Just not at Michigan.

But there he was, all 6 feet, 6 inches and 298 pounds of him, emerging from Schembechler Hall on Sunday in a uniform he grew up despising. Now it’s part of a a new beginning that’s helping him slowly replace tragedy.

Mealer’s new football home has provided solace 55 miles from Wauseon, Ohio, the small town where Mealer learned to love football and where last December, his life was changed.

There isn’t a day when Mealer’s mind doesn’t flash back to Christmas Eve, when the Mercedes sports utility vehicle he was riding in was struck by another car. The crash killed Mealer’s father and 17-year-old girlfriend and paralyzed his brother.

“Whenever I’m in a car I think about that,” Mealer said. “I’ll never be able to get that out of my head. I guess you learn to move on and it’s something you have to live with.”

Mealer will likely redshirt this season because of a shoulder injury from the crash. On the ride home from church, a vehicle ran a stop sign and slammed into the Mealers’ vehicle, flipping it and landing it upside down.

Mealer’s 50-year-old father, David, was killed along with Hollis Richer, whom Mealer had been dating for two years.

David and Elliott Mealer were best friends. Elliott had always told his father that he would grow up to play football at Ohio State and eventually land in the NFL.

As a sophomore, Mealer met Vic Cales, a minister and former offensive lineman at Bowling Green. Cales told Mealer that if he was serious about playing college football, he would help him get there.

Their time was spent talking not only about football, but about faith. Mealer visited Ann Arbor and almost instantly, knew he had found his new home.

“I remember him getting into the car and saying, ‘God wants me to go to Michigan”‘ Mealer’s mother said in a telephone interview.

When David Mealer asked his son how he knew, Elliott replied: “Everything’s better here - even the food is better.”

Mealer had established a fondness for former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and his staff. So when Carr announced his retirement following the Wolverines’ loss to Ohio State last fall, Shelly Mealer wondered how her son would adjust to Carr’s successor.

Soon after the accident, she got her answer.

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez visited Elliott in the hospital, spending as much time as possible learning about him and his family and how he and his staff could assist the Mealers in dealing with the tragedy.

“After that, I started sleeping a lot better because I knew what kind of men were going to be taking care of my son,” Mealer’s mother said.

Secretly, Mealer wondered if he was making the right move leaving home to go to Michigan.

But by February, when he signed his national letter of intent, Mealer knew he had to take the leap of faith, focusing on his future - not the past.

“He’s a strong kid,” offensive lineman Stephen Schilling said. “He doesn’t let (his pain) affect him at all. We’re trying to help him along any way we can, but he wants to be just like any other guy.”

Cales said that Mealer he still struggles with coming to grips with the events of that December night. There are mornings, Cales said, when Mealer wishes he hadn’t woken up, forced to deal with taking another step away from losing his father and girlfriend.

But football has provided him with a therapeutic outlet, giving him something to focus on as he adjusts to life as he has come to know it.

“His father’s dream was to watch him play college football and so the first time he comes out of the (Michigan Stadium tunnel) and the first hit he takes, it’s going to have a different meaning than it would have,” Michigan offensive line coach Greg Frey said. “I don’t think it’s so much that he’s putting up a brave front - I think he’s a brave person. I think he’s a courageous person and I think he’s a faith-filled person.

“I think that’s what’s carried him.”

This is disappointing news for Bowens, who led the Wolfpack with 598 receiving yards last year. Any injury to the spine is scary, and as of now the Wolfpack coaching staff is hopeful that this will not end the talented receivers career.

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Rausch has officially been named the starting quarterback for Hawaii, the Honolulu Advertiser reports.

No surprises here. Rausch has done nothing but impress the coaching staff after coming into camp listed as the third QB. Expect the junior college transfer to take full advantage of Hawaiis wide-open offense.

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Moeaki will miss the first game of the season while recovering from foot surgery, the Des Moines Register reports.

Iowa plays Maine in their opening game so while the Hawkeyes shouldnt struggle, it robs Moeaki, who is considered one of the top tight ends in NCAA football, of a chance to put up some big numbers. Expect good numbers from Moeaki once he returns, but he wont get a chance to rack up statistics against Maine.

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Longshore remains locked in a battle for the starting QB job with sophomore Kevin Riley, the San Fransisco Chronicle reports.

