ducked his head out of the dugout instead and accepted the adulation. These, indeed, are fun times for the Orioles, who are finding new heroes seemingly on a daily basis. Yesterday, it was Payton's turn as his seventh-inning grand slam capped another gritty comeback, and a 6-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox before an announced 28,939 at Camden Yards.