Rules for Mexico Travel Changing Frequently

As swine flu nears pandemic stage, governments, travel firms clamp down

Governments and travel companies are scrambling to alter travel policies to and from Mexico as the swine flu outbreak gets closer to being tagged a pandemic.

Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste SA de CV said Wednesday passenger traffic has declined since the outbreak of swine flu but it was too early to determine the financial effect on the company.

Asur, which operates Cancun Airport and eight others in southeast Mexico, did not give figures for the traffic downturn.

“Between April 26 and April 28, 2009, there has been a decline in the passenger traffic levels from those observed before the Mexican Secretary of Health confirmed the presence of Swine Flu,” the airport company said in a statement. Asur said it couldn’t predict how long it will take to return to normal conditions.

The swine flu outbreak has officials in North America and around the world on their toes as they attempt to stem the disease’s transfer and impact. Airports, airlines and agencies are monitoring the traveling public for signs and symptoms.

The disease is suspected of killing more than 150 people in Mexico and sickening thousands. There are nearly 100 confirmed cases in the U.S., according to the World Health Organization.

Governments take action
The State Department on late Monday warned U.S. citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico and those who live in Mexico to avoid hospitals or clinics there unless they have a medical emergency.

Cuba amended its blank 48-hour travel ban to and from Mexico on Wednesday. Fearing the disease, Cuba suspended all regular and charter flights from Mexico to the island but still allowing airlines to return travelers to Mexico.

A statement published in state newspapers said that effective midnight Wednesday, flights from Cuba to Mexico would be grounded. After that, airlines can fly presumably empty planes to the island and pickup Mexico travels. The statement says the restrictions will remain until “the causes that have prompted these decisions cease.”

There have been no reported cases of swine flu in Cuba but the government has ordered medical personnel and civil defense authorities to be on alert.

France will ask the European Union to suspend flights to Mexico as a result of spreading swine flu, its health minister said Wednesday. The country says flights from Mexico can continue.

Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot spoke after a special meeting of top French government ministers and health officials that had been convened by President Nicolas Sarkozy.

She said the flight request would come at a meeting Thursday in Luxembourg of European health ministers.

France wants flights from Mexico to be maintained so French citizens residing in Mexico can return to France if they want, government spokesman Luc Chatel said.

Argentina announced a five-day ban on flights arriving from Mexico.

Cabinet Chief Sergio Massa said Tuesday night in a televised news conference the measure is in effect until Sunday at midnight to “transmit a sense of calm to Argentines.”

“It's not a measure meant to punish the Mexicans, but rather to strengthen to the utmost our safety measures to care for Argentines,” Massa said.

Airlines, cruise lines change plans
Air Canada announced an update to its Mexico flights. According to its Web site, the carrier “will suspend all operations to Cancun, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta until June 1, 2009,” but will continue flying into Mexico City. The carrier will allow customers with booked plans to the affected regions to rebook with no change fees.

Most large North American carriers — including American, Continental, United, US Airways, Delta and Aeromexico — posted notices on their Web sites waiving change fees for travelers with scheduled flights to or from Mexico for the next several days.

Travelers should regularly check their airline's Web site for flight and rule changes.

Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line have suspended stops at Mexican ports over concerns about swine flu.

Carnival said on its Web site it has canceled all calls at Mexican ports through May 4, and in many cases will be able to substitute the canceled stop with an alternative port.

Royal Caribbean had said it was monitoring the situation but telling passengers not to worry because the outbreaks are inland, not in the Mexican coastal cities popular with cruise tourists. But later Tuesday the company said it was suspending port calls indefinitely in Mexico until more is known about the swine flu outbreak.

The move affects its Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises ships.

Norwegian is canceling Norwegian Pearl’s final two calls in Mexico this week after saying earlier in the day that it was monitoring the situation and asking passengers about their health before cruises start but keeping the trips.

Norwegian’s schedules do not include any other ports in Mexico until the end of September 2009, the company said.

Evan Hanna, of Stafford, Va., was already at sea and headed to Grand Cayman and Cozumel when he and other passengers got word their Carnival ship would skip Mexico.

