KANSAS CITY, Mo. - They had the best record in spring training and are tied for the best in the regular season. So far, at least, success has returned to Kansas City.
"If you've been around baseball at all and have a perspective, you know we've got 157 games to go," Brent Mayne said after Kansas City beat Cleveland 3-1 Saturday. "It takes a bit longer than five games to make anybody shake in their boots, but in any town this start would get anybody's attention."
Runelvys Hernandez combined with Jason Grimsley and Mike MacDougal on a two-hitter.
The Royals are the first major-league team to start 5-0 after a 100-loss season.
"We have confidence," Hernandez said. "I think we're going to be better this year."
Hernandez beat the White Sox in the Royals' opener, a start he was awarded in a coin toss. Against the Indians he allowed one run and two hits in seven innings, struck out three and walked one. He has a 0.69 ERA in 13 innings.
The 5-0 start is the best for the Royals, who were 62-100 last season. Three other teams started 4-0 after 100-loss seasons - the 1952 St. Louis Browns, 1906 Boston Bean Eaters and the 1899 St. Louis Perfectos - but each lost its fifth.
ORIOLES 2, RED SOX 1: A duel between Pedro Martinez and Jason Johnson was decided by a couple of relievers who couldn't find the plate.
Chad Fox walked Tony Batista with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth to give host Baltimore the win.
After the Red Sox rallied to tie it in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk, Baltimore took advantage of another poor showing by Boston's bullpen.
The defeat snapped a four-game winning streak for the Red Sox, who scored 42 in their first five games, four of which were against the Rays. Baltimore had dropped three straight after winning opening day.
"Any time you can win with Pedro on the mound you've got to feel good about it," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said.
WHITE SOX 7, TIGERS 0: Mark Buehrle works quickly on warm days. When it's freezing, his rapid-fire pace makes his Chicago teammates even happier. With the game-time temperature at 32, Buehrle allowed three hits in eight innings, and Sandy Alomar, Frank Thomas and Jose Valentin homered in a game that took 2 hours, 16 minutes. It was the coldest home game for the White Sox since they started recording temperatures in 1990.
ATHLETICS 4, ANGELS 2: Adam Piatt homered and doubled in a rare start, and John Halama did not allow an earned run in 52/3 innings for host Oakland. Piatt homered in the first and doubled in the third on a day manager Ken Macha started only one regular in the outfield, rightfielder Jermaine Dye. With two outs in the seventh, Angels starter Jarrod Washburn was hit by Mark Ellis' line drive in the upper left arm and left the game.
BLUE JAYS 4, TWINS 3 (11): Josh Phelps homered off Eddie Guardado with one out in the top of the 11th. Kelvim Escobar pitched the bottom of the inning for his first save, and Pete Walker picked up the victory.
The teams combined to leave 26 runners on base. Bobby Kielty went 2-for-5 with two RBIs for Minnesota, tying the score at 3 in the eighth with a two-out double.
RANGERS 8, MARINERS 4: Juan Gonzalez homered twice and Alex Rodriguez and Hank Blalock also connected for host Texas. Gonzalez has 408 career home runs and moved past Duke Snider for 33rd on the all-time list. Colby Lewis struck out eight in 62/3 innings in his fifth major-league start for Texas.
[Last modified April 6, 2003, 01:16:49]
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