Brown to undergo back surgery

St. Petersburg, Fla. Los Angeles right-hander Kevin Brown is scheduled to undergo back surgery today to repair an extruded disc in the nerve canal.

Brown was injured last Wednesday playing while with his son. He has been on the disabled list since May 27 with a right elbow sprain.

Dr. Robert Watkins will perform the procedure at the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.

“Who cares about baseball?” Dodgers catcher Paul Lo Duca said. “A lot of guys are concerned because he’s a friend, and they want the surgery to go well.

“Back surgery is not a thing you want to mess around with. I think the guys are more considering his health than when he’s going to be back.”

Ex-Japanese teammates play against each other

Seattle Most of the St. Louis Cardinals got their first up-close look at Ichiro Suzuki on Monday night. So Taguchi was already very familiar with the Seattle Mariners star.

Suzuki and Taguchi, called up from the minors when the Cardinals placed center fielder Jim Edmonds on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right wrist Monday, were teammates with the Orix Blue Wave for nine seasons in Japan.

Taguchi, 32, and the 28-year-old Suzuki played together with Orix from 1992-2000. Suzuki signed with the Mariners before last season, and Taguchi signed with the Cardinals in January, but did not make the team in spring training.

Mets-White Sox delayed by power outage

Chicago The game between the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets on Monday night was delayed in the top of the first inning because of a power outage at Comiskey Park.

After a day of on-and-off thunderstorms some severe the game started after a delay of 1 hour, 37 minutes.

With two outs and a 1-0 count on No. 3 hitter Roberto Alomar, White Sox starter Gary Glover prepared to throw when a loud pop was heard, and partial electrical power including that for two entire light towers was cut off.

Alomar backed out of the plate and home plate umpire Andy Fletcher called for time. After a minute’s hesitation, the players were called off the field.

After three minutes, power was restored to the scoreboard in center field. No other areas of the ballpark seemed affected.

Play resumed at 9:01 p.m., after a delay of 16 minutes.

Ramirez shocks doctors during batting practice

Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez surprised his doctors by taking batting practice on Monday a week earlier than expected putting him on schedule for a possible return this weekend.

“Manny being the competitor he is, he felt good,” team physician Bill Morgan said before Boston’s game against the Colorado Rockies. “He wanted to strike while the iron was hot.”

Brewers’ Fox, Bako placed on disabled list

Oakland, Calif. The Milwaukee Brewers placed right-hander Chad Fox and catcher Paul Bako on the disabled list and purchased the contract of right-hander Jayson Durocher from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday.

Robert Machado, acquired from the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, was in the lineup Monday night for the Brewers’ interleague game against the Oakland Athletics.

Fox was placed on the disabled list retroactive to June 8 with a strained right rotator cuff. Fox was 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA in 42/3 innings pitched.

Bako, who was batting .253 with two home runs and six RBI, dislocated the pinky finger in his right hand in a game against Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Durocher was 1-0 with two saves and a 2.73 ERA in 20 appearances for Indianapolis.

Giants claim Pearson off waivers from Padres

Toronto The San Francisco Giants claimed left-handed reliever Jason Pearson off waivers from the San Diego Padres on Monday.

The Giants optioned Pearson to Triple-A Fresno.

Pearson pitched in two games with the Padres this season. He didn’t allow a run in 12/3 innings.

He was 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 23 appearances for San Diego’s Triple-A affiliate in Portland.