The Cleveland Indians traded versatile third baseman Casey Blake and cash to the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor leaguers yesterday.

Blake is joining the Dodgers for the playoff push. They're one game behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.

Blake, who has also played right and left field, is expected to play third for the Dodgers, who haven't gotten what they needed at the position from rookies Andy LaRoche or Blake DeWitt.

In exchange for Blake, the Indians got catcher Carlos Santana and right-hander Jonathan Meloan.

The Dodgers (50-52) have been looking for a dependable bat for weeks, and Blake's name first came up when the Dodgers were in trade talks with the Indians for ace CC Sabathia, who was dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Blake, 34, is batting .289 with 11 homers and 58 RBIs.

"Casey Blake is a gamer," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "His experience and character will be a plus as we head down the stretch in the final two months of the regular season."

Blake is eligible for free agency following the season.

ELSEWHERE

Brawl: Peoria Chiefs pitcher Julio Castillo was released from jail yesterday, one day after he was arraigned on a charge of felonious assault for hitting a fan in the head with a thrown baseball. Castillo made no comment as he was released from Montgomery County Jail in Dayton, Ohio. He was arrested Thursday following a fight between the Class A Chiefs and Dayton Dragons.

Cardinals: St. Louis right-hander Chris Carpenter, out since opening day 2007 because of an elbow injury, is scheduled to return to the Cardinals' rotation Wednesday against Atlanta, manager Tony La Russa said yesterday. The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner, who had reconstructive elbow surgery last July, gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings in his second rehab start Friday for Triple-A Memphis.

Trade: Anthony Reyes, who won Game 1 of the 2006 World Series for St. Louis, was traded by the Cardinals yesterday to the Cleveland Indians for minor-league pitcher Luis Perdomo. The 26-year-old Reyes has split this season between the Cardinals' bullpen and the starting rotation at Triple-A Memphis.

Rangers: Texas put right-hander Kevin Millwood on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with a right groin strain and activated catcher Gerald Laird. Millwood left Wednesday's start at the Chicago White Sox in the second inning after injuring the same groin that landed him on the DL for 18 days in May.

Twins: Minnesota center fielder Carlos Gomez will likely miss the rest of this weekend's series in Cleveland after crashing into the padded wall while making a spectacular catch in the first inning Friday night. Gomez bruised his lower back and tailbone catching a fly ball hit by Ben Francisco.

Blue Jays: Toronto right-hander Dustin McGowan will have season-ending surgery Thursday to repair fraying of the labrum in his shoulder. McGowan, who is 6-7 with a 4.37 ERA in 19 starts, has not pitched since leaving a July 8 game.