This must be somewhat concerning for Longshore, who entered camp as the incumbent starter, as he has been consistent throughout practice. Yet during Thursdays scrimmage - the first of camp - both Longshore and Riley performed similarly, throwing for 78 and 70 yards, respectively. This may just be coach Tedfords way of challenging Longshore, but the season is quickly approaching and a starter needs to be named soon.

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Scott has been impressive in camp and is beginning to cement his position as the Terps number one running back, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Entering camp, the Maryland coaching staff envisioned a two-back system in which Scott and fellow tailback, Morgan Green, would get an equal number of touches each game. Scott, however, has proved to be a more reliable option for the Terrapins and now looks to get the majority of carries entering the 2008 season. Even though Scott has had injury problems in the past, he has blazing speed and we are excited to see what he can do with 15-25 touches a game.

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Craft appears to be poised to be the starter when the Bruins open the season against Tennessee on Sept 1, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Craft has been largely inconsistent throughout camp having his ups and downs as he learns the offense. Playing behind a very inexperienced offensive line, Craft may struggle early.

TORONTO 15, BOSTON 4

BOSTON Josh Beckett is supposed to be the Boston Red Sox ace. Someone forgot to tell the Blue Jays.

Alex Rios tied a career high with five hits and Adam Lind drove in four runs as the Blue Jays pounded the Red Sox, 15-4.

Led by Rios and Lind, Toronto scored six times in the first inning and twice more in the third, chasing Beckett (11-9) after just 2 1/3 innings, his shortest outing in more than two years.

The righthander threw just 55 pitches, giving up eight runs and eight hits before being pulled by manager Terry Francona. Though he left the mound without incident, Beckett appeared to try to talk Francona into allowing him to stay in the game.

Maybe that would have been better for the Red Sox.

The Blue Jays kept the pressure on the Boston bullpen, scoring single runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh before tacking on three in the eighth.

Rios tied a club record with four doubles, scoring three times as well. Seven of Torontos nine offensive starters finished with multiple hits and five scored at least two runs. The Jays tied a season high with 22 hits.

It was the second time in a week that Bostons pitching staff gave up 20 or more hits, having yielded 20 hits to the Texas Rangers on Monday night. Toronto tied a decade-old franchise record with 12 extra-base hits.

While the Blue Jays looked to be taking batting practice off the Red Sox staff, Shaun Marcum (8-5) was effective against the suddenly punchless Sox lineup. He allowed just one run and five hits over five innings for his eighth win.

Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis both hit solo home runs and Jed Lowrie had three hits for the Red Sox.

NY YANKEES 15, KANSAS CITY 6

BRONX, New York Alex Rodriguez, Xavier Nady and Jason Giambi homered as the New York Yankees rolled to a 15-6 rout of the Kansas City Royals on Sunday to win their first series victory in three weeks.

Mike Mussina (16-7) allowed three runs - all in the first inning - and gave up six hits over six innings for his 16th victory. He struck out five, walked none for his third consecutive victory and 266th in his career.

Rodriguez had a season-high five RBI and Derek Jeter collected four hits and scored three times as the Yankees posted their highest output since an 18-7 win over Texas on July 2.

The Yankees won for just the fifth time in 13 games and scored 15 unanswered runs after the Royals took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. They won a series for the first time since taking two of three from the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park from July 25-27.

CLEVELAND 4, LA ANGELS 3

CLEVELAND Jeremy Sowers pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and the Cleveland Indians held on to defeat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 4-3.

Franklin Gutierrez had three hits, including a two-run single, to pace the Cleveland offense.

It was the first time Anaheim had lost a series to an American League opponent since being swept in a three-game set by the Tampa Bay Rays in May. The Angels had been 16-0-4 in their previous 20 series against teams from the AL.

Sowers (2-6) started slowly, allowing two runs in the first inning, but settled in afterwards. The lefthander held the Angels to three runs - two earned - and eight hits for his first win since July 19 at Seattle.

Rafael Perez relieved Sowers and struck out three of the four batters he faced and Jensen Lewis escaped a jam in the ninth for his third save in four chances.

BALTIMORE 16, DETROIT 8

DETROIT Melvin Mora and Luke Scott each homered twice, leading the Baltimore Orioles to a 16-8 rout of the Detroit Tigers.

