Touch 'Em All: Angels' fortunes on the upswing?

Finally, some good news out of L.A. that doesn't involve the Dodgers: The Angels had a game against the Mariners in Seattle that might just turn around their season.

Angels righthander Dan Haren threw his first shutout of the season - a four-hitter with a career-high 14 strikeouts and zero walks - to snap a personal four-game losing streak.

The performance produced one of those arcane stats that we've come to expect from baseball: Haren became the first Angels pitcher to strike out as many as 14 with no walks issued in a shutout.

Haren was the 16th pitcher since 1918 to have a line like this. Only Roger Clemens (three) and Pedro Martinez (two) had more than one such performance.

And the last big-leaguer to have a similar line was the Baltimore Orioles' Erik Bedard, who had 15 strikeouts without a walk in a 3-0 win over the Texas Rangers on July 7, 2007.

Not to be lost in all the hubbub over Haren was the emergence of Albert Pujols. The slugger, who has been struggling at the plate all season, had three hits and two RBIs, scored two runs, and slammed a first-inning homer - the fifth of the season and the 450th of his career.

The win improved the Halos' record to 21-25 and lifted them out of last place in the AL West.

The Baltimore Orioles are close to signing centerfielder Adam Jones to a club-record contract extension, multiple sources reported Friday. Jones' deal is expected to be for six years and in the $85 million range, according to FoxSports.com, which first reported that the two sides were deep in negotiations. That contract would easily surpass the largest deal in franchise history: Miguel Tejada's six-year, $72 million contract signed in December 2003.

The 26-year-old Jones has been one of the most valuable players in baseball this season, helping the Orioles to a surprising 28-17 start that has them in first place. Jones, who is being paid $6.15 million this season, is hitting .311 with 14 homers and 29 RBIs.

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Lance Berkman was expected to miss eight to 10 weeks after surgery Friday on his injured right knee. The team said the arthroscopic surgery found a partial tear in the medial meniscus, which was removed. Berkman, who injured his knee on May 19, had feared possible damage to the anterior cruciate ligament.

The Blue Jays placed outfielder (and former Phillie) Ben Francisco on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain.

The Pirates designated outfielder Nate McLouth for assignment and recalled outfielder Matt Hague from triple-A Indianapolis. Signed as a free agent on Dec. 7, McLouth hit just .140 in his second stint with Pittsburgh, scoring four runs while driving in two more in 57 at-bats.