Royal pain: K.C. drops 18th straight
SEATTLE — The Kansas City Royals lost their club-record 18th straight game, moving within three of matching the longest skid in American League history by falling 11-5 to the last-place Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
Manager Buddy Bell rejoined the Royals after a two-game absence while attending burial services at Arlington National Cemetery for his Marine nephew, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq earlier this month.
The Royals moved closer to the AL record of 21 straight losses set by the Baltimore Orioles at the start of the 1988 season. The modern major league record for consecutive losses is 23, set by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies.
Adrian Beltre hit a grand slam in the first inning for the Mariners, and Jamie Moyer (10-4) made the early lead stand up. D.J. Carrasco (5-7) surrendered Beltre's slam on his 17th pitch.
Orioles 5, Athletics 3
OAKLAND, Calif. — Emergency starter Eric DuBose didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning, and Baltimore sent Oakland to its fourth straight loss by completing a three-game sweep.
DuBose took the mound at the last minute after Daniel Cabrera was scratched because of a sore lower back, then pitched brilliantly. Mark Ellis broke up the no-hit bid with a bloop single to center with two outs in the fifth.
The 29-year-old DuBose (1-0), making his second appearance of the season after being recalled from Double-A Bowie, retired 14 of the first 16 batters. He allowed only Ellis' hit in six shutout innings.
Rangers 3, Indians 0
CLEVELAND — Rookie Chris Young allowed two singles in eight shutout innings, helping Texas snap an eight-game losing streak.
The 6-foot-10 Young, the tallest player in Rangers' history, was too much for the Indians, who had never faced him. They will have to wait until next time to try and figure out Young (10-7).
Cleveland didn't get a runner to third base off the right-hander, who walked one, struck out seven and retired 15 of the final 17 batters. Francisco Cordero worked the ninth for his 27th save.
Devil Rays 7, Yankees 6
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Alex Gonzalez homered and drove in four runs, and Jonny Gomes snapped an eighth-inning tie when he scored on Tanyon Sturtze's wild pitch, lifting Tampa Bay over New York.
Gonzalez had a RBI single off Al Leiter in the second and tied the game with a run-scoring double off Tanyon Sturtze (4-2) in the eighth.
Gomes, who had singled, raced home to put the Devil Rays ahead for good when Sturtze threw a pitch over the head of catcher Jorge Posada.
Twins 5, White Sox 1
CHICAGO — Johan Santana took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, and Minnesota completed a three-game sweep of first-place Chicago.
Santana (12-6) gave up six hits with one walk, and struck out 10 in 8 1-3 innings. He lost his no-hit bid when Carl Everett hit a bloop single to open the seventh, and Paul Konerko ended his shutout by led off the ninth with his 31st homer.
Matthew LeCroy homered twice for the Twins, who have won six of seven. The White Sox lost their season-high five straight and continued their struggles at U.S. Cellular Field where they are just 6-13 in their last 19 home games.
Blue Jays 4, Angels 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Orlando Hudson and Vernon Wells broke open a tie game with consecutive RBI singles, helping Josh Towers win his fourth straight road decision as Toronto beat Los Angeles.
The Blue Jays have won seven of their last nine games to move six games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 28, 2003, when they were 86-76.
Towers (10-9) allowed a run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings after shutting out Baltimore on nine hits last Friday at Camden Yards. Miguel Batista, the fourth Blue Jays pitcher, got three outs for his 23rd save in 27 attempts.
Jarrod Washburn (6-7) lost his third straight decision, allowing three runs and eight hits over six innings.
Tigers 6, Red Sox 5
DETROIT — Craig Monroe's two-run double highlighted a five-run first off David Wells.
Down two entering the ninth, the Red Sox rallied for a run off Fernando Rodney when Gabe Kapler doubled and scored on a single by Edgar Renteria. But David Ortiz hit into the Red Sox's fifth double play of the game to end it.
Rodney earned his fifth save as the Tigers took two of three for the AL East leaders.
Wells (9-6) faced the entire Detroit lineup in the first, allowing six singles and Monroe's double. Wells worked into the fifth and allowed 12 hits, one shy of a career high. He gave up six runs and had three strikeouts.