Mora connected for a solo home run in the fourth inning to snap a 5-5 tie and added a two-run blast in the eighth for his 20th homer of the season. The third baseman finished with five hits and six RBI.

Scott hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to give the Orioles a 9-5 lead, then later clubbed a solo shot in the seventh inning for his 21st home run of the season.

Fernando Cabrera (2-1) pitched three scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory.

MINNESOTA 11, SEATTLE 8

MINNEAPOLIS Jason Kubel had four hits and drove in three runs as the Minnesota Twins held on for an 11-8 triumph over the Seattle Mariners to complete a three-game sweep.

The Mariners scored eight runs in a late three-inning span to cut their deficit to 10-8 and loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, but closer Joe Nathan came on to wiggle out of the jam. He stranded three runners in the ninth for his 33rd save of the season after Denard Span knocked in a key insurance run in the top of the frame.

Minnesota jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the first inning against Seattle starter Ryan Feierabend (0-1). Justin Morneau opened the scoring by lacing an RBI single and Kubel followed with a two-run double. Randy Ruiz capped the rally by plating two off an extra-base hit.

Adrian Beltre, Wladimir Balentien and Kenji Johjima all homered in the sixth against Twins starter Glen Perkins (10-3) to pull within 8-4.

CHI WHITE SOX 13, OAKLAND 1

OAKLAND, California Javier Vazquez pitched eight outstanding innings and was backed by a four-homer barrage as the Chicago White Sox hammered the Oakland Athletics, 13-1, to win the rubber game of a three-game series.

Alexei Ramirez hit a grand slam, Carlos Quentin and Juan Uribe each had two-run blasts and Jermaine Dye added a solo shot as the White Sox (70-53) remain tied with the Minnesota Twins atop the American League Central Division.

Vazquez (10-10) allowed one run and four hits and had extended his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 15 before Daric Barton broke up his shutout bid with an RBI single in the eighth inning. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter.

Quentin also had a two-run single to give him four RBI as Chicago built an 8-0 lead after four innings. Ramirez punctuated the rout with his second career grand slam in a five-run seventh inning.

TAMPA BAY 7, TEXAS 4

ARLINGTON, Texas B.J. Upton homered and drove in three runs, leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a 7-4 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Carlos Pena hit his 25th homer and also drove in three runs for the Rays, who have won seven of their last nine contests.

After Gabe Gross opened the third with a double, Upton plated him two batters later to open the scoring. Following a single from Ben Zobrist, both players scored on Penas three-run blast to move out to a 4-0 advantage.

Even though Josh Hamilton hit an RBI double to cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the frame, Upton followed a run-scoring single by Jason Bartlett in the fourth with his eighth home run of the year - a two-run shot off Texas starter Dustin Nippert (1-3).

Scott Kazmir (9-6) overcame four walks with seven strikeouts, allowing two runs and four hits over six frames to end his four-game winless streak.

The Houston Astros retired Biggio’s No. 7 before Sunday’s game against Arizona, and the seven-time All-Star waved to fans and touched his heart during a lively ceremony.

Biggio retired in 2007 after becoming the 27th player to reach 3,000 hits. He is Houston’s career leader in seasons played (20), at-bats (10,876), hits (3,060), extra-base hits (1,014), doubles (668) and runs (1,844).

Dressed in a blue suit, Biggio hopped out of the dugout and walked across a red carpet toward a podium set up at home plate. He was flanked on both sides by about two dozen family members and friends, including ex-teammates Jeff Bagwell, Brad Ausmus, Bill Doran and the widow of Ken Caminiti, Biggio’s teammate from 1989-94 and 1999-2000.

“To have your number retired, it’s one of the greatest things that could ever happen to you,” Biggio said. “I knew the significance of it, so I was nervous. I haven’t been this nervous in a long time.”

Biggio’s 668 doubles are the most by a right-handed hitter and fifth all-time, and he’s the only player to reach 600 doubles, 250 home runs (291), 3,000 hits and 400 stolen bases (414). He also holds the major league record for times hit by a pitch (285).

“I played the game I dearly loved to play since I was a kid,” Biggio told the capacity crowd at Minute Maid Park. “They gave me a number and now it’s hanging from the rafters.”

