The Closer: We're Up 7-3; What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Notes from a day in baseball:

• 1. Lucky Number Slevin. So you're the Minnesota Twins, and you score seven runs in the first inning. Time to celebrate, right? Did we mention you're the Minnesota Twins? Chicago's Mark Buehrle should get an asterisk next to this win, as he became the first A.L. pitcher — and second in major league history — to win a game after giving up seven runs in the first inning with the White Sox prevailing 9-7. In case you're wondering, the last pitcher to win after giving up seven runs in the first was the St. Louis Cardinals' Jack Powell, who did it against the Chicago Orphans, naturally, on Sept. 29, 1900. That game ended up 10-7.

• 2. Giants Sending Out An S.O.S.. The fleet of kyaks in McCovey Cove came up empty-handed again on Sunday; not since the Spanish Armada attempted to invade England in 1588 have so many vessels achieved so little. Barry Bonds, of course, was homerless, and now must trek to Houston in search of No. 714. He was 1-for-19 with eight walks in three games with the Dodgers, who won on Sunday, 6-3. If you're tired of hearing about Bonds and home runs, we understand. But if you're a Giants' fan, you have to be concerned that the No. 3 hitter in your lineup is hitting .217 and is starting in left field even though he can't run.

• 3. Mother's Day Sale: All Big Units Half Off. We've been watching Randy Johnson slowly waste away for the past six weeks, and it's sorta like watching the Titanic go down, knowing that there aren't hearly enough lifeboats fior everyone. He's now given up 22 runs over the past 21 1/3 innings, as the A's beat the Yankees 6-1. Johnson (5-4) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings, as his ERA rose to 5.14.

• 4. Who Needs Clemens Now?. The Andy Pettitte of whom we all sang songs around the campfire as kids appears to have returned. The Astros' pitcher tossed a three-hit in a 3-0 win over the Rockies. It's Pettitte's first shutout with Houston and his first overall since June 30, 2002, with the Yankees.

• 5. Paging Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard. Fresh from a trip to the hospital emergency room, the Phillies' Ryan Howard was in no mood to play baseball. But he entered the game as a pinch hitter in the eighth and homered to tie the game with the Reds, and then homered again in the 12th as Philadelphia won 2-1; its 13th victory in 14 games. It was also the Phils' first three-game sweep in Cincinnati since 2002. It was a stomach illness that sent Howard to the hospital, by the way.