“There was a lot of yelling at the ship’s officials,” Hanna wrote in an e-mail from the oceanliner. “Most passengers still wanted to go to Cozumel, and there were a lot that wanted to go back to the home port early.”

Keep yourself educated
Travelers heading to or from Mexico will need to keep up-to-date on the latest travel advisories and consider whether or not they want to change plans.

Specific travel advice related to swine flu is fluid and likely to change as the full impact of the disease becomes clear.

For now it’s a good idea to monitor the health information and updates posted on the Web sites of CDC and the World Health Organization.

International SOS, a travel medical-assistance firm, has also created a very useful and easy-to-maneuver site specifically on this topic.

Dr. Myles Druckman, a disease and pandemic expert who works with International SOS, notes the risk of falling ill in Mexico is relatively low, but warns of delays for traveling from Mexico and other countries back to the U.S., especially if the situation intensifies.

For the time being, Druckman advises leisure travelers to have a plan in place before making trips to Mexico and to add items such as surgical masks, over-the-counter cold and flu medications and extra supplies of regular prescription medications to your first aid kit. “You would be kicking yourself if you said, ‘Heck, I’m going to go,’ and then things escalate and you’re stuck there.”

Msnbc.com contributor Harriet Baskas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Mexico Plea as Virus 'Stabilises'

Mexico appealed for fair treatment towards its citizens and products, as health officials there said the swine flu outbreak could be stabilising.

A minister hit out at countries barring flights from Mexico, while another appealed against restrictions on pork.

Mexico has now confirmed 19 fatalities from the virus, which is now present in 18 countries around the world.

But Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said it appeared that the outbreak could be levelling off.

"Each day we're seeing fewer serious cases and therefore the mortality rate is dropping," he said.
On Saturday South Korea, Italy and the Irish Republic became the most recent countries to confirm cases of the swine flu virus.

Globally more than 700 people are known to be infected.

Person-to-person transmission has been confirmed in six countries.

But in cases outside Mexico, the effects of the virus do not appear to be severe.

A top World Health Organization official said that there was no evidence of the virus spreading in a sustained way outside North America.

"I think it would be, at this stage, unwise to suggest that, in any way, those events are out of control or spreading in an uncontrolled fashion," said Dr Michael Ryan, the WHO's director of global alert and response.

"I think the next few days will tell as this develops," he said.

In other developments:

• Canada has announced that a herd of pigs has tested positive for swine flu, possibly infected by a farm worker who returned from Mexico, but officials said that there was no threat to food supply

• Benin became the second African nation to report a suspected case of the virus

'Unjust measures'

In Mexico, Mr Cordova said that the flu outbreak appeared to be stabilising.

"It would still be imprudent to say that we're past the worst of it but I do think... we are in a stage of stabilisation," he said.
On Saturday, authorities cut the suspected death toll by 75 to 101, as more test samples were returned.

Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa criticised five nations - China, Peru, Argentina, Cuba and Ecuador - which have cut flights to Mexico.

"We're surprised by the adoption of unjustified measures," she said.

She also urged Mexicans to avoid travel to China, accusing the government of placing a number of Mexican citizens in unnecessary quarantine in three Chinese cities.

In Hong Kong, some 300 guests and staff remain sealed in a hotel, after the virus was confirmed in a 25-year-old Mexican guest.

Mexico has also - together with the US and Canada - appealed to those countries which had banned pork products.

Decisions should be made based on scientific evidence and not create "unnecessary trade restrictions", a joint statement from the three countries' agriculture ministers said.

The WHO has also cautioned against flu-linked restrictions on pig products.

Pentagon Chief in Taleban Warning

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has warned Pakistan that relations with the US will be threatened unless Islamabad combats the rise of the Taleban.

His comments echo a warning from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.Mrs Clinton said on Wednesday that Pakistan poses a "mortal threat" to the world by abdicating to the Taleban.

Earlier on Thursday, Pakistani troops were sent to tackle Taleban militants who had advanced into a region just 100km (67 miles) from Islamabad.One policeman was killed in the assault in Buner district, which is next to the Swat valley, where the Taleban holds sway after government forces failed to quell an insurgency.

