Pittsburgh Pirates

GLENDALE ? One walk-off hit this season was not enough for Freddy Sanchez. The former Glendale Community College standout, who hit a walk-off home run earlier this season against the Chicago White Sox, came through in the clutch again for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. The National League leader in batting average and average with runners in scoring position hit a two-run single with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Pirates to a 10-9 win against the visiting Chicago Cubs.

GLENDALE ? The following is an update on locals in Major League Baseball. MOMENTUM SWING Gregg Zaun started the 2006 season on the disabled list after having a career year last year, but he didn't waste much time in returning to his usual form. Zaun, playing for the first time this year on Saturday, hit a two-run home run in Toronto's 8-4 victory against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Zaun's home run came in the fifth inning and gave the Blue Jays a 5-4 advantage, their first of the game.

GLENDALE ? Mark Loretta will book a trip to Pittsburgh. Freddy Sanchez will just stay there. Both locals were selected to play in the 77th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which will be held at 5 p.m. July 11 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Loretta, a 1989 graduate of St. Francis who is a second baseman for the Boston Red Sox, was chosen to start for the American League All-Star Team, which was unveiled on Sunday. Sanchez, a former Glendale Community College and Burbank High standout who is in his second full season in the big leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was one of seven players added to the National League team by Houston Astros Manager Phil Garner.

Charles Rich There seemed to be a National League theme that Kris Krise noticed. For the past several days, the former Crescenta Valley High star pitcher had spoken on the phone with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates about possibly being drafted. Then the Los Angeles Dodgers had the last word. The Dodgers selected the 6-foot-5 Krise in the 12th round as the 376th overall pick in the Major League Baseball First-Year Draft on Tuesday.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan Freddy Sanchez (Glendale Community College, 1998), third baseman, Pittsburgh Pirates -- Entering the season, Sanchez was penciled in as a back-up shortstop. But the local star has impressed manager Lloyd McClendon to the point where the skipper moved the Pirates' "sparkplug" to the hot corner just to give him a starting spot. "As we speak right now, Freddy Sanchez will probably play third base most of the time," McClendon told Major League Baseball.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan The more mud, the more dirty clothes, the more fun. While some adults tried to take cover from the rain Sunday, youngsters relished it, making La Canada Junior Baseball/Softball Assn.'s opening day ceremonies all the better. "We love to play in any condition because we love the game so much," said Terry Kay, the commissioner of the league's softball teams. "Nothing keeps us off the field." Nothing has kept the La Canada Junior Baseball/Softball Assn.

GLENDALE ? The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene. REID, EAGLES SEE PLAYOFF RUN END The Philadelphia Eagles, who are coached by former Glendale Community College standout Andy Reid , saw their season end Saturday with a 27-24 loss to the host New Orleans Saints in an NFC divisional game. The Eagles, who captured the NFC's East Division crown for the fifth time in six years, ended the year with an 11-7 record. Reid, who led the Eagles to an appearance in the Super Bowl in 2004, said he's already looking ahead to next season.

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players. Trevor Bell (Crescenta Valley High, 2005) pitcher, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Bell might have turned in his best performance of the season as a starter Wednesday. If not on Wednesday, it came in his previous outing. With the Angels (65-69) mired in third place in the American League's West Division, Bell, a former All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, pitched six quality innings in his sixth start of the season to help the Angels pick up a 4-2 road win against the Seattle Mariners.

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area athletes in Major League Baseball. LORETTA DEFINING HIS ROLE WITH ASTROS It took a while for Mark Loretta to get things going after he signed a free-agent contract last winter with the Houston Astros. Now, he's starting to make positive contributions for a team that struggled throughout parts of April. Through Sunday's home game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Loretta, a St. Francis High graduate, is batting .375 (15 for 40)

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players .   Freddy Sanchez (Glendale Community College, 1998) Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman: The 2006 National League batting champion continues to struggle while the Pirates try to get to the .500 mark. Sanchez, a two-time All-Star, had a quality effort Wednesday night during the Pirates’ 5-2 home win against the visiting Houston Astros. He finished with a pair of singles.