From Wire Reports

CINCINNATI - Albert Pujols is expected to miss at least three weeks with a strained left calf, a major setback to a St. Louis Cardinals team already thinned by injuries.

The first baseman injured his calf while running out a ground ball during a 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night. He flew to St. Louis for tests that indicated a strain rather than a severe tear, as initially feared.

The Cardinals also put right-hander Adam Wainwright on the 15-day disabled list . He sprained the middle finger on his pitching hand during his start Saturday in Houston, and lasted only five innings.

AROUND THE MAJORS

Angels beat Rays behind HRs

ANAHEIM, Calif. - John Lackey and the Los Angeles Angels ended Scott Kazmir's six-game winning streak. The Tampa Bay left-hander was convinced that plate umpire Derryl Cousins contributed.

Gary Matthews Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero homered for the Angels in yesterday's 4-2 victory. But what bothered Kazmir and Rays manager Joe Maddon the most was Cousins' strike zone.

Reggie Willits drew a two-out walk just before Maicer Izturis drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a single in the seventh that ended Kazmir's outing, and Maddon was ejected by Cousins after changing pitchers.

Ibanez lifts Mariners to 2-1 win

TORONTO - Raul Ibanez singled home the winning run in the ninth inning, Felix Hernandez worked eight strong innings and the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1.

Seattle improved to 10-23 away from home and won a three-game road series for the first time since taking two of three at Tampa Bay, April 8-10. Seattle also swept a two-game series in Oakland, April 16-17.

The Mariners mounted the winning rally against Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan (1-3). Ichiro Suzuki drew a one out walk and stole second and third while Willie Bloomquist struck out. Miguel Cairo walked and took second on defensive indifference before Ibanez lined an RBI single to right, advancing to second as the throw came went to the plate.

An irate Blue Jays manager John Gibbons came out after the play and both he and Ryan were ejected for arguing the call with home plate umpire Andy Fletcher. The Blue Jays have lost eight of their past 11.

NOTABLE

Dukes first baseman signs with Dodgers

HARRISONBURG - Two years were enough in college baseball for James Madison's redshirt sophomore first baseman Steven Caseres.

The school says that the New York native agreed to a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. The deal comes less than a week after the Dodgers selected him 277th in the amateur draft.

Caseres will be assigned to the Ogden Raptors in the Rookie level Pioneer League in Ogden, Utah, which opens its season next Tuesday.

Zimmerman out 4-6 more weeks

PITTSBURGH - Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, a former Virginia star, will not have surgery on his injured left shoulder but will miss the next four to six weeks, manager Manny Acta said.

Zimmerman, who is on the disabled list and has not played since May 25 due to a small labral tear, was examined by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tim Kremchek in Cincinnati yesterday.

Meanwhile, a day after going face to face in a somewhat heated argument in the dugout, Nationals manager Manny Acta said there was no rift between him and young outfielder Elijah Dukes.

"That's yesterday's news and was for yesterday's paper," Acta said before the second game of a series against the Pirates. "That's over with. What happens in Pittsburgh should stay in Pittsburgh. We talked it out after the game. We're cool. We're fine."

One day after return, Alou gone again

NEW YORK - One day after coming off the disabled list, a despondent Moises Alou was out of the New York Mets' lineup again last night against Arizona because his left calf is still bothering him.

The oft-injured Alou returned Tuesday from a strained left calf that kept him out of the lineup for 19 days. He went 1 for 2 with a two-run single on the first pitch he saw, but his calf stiffened up as the game progressed and he came out after a 61-minute rain delay before the seventh inning.

Glavine goes on disabled list

CHICAGO - Tom Glavine went on the 15-day disabled list for just the second time in his 22-year career - both trips this season - as the injuries mounted for the Atlanta Braves. Glavine, who could only go three innings against the Cubs on Tuesday night because of the pain in a strained left elbow, joins starters John Smoltz and Mike Hampton on the disabled list.

Yankees seek more public financing

ALBANY, N.Y. - New York City officials confirmed that the New York Yankees are seeking more public financing to build their new stadium. State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky of Westchester, whose committee investigates publicly funded projects, said that the Yankees now say that if they don't get another $400 million in public financing the club might not be able to finish the stadium. The new $1.3 billion stadium is scheduled to open next year across from the historic Yankee Stadium, which is still being used this year.

Ortiz sworn in as U.S. citizen

BOSTON - David Ortiz, the pride of Red Sox Nation, became a U.S. citizen with 220 other immigrants from 57 countries at a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. "It's a great country. I'm proud to be here," said Ortiz, who wore a pinstriped suit and his signature dark sunglasses. He said he was eager "to be part of the American family."