Partnership threatened

Speaking at a US military base in North Carolina, from where American marines are about to be deployed to Afghanistan, the US defence chief said some Pakistani leaders recognise the "existential threat" facing the country's government, but needed to act swiftly.

"It is important they not only recognise it [the threat], but take the appropriate actions to deal with it," Mr Gates said."The stability and the longevity of democratic government in Pakistan is central to the efforts of the coalition in Afghanistan," he added."And it is also central to our future partnership with the government in Islamabad.

The Obama administration is clearly stepping up the pressure on Pakistan's government and security forces to do much more to combat the Taleban, the BBC's Jonathan Beale reports from Washington.

Taleban 'springboard'

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs issued a separate warning on Thursday, calling the developments in Pakistan "very disturbing"."We are extremely concerned about the situation and it is something that takes a lot of the president's time," he said.

The Taleban moved several hundred men into Buner, just weeks after a peace deal signed by President Asif Ali Zardari allowed the introduction of Islamic Sharia law in Swat.Insurgents have now begun patrolling the streets and mounting checkpoints in the area.The Sharia deal was designed to end a bloody 18-month conflict with the Taleban in Swat by yielding to some of their demands.But critics say the militants can now use Swat as a springboard to take over new areas of the country.

Female hairiness health warning

Excessive hairiness in women is not just a cosmetic problem but is likely to be a sign of an underlying medical condition, say UK doctors in a report.

Five to 15% of women have excess hair, and a hormone disorder the most likely cause in many cases, the doctors said.

Women with the problem should not be afraid to seek medical advice, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists report urged.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the cause in 70% to 80% of cases.

Report author, Dr Rebecca Swingler, a specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol, said the condition, known as hirsutism, is distressing and can be particularly upsetting for young women.

Estimates of how many women are affected are likely to be underestimated because women can be reluctant to seek help, she added.

In addition to PCOS, rarer causes of excessive hairiness include certain tumours and thyroid dysfunction, as well as the use of certain drugs.

Mild cases can be treated cosmetically, she said, but in moderate to severe cases, hormone therapy, such as the oral contraceptive pill and other treatments are available.

Weight loss, especially in obese women, may also help reduce high levels of the male hormone testosterone which can be an underlying factor in cases of excess hair.

"Often women have spent many years trying to cope with their hirsutism before they seek professional help," said Dr Swingler.

"Women need to look at themselves in the context of their family and ethnicity and what is 'normal' for them.

"If they notice a change in the pattern of hair growth or they notice they having to wax more often then they should seek help," she said.

Reluctance

Professor Stephen Franks, an expert in reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London, said the condition could be very embarrassing and women might be reluctant to seek medical advice.

They may also not realise hirsutism could be linked to a condition like PCOS because symptoms such as irregular periods are not present, he added.

"It's always worth getting it investigated. Even if it's a benign condition."

Professor Franks said how much hair growth was considered excessive was subjective, but that women should not be afraid to seek help.

Rachel Hawkes, chairwoman of PCOS charity Verity, said many women with excess hair growth did not actively seek treatment because they were embarrassed.

"The effect that excess hair can have on a woman's self-esteem and how she views herself as a woman - and therefore her quality of life - can be extremely distressing.

"We recommend women with PCOS who suffer with excess hair growth seek the advice of their GP, or ask to be referred to an endocrinologist or dermatologist."

Slumdog Makers Pledge Mumbai Cash

The makers of Slumdog Millionaire have announced they are to donate £500,000 to a charity which will help children living in the slums of Mumbai.

Director Danny Boyle said: "It is only right that some of the success of the movie be ploughed back into the city". Two of the film's stars were rehoused after criticism they were still living in poverty after the film's release. Danny Boyle’s salaciously seamy “Slumdog Millionaire” has walked away with 10 Oscar nominations. Nothing unusual. David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” has clinched 13. Earlier in 1950, “All About Eve” won 14. So did the 1997 “Titanic”. “Gone with the Wind”, “From Here to Eternity”, “Mary Poppins”, “Forrest Gump”, “Shakespeare in Love” and others got 13 each.

'Intimidating odds'

Child actors Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, who played young versions of two main characters, were moved to new homes by the Indian authorities.