The 42-year-old Biggio is the ninth Astro to have his number retired, joining Jim Umbricht (32), Don Wilson (40), Jose Cruz (25), Mike Scott (33), Nolan Ryan (34), Larry Dierker (49), Jimmy Wynn (24) and Bagwell (5).

Appropriately, Biggio’s number plate hangs next to Bagwell’s above right field. The two played 15 seasons together (1991-2005) and led the Astros to six playoff appearances, including their lone World Series appearance in 2005.

“We sat next to each other for so many years. We had a great ride,” Biggio said to Bagwell. “Now, we stand side by side forever, my friend.”

Bagwell, whose number was retired last August, joked that the two had gotten tired of talking about one another.

“The next time it’ll be 2013, when you’re a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Bagwell said to more applause.

Biggio was named a special assistant to general manager Ed Wade on Feb. 11. On May 19, Biggio was named the head baseball coach at St. Thomas High School in Houston, where his 15-year-old son, Conor, attends and plays for the team.

Conor also spoke during the ceremony and said his father punished him for throwing a temper tantrum in a game.

“Coach Biggio made me run for half a practice,” Conor said. “I guarantee I will never throw my helmet again.”

The Astros gave Biggio a collection of framed jerseys and a red and yellow all-terrain vehicle with an infield dirt rake on the back.

Biggio then threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Ausmus, his teammate from 1997-98 and 2001-2007. Biggio gave the ball to his brother, Terry, who was serving in Iraq last year when Biggio reached 3,000 hits.

Biggio said he was content in retirement and took the family on a vacation to Italy earlier this summer.

“I have no regrets, as far as any decision-making I ever made,” he said. “I’ve done everything this organization has ever asked me to do. And I’m proud of that.”

The right-hander missed the first half of August with the sore shoulder before returning Friday. He walked three and the Tigers committed two errors during Baltimore’s six-run ninth inning in an 11-2 Orioles win.

Jones is 4-1 with a 4.97 ERA and 18 saves in 21 chances. He started the season as Detroit’s closer, but was removed from that role July 26. The latest DL move is retroactive to Saturday.

The Tigers filled Jones’ roster spot by purchasing the contract of right-hander Gary Glover from Triple-A Toledo.

The Tigers signed Glover as a minor league free agent Aug. 9. He pitched 29 times for Tampa Bay this season, going 1-2 with a 5.82 ERA.

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The New York Yankees are optimistic that left fielder Hideki Matsui could return as early as Tuesday.

Matsui has been on the disabled list since June 27 with inflammation in his left knee and it was initially thought that he would be out for the remainder of the season, but the veteran opted to put off surgery.

Matsui, 34, took 15 simulated swings Sunday at New Yorks minor league complex in Tampa, Florida after playing in three games for the Class A Tampa Yankees in a rehab assignment without any swelling in the knee.

Its a big bat to get back in the lineup, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. Hideki has obviously been an integral part of this lineup for the past four or five years. Hell be a welcome addition.

Girardi said that Matsui would be used as the designated hitter for the remainder of the season to lessen the amount of stress on the knee. He aggravated the knee while playing the outfield during the Yankees series in Houston from June 13-15. After suffering the injury, Matsui played in four games as the DH before going on the DL.

Matsui is batting .323 with seven home runs and 34 RBI in 69 games this season. He also has been productive with runners in scoring position (.338), an area where the Yankees have struggled, especially recently.

New York opens a six-game road trip in Toronto on Tuesday.

NY METS 4, PITTSBURGH 0

PITTSBURGH When Johan Santana is on his game, he is practically unhittable. Well, almost.

In command from start to finish, Santana tossed his best game as a member of the New York Mets in a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Santana (11-7) was brilliant, surrendering just four baserunners - a trio of singles and another on a Jose Reyes error - while notching seven strikeouts. Santana, who had set down the first 10 hitters of the game before giving up a hit to Jack Wilson, finished the contest by retiring eight straight to win his fourth straight decision.

It was Santanas second complete game in his last five starts.

Light-hitting catcher Brian Schneider homered and drove in three runs for the Mets, who have won six straight and nine of their last 11 games.

Carlos Beltran hit his 17th home run of the season, and Argenis Reyes added the first three-hit game of his career for New York, which will attempt to sweep the four-game series Monday.

