Ryan Madson

READING - Philadelphia Phillies righthander Ryan Madson pitched an inning in the Reading Phillies' 5-3 Eastern League loss to visiting Portland. Madson, on the disabled list with a strained right side, struck out two. He threw 16 pitches, 10 for strikes. Harrisburg 4, Trenton 1 TRENTON - Jim Magrane pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings to lead the Senators past the Thunder in the Eastern League. Ottawa 7, Buffalo 5 OTTAWA, Ontario - Joe Thurston's two-run single in the seventh led the Lynx to the International League win. Delmarva 4, Lakewood 3 SALISBURY, Md. - Carl Henry Jr. homered and drove in two, but the BlueClaws fell in the South Atlantic League.

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Phillies righthander Ryan Madson (right big toe) needed just nine pitches for his perfect rehab inning for Class A Clearwater against Dunedin last night. With threatening skies and rain approaching, Madson warmed up quickly, then went out and got a groundout and two strikeouts in the sixth inning of Clearwater's 2-1 loss. "It felt good today," Madson said of his quick session. "Maybe it was what I needed to get back into the swing of things. Working quick. " Madson then threw 10-plus pitches in the bullpen.

NEW YORK - Ryan Howard hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and Cole Hamels finally beat a familiar nemesis, pitching the Phillies past the slumping New York Mets, 5-2, on Saturday night. Hamels (7-2) struck out a season-high 10 and walked none over seven innings to win his third straight outing and improve to 3-9 in 15 career games against the Mets. The lefthander had lost five consecutive starts against them. This time, he recovered from a shaky start to retire his final 11 batters - five by strikeout - without allowing a ball out of the infield.

The Buffalo Bisons scored four runs in the first inning en route to a 6-4 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons last night in the International League. Losing pitcher Ryan Madson was touched for five runs, all earned, and eight hits in five innings of work. Buffalo401000001 -6120 Scranton/W-B300000100 -470 WP: Jason Phillips (3-0). LP: Ryan Madson (1-1). Save: David Elder (5). A: 3,581. Rome 6, Lakewood 2 LAKEWOOD, N.J. - Carlos Guzman's grand slam in the ninth inning provided the winning runs in the South Atlantic League contest.

Designated hitter Nate Espy was 2 for 4 with a grand slam and four RBIs to lead Reading to a 14-1 Eastern League rout of Erie. Taft Cable, who was called up from single-A Clearwater to make an emergency start, threw four no-hit innings. He struck out four and walked two. Cable was one of three pitchers Reading used. All three are usually relievers. Second baseman Brian Hitchcox was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and four RBIs. He hit his fifth home run. Reading (29-26) bounced back after being swept last weekend by New Haven.

DALLAS - The dream of a bullpen with Jonathan Papelbon as the closer and Ryan Madson as his setup man with closer experience officially ended Wednesday night. Scott Boras, the agent for Madson, said his client declined the offer of salary arbitration that would have allowed the 31-year-old pitcher to remain with the Phillies on a one-year contract. "Ryan was always going to remain a free agent," Boras said. Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez also declined arbitration by the midnight deadline.

DALLAS - The dream of a bullpen with Jonathan Papelbon as the closer and Ryan Madson as his setup man with closer experience officially ended Wednesday night. Scott Boras, the agent for Madson, said his client declined the offer of salary arbitration that would have allowed the 31-year-old pitcher to remain with the Phillies on a one-year contract. "Ryan was always going to remain a free agent," Boras said. Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez also declined arbitration by the midnight deadline.

READING - There is a possibility that we are entering the final 3 months of Jimmy Rollins' tenure as the Phillies' shortstop. The little kid from Oakland who became a man right in front of our eyes as the catalyst for the most successful run in Phillies history is a free agent at the end of the season. The guy Rollins supplanted as the best shortstop ever to play for the Phillies thinks letting Rollins walk would be a mistake. "In my opinion, they better sign him. Jimmy can still play," Larry Bowa said.

The Phillies, according to multiple reports, have reached agreement on a 2-year contract with free-agent reliever Danys Baez, adding another piece to the 2010 bullpen jigsaw puzzle. The deal, which was first reported by the Phillies' Web site on Thursday, won't become official until the 32-year-old righthander passes a physical next week. Baez missed the entire 2008 season for the Orioles while recovering from elbow surgery, but rebounded to appear in 59 games for Baltimore last season.

The Phillies team Web site yesterday indicated the club had reached a two-year agreement with righthanded reliever Danys Baez. The deal would be completed if Baez passes a physical next week. The Phillies have been trying to find help for their bullpen since the season ended with the loss to the Yankees in Game 6 of the World Series. Baez, 32, played last season for the Baltimore Orioles. He was 4-6 with a 4.02 earned-run average in 59 games. The Web site also said Baez's arrival means free-agent righthander Chan Ho Park will not be back.