"Having benefited so much from the hospitality of the people of Mumbai it is only right that some of the success of the movie be ploughed back into the city in areas where it is needed most and where it can make a real difference to some lives," Boyle said of the charitable donation.

"Despite intimidating odds, extraordinary work is going on to help people break the cycle of poverty through education. We're delighted that this initiative will add to that ongoing work," he added.

The cash will fund a five-year project to help poor children in the city, which will be run by the organisation Plan. It is thought the charity, which works in nearly 50 countries, will train people in good hygiene and set up education schemes.

Plan's Marie Staunton said: "Around one billion of the world's population live in slums and there are 100,000 new slum dwellers every day. "Slumdog Millionaire has shown audiences around the world a snapshot of what life is like for one in six people on the planet."

GM Chief Wagoner Ousted by Obama

The chief executive of struggling US car company General Motors has been ordered to step down by US President Barack Obama.

Rick Wagoner will leave immediately, a government official confirmed.

Mr Obama is preparing to outline terms for offering more help to GM and fellow car giant Chrysler.

The two firms have already received $17.4bn (£14.4bn) in bail-outs. Chrysler has requested a further $5bn while GM says it needs $16.7bn more.

Plans rejected

Reports have suggested that a frustrated Mr Obama will reject GM and Chrysler's turnaround plans as unrealistic, raising the risk of the carmakers' bankruptcy.

The auto task force appointed by Mr Obama released two reports on Monday on the financial health of both carmakers, saying that Chrysler was "not viable" in its current form.

It demanded a merger with Italy's Fiat or another carmaker if Chrysler was to survive and said the Obama administration would only provide the company working capital for the next 30 days.

It also said that it would pledge to fund GM's operations for the next 60 days only, requiring the carmaker to come up with another plan detailing further restructuring.

"While Chrysler and GM are different companies with different paths forward, both have unsustainable liabilities and both need a fresh start," the task force said.

"Their best chance at success may well require utilising the bankruptcy code in a quick and surgical way."

Leaner, meaner

In an interview with US broadcaster CBS, President Obama said the firms must do more to justify further aid, saying "they're not there yet".

"We think we can have a successful US auto industry," the president said.

"But it's got to be one that's realistically designed to weather this storm and to emerge - at the other end - much more lean, mean, and competitive than it currently is."

GM plans to axe 47,000 jobs and Chrysler 3,000, as well as shedding a number of car models.

The job cuts would take place by the end of 2009 and are the largest work-force reduction announced by a US firm in the current downturn.

Mr Wagoner, 56, has headed GM since 2000, after first joining the company in 1977.

Fritz Henderson, the GM president and chief operating officer, will replace Mr Wagoner as chief executive, while Kent Kresa, a director at GM, will take over as interim chairman.

The news comes as France's biggest carmaker, Peugeot Citroen, sacked its chairman Christian Streiff, citing "extraordinary difficulties" in the automotive industry.

Brands halved

In December, GM had said it would cut the number of plants from 47 in 2008 to 38 by 2012, but now plans to close a further five factories, which would leave it with 33 facilities.

The carmaker's brands would also be reduced to just four in the US - Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC.

GM and Chrysler received their first bail-outs at the end of last year, warning that without the support they risked financial ruin.

Ford, the third of the "Big Three" US carmakers, has yet to require any bail-outs, but says it may need funds in the future.

GM, Ford and Chrysler have all seen sales fall sharply in their home market.

Democrats: Texas Gov Should Disavow Secession Talk

Texas – In a state that once was its own nation, a Republican governor who talked about secession without completely dismissing the idea has Democratic lawmakers in an uproar. Gov. Rick Perry, in comments following an anti-tax "tea party" Wednesday, never did advocate Texas breaking away from the United States but suggested that Texans might at some point get so fed up they would want to leave the union.

That was enough to feed opinions for and against secession on Web sites, cable TV and talk radio across the nation.

At the Texas Capitol on Thursday, Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, joined by several fellow Texas House Democrats, said some people associate talk of secession with racial division and the Civil War and that Perry should disavow any notion of seceding.

"Talk of secession is an attack on our country. It can be nothing else. It is the ultimate anti-American statement," Dunnam said at a news conference.