Wilson was 2-for-4 for the Pirates, who dropped their fourth straight to fall a season-high 14 games under .500 (55-69).

The Mets got all the offense they needed in the second inning, when Schneider hit an 0-2 pitch off Jeff Karstens (2-2) into the right field bleachers for a 2-0 lead. Schneider laced an RBI double in the fourth and Beltran added a leadoff home run in the sixth.

Karstens, who was making his fourth start for the Pirates since being acquired from the New York Yankees, struggled from the get-go and surrendered four runs and nine hits in six innings. Since throwing 15 scoreless innings in his first two starts, the righthander has given up eight runs over 13 frames in back-to-back losses.

SAN FRANCISCO 3, ATLANTA 1

ATLANTA Tim Lincecum pitched 7 2/3 outstanding innings, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Lincecum (13-3) allowed just one run and three hits, walking four and striking out 10.

Travis Ishikawa hit his first career major league home run in the second inning, a two-run shot, to give the Giants a 2-0 lead.

Emmanuel Burriss added a run-scoring single in the fifth to tack on an insurance run for San Francisco.

CINCINNATI 7, ST. LOUIS 3

CINCINNATI Edinson Volquez pitched seven scoreless innings and Brandon Phillips homered to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Volquez (15-5) allowed three hits and walked four while striking out four to earn his 15th win. The 25-year-old righthander has allowed one run in his last 13 2/3 innings to lower his ERA to 2.73 - the third best mark in the National League.

The Reds jumped on top in the first on rookie Jay Bruces RBI single and a run-scoring groundout by Javier Valentin.

Phillips put away the game in the seventh with his 20th home run - a three-run blast to left field.

CHI CUBS 9, FLORIDA 2

MIAMI Alfonso Sorianos two-run double ignited an eight-run seventh inning as the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 9-2 victory over the Florida Marlins.

After being held to four hits through six innings by Marlins starter Chris Volstad, Chicago erupted against the Marlins bullpen. Sorianos hit against Renyel Pinto (2-5) tied the game and Aramis Ramirez put Chicago ahead with another two-run double off Pinto, who yielded five runs while only retiring two batters.

Kosuke Fukudome contributed a sacrifice fly and Reed Johnson completed the uprising with a three-run double off Logan Kensing.

The rally made a winner of Ryan Dempster (14-5), who yielded two runs and five innings in six innings with two walks and 10 strikeouts.

COLORADO 7, WASHINGTON 2

WASHINGTON Ian Stewart and Seth Smith hit three-run home runs to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 7-2 win over the Washington Nationals .

The win completed a three-game sweep for the Rockies and was the 10th straight loss for Washington, its longest losing streak since 1991.

Stewart hit his home run off Odalis Perez (5-9) in the fourth and Smith slammed his three-run, pinch-hit shot in the eighth. Brad Hawpe added a solo shot.

The three home runs enabled Aaron Cook (15-8) to get the win.

Cook was supposed to start Thursday, but manager Clint Hurdle felt he was tired and rested him for a few days. He made it through five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out four.

HOUSTON 3, ARIZONA 0

HOUSTON Roy Oswalt allowed just one hit over eight innings to lead the Houston Astros past the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-0.

Oswalt (11-8), who won his fifth straight decision, tied a season high with 10 strikeouts and matched his longest outing of the season. He walked two and allowed the only hit in the third inning, a two-out single by Stephen Drew.

Ty Wigginton had a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the first to provide Oswalt all the offense he would need.

Randy Johnson (10-9) took the loss, allowing three runs and eight hits over seven innings.

LA DODGERS 7, MILWAUKEE 5

LOS ANGELES Andre Ethier blasted a game-winning, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a thrilling 7-5 triumph over the Milwaukee Brewers in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Ethier, who has two walk-off homers in the last six games, also lifted a solo shot in the fifth to give the Dodgers a 4-1 bulge, one Chan Ho Park coughed up while ruining starter Clayton Kershaws brilliant six innings of work.

Ryan Braun belted a game-tying, two-run homer with two outs in the ninth off Park, who previously surrendered a two-run single to Ray Durham to pull Milwaukee within 5-3. Joe Beimel (4-0) came on to get the final out in the top of the ninth to notch the victory.

Manny Ramirez hit a two-run homer in the first and laced an RBI single in the seventh to give Los Angeles a 5-1 lead.

