Leadoff

With Brian Roberts on the disabled list, the Orioles have turned to Corey Patterson as a temporary solution in the leadoff slot. That would have seemed unimaginable three weeks ago, when Patterson was usually anchored to the bench and failing to get on base when he did play. But he raised his average more than 100 points with consecutive three-hit games last week, and manager Sam Perlozzo likes his speed at the top of the lineup. "I don't know how many more options we have in that particular situation," Perlozzo said.

HOUSTON -- Andy Pettitte allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings and Adam Everett had three RBIs to lead the Houston Astros to a 7-3 win over the Washington Nationals yesterday. Pettitte (1-1) rebounded from his 10-run, 13-hit first start to allow seven hits and strike out four and help Houston win two of the first three games in the series. He also had an RBI single and scored once. "We got the win; that's all that matters," Pettitte said. "It was a struggle again, that's for sure. My command wasn't great; my location wasn't good at all."

New York -- Orioles pitcher Erik Bedard made his major league debut at Yankee Stadium on April 17, 2002. It only seems that long since he last won a game. Stuck on one victory since the All-Star break, Bedard worked at his usual slow pace last night. Sand passed through the hourglass one grain at a time as players fidgeted behind him. Maybe he wanted to savor an early lead, knowing how easily it could vanish, just like the magical touch he once displayed. With Bedard sitting in the dugout, Bubba Crosby hit his first home run of the season leading off the ninth inning, pulling Eric DuBose's second pitch into the right-field seats to give the New York Yankees a 3-2 win over the Orioles before a Bronx crowd of 51,521.

BATTING LINE OF THE DAY Lyle Overbay, Brewers 1B AB R H RBI HR 5 3 3 6 2 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Brandon Claussen, Reds IP H R BB HR 3 2/3 6 9 3 3 WHO'S HOT Derrek Lee of the Cubs is 11-for-31 during a seven-game hitting streak with five homers and nine RBIs. He is batting a major league-best .370. WHO'S NOT Twins leadoff hitters are 0-for-33 over the past eight games after Lew Ford went 0-for-4.

The addition of ninth-round draft choice Paco Figueroa as a leadoff man and improved pitching and defense have the Delmarva Shorebirds off to a 7-3 start in the second half of the Single-A South Atlantic League. "We have a much better ballclub than we had in the first half," said manager Gary Kendall, whose Shorebirds were 30-40 in the first half of the league's split schedule of 140 games. The Shorebirds were tied for first in the Northern Division with the Lakewood (N.J.) BlueClaws and the Hickory (N.C.

The Orioles needed a win last night, not a cruel tease. They needed a real victory, not the moral kind that bring forced smiles and an empty feeling. They rallied in the eighth inning, hinting at the end of their six-game losing streak. And they rejoiced at home plate in the 10th when it became official, players bouncing in unison, a manager needing a hug. Brian Roberts crushed the first pitch from New York Yankees left-hander Mike Stanton for his first career walk-off home run, sending a baseball deep into the left-field seats and the Orioles into delirium after a 5-4 victory that unfolded before a sellout crowd of 47,465 at Camden Yards.

CHICAGO - Though Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts keeps gaining attention for his unexpected power outbursts this season, he's hardly been hit-or-miss through the first six weeks. Including going 3-for-5 last night, Roberts is batting .500 (13-for-26) during his past six games and has hit safely in 32 of 36 - precisely what the Orioles want at the top of their order. It's obvious that playing every day agrees with Roberts. "It makes a world of difference," he said. "When you know that you're going to be able to go through the ups and downs and still be in the lineup, you have that comfort level and you're not worrying about every at-bat.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The drama over Sammy Sosa's first home run as an Oriole ended last night, leaving them with one small detail that needed their immediate attention. They still had a game to win, a task that became much harder when B.J. Ryan surrendered a leadoff triple in the ninth. But victories don't come easily for the Orioles at Tropicana Field. Just ask their closers, past and present. Brian Roberts flexed more muscle with his fourth homer, reliever Todd Williams produced two scoreless innings at a critical juncture, and Ryan escaped a huge jam to give the Orioles a 7-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before 10,563.

Glen Burnie softball coach Bob Broccolino runs through a handful of qualities that makes his senior captain, Michelle Davis, one of the finest in a long list of standout leadoff hitters he has worked with over the years. When Broccolino finally gets to Davis' top attribute - speed that's tough to match - the adjective he chooses comes with an unmistakable pause for effect. "Michelle has un ... believable speed," he says. And Davis, a first-team All-County center fielder who also pitches, makes sure to use it everywhere.