State Sen. Rodney Ellis, a Houston Democrat, said that by not rejecting the possibility of secession out of hand, Perry "is taking a step down a very dangerous and divisive path encouraged by the fringe of Texas politics."

The Democrats are proposing a House resolution expressing "complete and total disagreement with any fringe element advocating the 'secession' of Texas or any other state from our one and indivisible Union."

Perry emphasized Thursday that he is not advocating secession but understands why Americans may have those feelings because of frustration with Washington, D.C. He said it's fine to express the thought. He offered no apology and did not back away from his earlier comments.

Perry's remarks Wednesday were in response to a question from The Associated Press as he walked away from the Austin rally, where some in the audience had shouted "Secede!" during his speech. The governor said he didn't think Texas should secede despite some chatter about it on the Internet and his name being associated with the idea.

"We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent lot to boot," Perry said Wednesday.

A day later, Perry said he found the fascination with the remark interesting.

"I refer people back to my statement and I got a charge out of it," he said. "I was kind of thinking that maybe the same people that hadn't been reading the Constitution right were reading that article and they got the wrong impression about what I said. Clearly I stated that we have a great union. Texas is part of a great union. And I see no reason for that to change."

Texas was a republic from 1836, when it declared independence from Mexico, to 1845, when it became a U.S. state.

Perry has been speaking out against the federal government lately over federal economic stimulus spending. He's also in a tough race for re-election against a fellow Republican, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, whom he is trying to portray as a Washington insider.

Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle criticized Dunnam, saying he was "trying to distract from the fact that yesterday thousands of Texans, including many in his own district, expressed their extreme displeasure at Washington's rampant taxation, big spending and bloated government."

Dunnam suggested Perry is positioning himself for his political future."We all knew he wanted to be president. I just didn't know it was president of the Republic of Texas," he said to chuckles from onlookers.

Celtics GM Ainge Suffers Heart Attack

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Boston Celtics president and general manager Danny Ainge suffered a minor heart attack earlier Thursday and was rushed to the hospital.

The Celtics released a statement saying Ainge, 50, is recovering nicely at Massachusetts General Hospital and that he is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days, most likely through Boston's playoff opener with Chicago on Saturday.

The ABC news affiliate in Boston, WCVB, reported that Ainge woke up Thursday morning with chest pains and was rushed to hospital, where doctors had to insert a stent to unclog an artery that was 100 percent clogged.

Ainge orchestrated Boston's run to an NBA-record 17th Championship in franchise history last season, having acquired All-Stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in trades and pairing them with Paul Pierce to form the "Big Three." For his work, Ainge won the 2007-08 NBA Executive of the Year.

Danny Ainge as a general manager have workhard for the Celtics' roster. The Celtics recently solidified their roster by adding veterans Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown. So Ainge is on the road scouting for the draft, planning to check out the Pacific-10 and West Coast Conference tournaments.

If the Celtics maintain the best regular-season record in the NBA, they will have the 30th and last first-round pick. The draft could be quite deep if numerous talented underclassmen come out. That would be bad news for Boston about heart attack of Ainge.

North Korea Says Will Boycott Six-Party Talks

Foreign ministry says it ‘resolutely condemns’ actions by the U.N.

SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea vowed Tuesday to bolster its nuclear deterrent and boycott six-party talks aimed at its denuclearization in protest of a U.N. Security Council statement condemning the country's recent rocket launch.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it "resolutely condemns" the action by the United Nations, which it said "rampantly" infringes upon the country's sovereignty and "severely debases" the people's dignity.

"We have no choice but to further strengthen our nuclear deterrent to cope with additional military threats by hostile forces," the statement said.

The statement also said that "six-party talks that we are taking part in are not necessary any more."

Those negotiations, which also involve China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States, began in 2003 and have been aimed at achieving North Korea's denuclearization.

The North also said it will restore nuclear facilities it has been disabling in line with an international disarmament-for-aid deal negotiated under the six-party process and resume operating them.

The statement was the country's first reaction to the Security Council's unanimous condemnation Monday over the April 5 rocket launch, which Pyongyang says sent a satellite into space but critics say tested long-range missile technology.