PHILADELPHIA 2, SAN DIEGO 1

SAN DIEGO Cole Hamels threw a gem in his hometown and the Philadelphia Phillies provided just enough run support to earn a 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Pat Burrell homered for the second time in the series and Jimmy Rollins scored a run to help the Phillies win the rubber game of the three-game set after suffering a four-game sweep by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Hamels (10-8), a San Diego native, allowed one run on seven hits over eight innings to snap a stretch of seven winless outings, the longest of the 24-year-old lefthanders career. He struck out three and did not issue a walk.

Brad Lidge worked around a walk to strike out the side in the ninth and remain perfect in his 30 save chances this season.

Rollins led off the game with an infield single and advanced to third on a stolen base and throwing error to set up a sacrifice fly by Jayson Werth that gave the Phillies an early 1-0 lead.

San Diego starter Cha Seung Baek (4-7) matched Hamels from there, tossing scoreless frames until the sixth when Burrell belted a 2-1 offering into the left field seats for a 2-0 advantage.

Casilla has been out since he tore a ligament in his right thumb on July 28, and he was initially resigned to having season-ending surgery. He has recovered quickly, however. After playing two games with Class A Beloit, he will rejoin the Twins if all goes well.

“He’s feeling great. He seems to think that this is going to be all he needs,” manager Ron Gardenhire said before Sunday’s game against Seattle.

After starting the season in the minors, Casilla was called up as an injury fill-in in May and within two weeks took over as a fixture in the second spot in the lineup. He was batting .313 with 38 runs, 15 doubles, four homers and 39 RBIs with a .351 on-base percentage in 243 at-bats before he got hurt.

The Twins went 38-25 from the day Casilla become the regular second baseman until the injury. Gardenhire said when Casilla returns Nick Punto will probably play more at shortstop and share time there with Adam Everett.

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Seventeen years ago, Oriole Park at Camden Yards was considered to be a risky deviation from a formula that had served major league baseball for decades.

The $106.5 million ballpark was built in downtown Baltimore, a departure from the popular notion of placing stadiums in the suburbs. Instead of being constructed primarily with concrete, it was held together by brick and steel.

“They gave it an old-time feel and experimented by putting it in the middle of a downtown environment,” said Greg Bader, director of communications for the Orioles. “They rolled the dice on a new theory.”

Camden Yards turned out to be a wildly successful venture that would soon be duplicated around the country, in places such as Cleveland, Texas, Houston and Philadelphia. None of those new parks, however, have drawn fans at the same dizzying rate.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards will greet its 50 millionth fan on Monday or Tuesday night. No other stadium in the history of baseball has reached the milestone so quickly.

For nearly a decade after its doors first opened, the stadium repeatedly drew sellout crowds. Fans from around the country came to see Camden Yards, and Orioles backers reveled in watching their team win in a stadium that conjured memories of baseball’s past.

The team has struggled in recent years, and Camden Yards is no longer a novelty. But the Orioles still draw well over 2 million fans every season.

And now, they stand only 43,290 fans shy of totaling 50 million. Baltimore could draw a crowd of that size Monday night against Boston; if not, the mark will certainly be eclipsed Tuesday.

“To me, what’s so amazing about the number is that other ballparks that have been built since are not on pace to reach 50 million in 17 seasons,” Bader said.

The Orioles have no way of determining exactly who the 50 millionth fan will be, but they will monitor the turnstiles to make an educated guess. That designated fan will receive $50,000, two season tickets for five years and a commemorative jersey.

The Red Sox will have plenty of backers in the stadium. Although the Orioles would prefer every sellout crowd to consist of 48,000 fans cheering for the home team, the out-of-towners are simply the byproduct of the original plan.

“It’s not just about the baseball game,” Bader said. “It’s a ballpark that attracts tourists from other parts of the country. And while they’re here, they spend money in Baltimore.”

Since arriving from St. Louis in 1954, the Orioles have played at Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards. Their total attendance in Baltimore is expected to reach 100 million during the upcoming weekend series against the New York Yankees.

Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima also was charged with a passed ball on another errant pitch in the fifth. The Twins scored on two of Dickey’s wild pitches.

The Metrodome’s still air usually provides a friendly environment for knuckleballs, but this time it didn’t help.

