GAGNE GONE
Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne will miss six to eight weeks after having surgery Friday to remove a nerve from his pitching elbow. The operation was the second for the 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner in less than a year. Danys Baez, a proven closer acquired from Tampa Bay during the offseason, will fill Gagne's role and notched his second save of the year in the Dodgers' 5-3 win over Philadelphia.
QUICK START
Detroit's Chris Shelton hit his fifth home run of the season in the Tigers' 5-2 win over Texas on Friday night.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Justin Morneau homered twice and had three RBIs in Minnesota's 11-6 loss to Cleveland on Friday night. ... Mike Jacobs hit a solo homer and drove in three runs and Florida lost 9-3 to the New York Mets.
SUPER SAVERS
Derrick Turnbow got his fourth save in four games to help Brewers beat Arizona 3-1 on Friday night. ... Los Angeles closer Francisco Rodriguez tied a team record by converting his 20th straight save opportunity in the Angels' 4-1 win over the New York Yankees.
SPEAKING
"We kind of stink. We got to get better." — Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel, after a 5-3 loss to the Dodgers on Friday night dropped Philadelphia to 0-4 for the first time in 19 years.
SEASONS
April 9
1913 — Ebbets Field opened in Brooklyn and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Dodgers 1-0 before a crowd of 10,000. The stadium, which cost $750,000, was named after Charles Ebbets, the club's principal owner.
1947 — Dodgers manager Leo Durocher was suspended for one year by commissioner Happy Chandler for the "accumulation of unpleasant incidents" detrimental to baseball.
1965 — The Houston Astrodome opened with an exhibition game between the New York Yankees and Astros. President Johnson attended and Gov. John Connally threw out the first ball. Mickey Mantle hit the first home run, but the Astros won 2-1 in 12 innings.
1969 — Billy Williams of Chicago hit four consecutive doubles to lead the Cubs to an 11-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.