The Security Council demanded an end to missile tests and said it will expand sanctions against the reclusive communist nation.

Mets Open Citi Field With A Dud, Fall to Padres

New ballpark gorgeous, unlike the play of the home team.

NEW YORK - The place looked gorgeous. The Mets looked lost.

Jody Gerut christened Citi Field with a leadoff homer — the only time that’s happened in major league history — and the San Diego Padres spoiled New York’s first game in its glittering new ballpark with a 6-5 victory Monday night.

Pedro Feliciano balked in the go-ahead run and the Mets made several costly mistakes, opening Citi Field the same way they closed Shea Stadium: with a dud.

“It’s bittersweet,” David Wright said. “Winning will do a lot more than the park.”

Gerut’s shot off Mike Pelfrey marked the first time that the first batter homered in the opening game at a big league ballpark, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“Very cool,” Gerut said. “Maybe at the end of the season when I look back on this, I’ll have a greater sense of what happened here. But at the time, all I’m thinking is that it put us ahead.”

Wright rallied New York from an early four-run hole with a three-run homer that tied it, but it wasn’t enough. Duaner Sanchez and Heath Bell, both former Mets relievers, closed out the fifth straight win for surprising San Diego, expected to be one of baseball’s worst teams this year.

Adrian Gonzalez also homered for the Padres, who improved to 6-2.

The Mets are looking for more success at $800 million Citi Field than they had at big Shea, where they spent 45 seasons that produced two World Series championships — and consecutive September collapses the past two years.

The Mets lost to Florida in the Shea finale last season, eliminating them from playoff contention. They haven’t been any better in their stadium openers — New York dropped its first game at the old Polo Grounds (1962) and at Shea Stadium (1964), both by 4-3 scores to Pittsburgh.

Wide-eyed fans filed in Monday through the stately Jackie Robinson Rotunda, many snapping photos and searching for souvenirs only steps from where Shea Stadium was razed to make room for Citi Field’s parking lot.

Pregame ceremonies included Hall of Famer Tom Seaver and former New York catcher Mike Piazza walking in together from the bullpen, both wearing Mets jerseys. Seaver threw out the first pitch to Piazza, a strike, and pumped his fist.

Both players autographed the ball, which is headed to the Hall of Fame.

With its intricate brickwork and charming archways, Citi Field was designed to invoke the warmth of Ebbets Field, beloved home of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1913-57.

Even the team mascot, Mr. Met, has his own room under the stands.

“It’s impressive. It’s a nice place. It’s such a stark, dramatic change from Shea Stadium,” said Padres Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, now an executive vice president and senior adviser for San Diego.

The Mets tested out the cozy ballpark with two exhibition games April 3-4 against Boston. But this was the real thing, and it certainly didn’t go as planned.

Gerut pulled Pelfrey’s third pitch down the right-field line, stunning a sold-out crowd of 41,007. The first hit at Shea Stadium also was a home run, by Pirates Hall of Famer Willie Stargell off “Fat Jack” Fisher on April 17, 1964.

“That’s probably the only place in the yard where I can get it out. This park plays pretty big,” Gerut said.

Indeed, Wright and Carlos Beltran hammered long drives to center that Gerut caught near the fence, balls that probably would have left most big league parks — including Shea.

Pelfrey looked out of sorts all night in his team’s new digs. He caught a cleat on the mound in mid-delivery, sending the 6-foot-7 right-hander tumbling awkwardly to the turf in the second inning with Padres starter Walter Silva at the plate.

Pelfrey wasn’t hurt, so he tried to waive off manager Jerry Manuel and a team trainer. They came out to check on him anyway.

“I asked them if the game was on TV. It was pretty embarrassing,” Pelfrey said.

Silva then slapped a two-out single, sparking a three-run rally that included David Eckstein’s two-run double and Brian Giles’ soft RBI single.

Gonzalez gave San Diego a 5-1 cushion with a fifth-inning homer against Pelfrey that caromed off the screen attached to the right-field foul pole.

“We just haven’t seen the life in those pitches,” Manuel said. “We’ll have to really sit down and see if there’s anything wrong with him.”