“It was moving violently. If I could have thrown it for strikes, it would have been a real fun day I think,” Dickey said. “But I couldn’t throw it for strikes.”

In and out of the rotation this season, Dickey has thrown 11 wild pitches in 97 innings. He entered the game in the fourth in relief of starter Ryan Feierabend and allowed three hits, three walks and two runs while recording only four outs.

Dickey became the fifth major league pitcher to throw four wild pitches in an inning. Philadelphia’s Ryan Madson was the last to do it, in 2006.

Another knuckleballer, Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, is on the list. So is Hall of Famer Walter Johnson and current Marlins closer Kevin Gregg - who was with the Angels when he tied the record.

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Pirates left fielder Brandon Moss left the game against the New York Mets on Sunday after spraining his left ankle while batting against Johan Santana.

Moss fell in the batter’s box after hitting a ground ball to first baseman Carlos Delgado in the seventh inning. He could not apply pressure to his left foot and was helped off the field by Pirates trainers.

Tests on the ankle were negative, and Pittsburgh manager John Russell said Moss will be further evaluated Monday.

“There was a lot of pain at first,” Moss said. “But it’s calmed down, and it feels a lot better.”

Moss was replaced in the top of the eighth by Jason Michaels, who moved over from right field. Steve Pearce replaced Michaels in right.

The 24-year-old, who went 0-for-3, was hitting .193 (11-for-57) with two home runs and five RBIs in 16 games since coming over from the Boston Red Sox as part of the Jason Bay-Manny Ramirez trade.

Tropical Storm Fay, which could gain momentum Monday and reach hurricane force after passing over Cuba, is expected to make landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast Tuesday.

The Rays wrap up their road trip Sunday night against the Texas Rangers, and are scheduled to begin a three-game homestand on Monday night, all against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Angels flew to the Tampa Bay area after Sunday’s game in Cleveland.

“We’re in communication with the Angels,” Rays president Matt Silverman said on Sunday. “We hope to get at least two games in this week.”

The Rays have made contingency plans with officials of St. Petersburg, where Tampa Bay plays at the Tropicana Dome.

“It’s one of the command centers for the city,” Silverman said. “As of now we’re playing the game Monday. If the storm runs in its current path, Tuesday would be in doubt. We should know Monday night about Tuesday.

“There is no talk about moving (games) to another city. After Monday, the Angels possibly could go to Miami or Atlanta. That depends on the path of the storm and whether we have to evacuate.”

The Rays and Angels both lead their divisions, so they would probably have to play any games that are postponed if those would affect the final standings. One or two games could be made up Sept. 1, when both teams have a day off.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said, “Our biggest concern is that guys can be with their families if something happens.”

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Rangers pitcher Vicente Padilla reported no problems with an inflamed joint in his neck following a bullpen session on Sunday as is expected to start Tuesday night against the Detroit Tigers.

The right-hander was originally scheduled to start Sunday night against Tampa Bay, but the neck problems forced the Rangers to use right-handed reliever Dustin Nippert in a spot start and push Padilla back to Tuesday.

“I felt good,” Padilla said after the 45-pitch session. “I’m OK to start on Tuesday.”

The Rangers’ battered rotation entered Sunday night with an 8.26 ERA since July 4. Rangers pitching coach Andy Hawkins was pleased that Padilla (12-6) - Texas’ only double-digit winner - will likely avoid a second trip to the disabled list this season.

“He threw all his pitches and looked good,” Hawkins said. “I’d much rather have him pitching every five days than the other option.”

The team has been sprinkling live periods into previous practice sessions, but Saturdays 1-hour, 30-minute scrimmage, which ran 121 total plays, was completed in a steady rain.

According to Head Coach Steve Fairchild, the scrimmage saw the offense come out on top, but the defense was also very much in the game.

I think weve got some skill players on offense that showed up, commented Fairchild in a post-scrimmage interview. Defensively, we lobbed a couple balls down the field, and they made some interceptions, which is good. If you look at it, the defense started fast. It was both sides that had some plays.

Big offensive plays included Greers two touchdown receptions, including a 45-yard bomb from Farris. He picked up 63 total yards and made three catches, both team highs. Farris went 8-of-13 for 114 yards, including a pair of TDs.

