KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Houston Astros all-star first baseman Lance Berkman will have minor surgery on his left knee today and miss two to four weeks, a recovery period that could sideline him for opening day. Berkman, 34, injured the knee during a baserunning drill March 1. Tests showed that Berkman bruised his knee, and he played five games after skipping the Astros’ spring training opener.

LAKELAND, Fla.—Jason Heyward made his first spring training homer memorable. The Atlanta Braves’ 20-year-old right fielder almost cleared the batting cage behind the right-field wall yesterday with a two-run homer off Max Scherzer in the first inning of a 12-4 exhibition victory over the Detroit Tigers. “That’s one of the longer ones I’ve seen hit in this ballpark,“ said Braves manager Bobby Cox, who was much more impressed than Heyward.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. In past years, Billy Wagner got Bobby Cox’s attention by writing a message on a baseball and rolling it across the field into the Atlanta Braves’ dugout. Cox said Saturday the messages from Wagner would be something like “‘I’m back, you know.‘“ “We’ve had Billy in our plans for a number of years but always got beat out,“ Cox said.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ new batting coach spent time in the batting cage with hitters, sat in on a lengthy staff meeting and then answered questions from reporters for more than 15 minutes. He left more than six hours later yesterday, but not before signing several autographs. McGwire, 46, seemed at ease in his first extended media availability since admitting a month ago that he used steroids and human growth hormone during his remarkable home run power surge in the 1990s. Echoing remarks he made in January, several times he asked for forgiveness as he seeks to rehabilitate a tarnished image.

NEW YORK—Pitcher Chien-Ming Wang and the Washington Nationals have reached an agreement on a $2 million, one-year contract. The deal includes the chance to earn $3 million in performance bonuses. Wang, a right-hander who turns 30 on March 31, had spent his entire five-year major league career with the Yankees, who allowed him to become a free agent in December when they failed to offer a 2010 contract.

ATLANTA—Tom Glavine made his retirement official yesterday when he returned to the Atlanta Braves in a loosely defined new role. Glavine, 43, was hired as special assistant to Braves President John Schuerholz, and the two stood together before reporters for the first time since Glavine’s unexpected release last summer. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner was bitter when the Braves let him go, but the left-hander said yesterday that any anger at Schuerholz and General Manager Frank Wren has dissipated.

ATLANTA - Jorge Cantu hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh and the Florida Marlins damaged Atlanta’s playoff hopes, winning 5-4 last night to snap the Braves’ seven-game winning streak. Atlanta, which had won eight of 10 and 15 of 17, began the night two games behind NL wild card-leading Colorado with six games left. Chris Coghlan had three hits and scored twice for the Marlins, who had lost three of four. Florida would be eliminated from playoff contention if the Rockies beat Milwaukee later last night.

The difference between major-league ownership of a minor-league team and semi-local ownership of a minor-league team was readily apparent yesterday. The Atlanta Braves, owners of the former Richmond Braves, weren’t willing to invest much in The Diamond. The semi-local ownership of the new Richmond minor-league team will sink $1.5 million into upgrading The Diamond.

Cox to retire after 2010 NEW YORK—Bobby Cox will retire as manager of the Atlanta Braves after next season, ending an illustrious career in which he guided the team to 14 consecutive postseason appearances and the 1995 World Series title. The 68-year-old Cox, a four-time manager of the year, agreed to a one-year contract extension for 2010, the Braves announced before last night’s game against the New York Mets. He will start a five-year consulting agreement to advise the team in baseball operations after he steps down as manager.

PHILADELPHIA - Garret Anderson hit a three-run homer off Cliff Lee and three other Braves went deep to help the Atlanta Braves hand the Phillies’ new ace his first NL loss with a 9-1 last night over Philadelphia in a rain-shortened game. The game was called with the Phillies due up in the eighth inning after a 43-minute delay caused by torrential rain. The game started 24 minutes late due to a rain delay.

ATLANTA - Rookie Tommy Hanson won his fourth straight start in August, combining with two relievers on a four-hitter, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Florida Marlins 4-3 last night. The Braves, powered by home runs by Yunel Escobar and Omar Infante, took a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Hanson (9-2) gave up four hits and three runs in seven innings as Atlanta (65-58) pulled even with Florida in a battle of teams contending for the National League wild card spot.

ATLANTA - Ryan Church hit a three-run double in a six-run third inning that lifted Tommy Hanson and the Atlanta Braves past Max Scherzer and the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-4 yesterday. Hanson (8-2) gave up six hits, no walks and two runs in six innings for his third straight win. The rookie right-hander struck out seven. Garret Anderson gave the Braves a 1-0 lead with a second-inning homer, and Adam LaRoche added a two-run shot off Scherzer in the sixth.

ATLANTA - Omar Infante’s bases-loaded single off Brad Lidge capped a ninth-inning rally and lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday. Lidge (0-5) picked up his eighth blown save, aiding Atlanta’s rally with two errors on the same play following Garret Anderson’s leadoff single. Lidge bobbled a sacrifice by Matt Diaz before making a wild throw to first that bounced into foul territory in right field, allowing Anderson to score the tying run as Diaz advanced to third.

ATLANTA—Ryan Howard led off the ninth inning with a homer, and the Philadelphia Phillies won their fourth straight game by beating the Atlanta Braves 3-2 last night in the opener of an important NL East series. Chase Utley hit a two-run shot for the Phillies, and Shane Victorino put on a dazzling defensive show in center field, chasing down one long drive after another to keep the Braves from extending their winning streak to six games.

ATLANTA - Rookie Tommy Hanson struck out nine in 62/3innings and the surging Atlanta Braves won again, routing the Nationals 8-1 to snap Washington’s eight-game winning streak last night. The Braves have won four straight, six of seven and 16 of 25 since the all-star break, a stretch that has made them a factor in the NL playoff race. Atlanta started the sweltering night 4½ games behind NL East-leading Philadelphia, which visits Turner Field this weekend.