With the majority of the offenses time spent passing the ball, the defense had ample chances to intercept. Jake Galusha, Mike Pagnotta, Gerard Thomas and Scott Zick all recorded INTs on the day, with Zick and Pagnotta on the first snap of the day returning theirs for scores. Ricky Brewer and Ty Whittier both penetrated the offensive line to earn sacks.

Special teams saw kickers connect on all six attempts. Jason Smith and Ben DeLine were both good three times each from 27 yards. Smith also punted four times for an average of 34 yards while competing punter Anthony Hartz netted an average 42.3 yards on four punts.

The team has been given the majority of Sunday off as it prepares for a tough week of practice. Two-a-days start up again Monday, with the Rams tentatively set to practice at 7:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. The practice is to take place at the fields south of Moby Arena and is open to the public.

Steve Fairchild quotes:
General: Positives, I thought our tempo underneath the clock was good on both sides of the ball. I thought our substitution was fairly clean for the first time. I thought we operated as a team, more ready to play a game, than I would have thought. Negatives are a few penalties that showed up; a few turnovers that showed up; a little bit of looseness with the ball in the weather, which we have to get a little better at before we open up. There were some big plays on both sides of the ball.

On playing with new clock rules: Yeah, that was my biggest concern. We brought officials with the Mountain West/WAC affiliation. (The official) spoke with our team about those, not just the clock rules, but some of the new rules in college football that we need to be aware of. He was good enough to come over before at the McGraw Center and visit with our football team. I was very happy that those guys would take the time to do that. Also, we had the official crew out here working. There are some different things also for the clock operator. It was a lot of good work, not just for our football team and coaches, but for those guys as well.

On the weather not being ideal: No, but I visited with our team saying, This could very well be BYU or Houston or somebody next fall and weve got to learn to come out and play in this. I shared with them a game that Larry (Kerr) and I were here for before, I think it was Tulsa. They came out, it wasnt the best field conditions; they laid a couple snaps on the ground. You cant take a snap for granted; you cant take your grip on the ball for granted. It can get away from you in a hurry. We werent ridiculously sloppy out there. But because we had ones, twos, and threes, and a lot of that going on, its going to make it like that sometimes. But we still could do little better job. It was a good practice.

On big plays in the closed scrimmage: Rashaun Greer caught a couple touchdowns; he looked good. Billy (Farris) made some plays at quarterback, but hes still inconsistent. Weve still got some throwing to go there. I think weve got some skill players on offense that showed up. Defensively, we lobbed a couple balls down the field, and they made some interceptions, which is good. I know (Mike) Pagnotta got one early, and he might have scored with it. If you look at it, we competed in the red zone a little bit. I think our offense came out on top. If you look at it, the defense started fast; it was both sides that had some plays. Well go back this afternoon and try to learn from this.

On whether he worked more of his passing game than running game: Yeah, because were still a little young at quarterback. We feel a little bit better about our backs. We probably are throwing the ball more in team situations than normal.

On coming away without any serious injuries: Yeah, that is a real positive. We came away without anything serious. Tomorrow, well condition and do some things; most of the day will be off. Weve got one more week before the first game. We start Monday with two-a-days. We still have some things to get done.

On game planning for CU: Were starting to gravitate on both sides of the ball toward who we are. In a game plan against an opponent, its going to have a certain percentage thats for that opponent. But the other percentage is just who you are. And thats how you show up and thats what you do. Were starting to find that out. There were some things done out there today that well do that Sunday against CU.

On whether reps will start to decrease for those lower on the depth chart: Yeah, ones and twos and guys that will have a chance to either start or play a big role better be ready because if something happens, theyre in there.

On the injury status of the wide receivers: Ryan Gardner participated. Were anxiously awaiting Jyrone Hickman on Monday to start. Ill visit with Terry (DeZeeuw) based on the next 48 hours to see just how much. But were anticipating him at practice and going through some drills Monday.

On the teams first fall day off Sunday: Theyve earned it. But me not being the nicest guy in the world, were not going to have a complete day off; were going to do a little something tomorrow. Maybe its a chance to recharge a little.

On the punter situation: Were not going to force that. Were going to take our time until it feels right. So between the two, somebodys going to win. (Jason) Smith and (Anthony) Hartz. Those two are our punters and well just wait and see.