AL: Boone gets back on power trip

By Times Staff Writer
Published April 9, 2005

DETROIT - Less than two years after hitting one of baseball's most dramatic homers, Aaron Boone can still enjoy helping his team win on a routine April night.

Back from a one-year layoff caused by a knee injury, Boone hit a tiebreaking two-run homer off Ugueth Urbina in the eighth Friday, leading the Indians over the Tigers 4-3.

"Being in here and shaking hands with the music playing is what it is all about," Boone said. "It's especially nice when you have a hand in the win."

Boone is best known for his pennant-winning homer for the Yankees against Boston in Game 7 of the 2003 AL Championship Series. He also homered in Game 3 of that year's World Series.

But he hadn't homered since, having missed last season with a knee injury sustained in a pickup basketball game.

Friday, Urbina relieved at the start of the eighth and allowed Travis Hafner's one-out single. Boone then homered into the bullpen in left.

Detroit loaded the bases in the bottom half on errors by Boone at third and Jhonny Peralta at shortstop and Brandon Inge's single.

David Riske struck out pinch-hitter Carlos Guillen, forced in a run by walking Omar Infante on a 3-and-2 pitch and after starting 3-and-0, got Bobby Higginson out to fly out.

ORIOLES 12, YANKEES 5: Brian Roberts homered for the second straight game to help visiting Baltimore wake up. The Orioles hit .113 (7-for-62) and scored one run in the last two games against Oakland. But Roberts hit a two-run homer off Jaret Wright (making his Yankees debut), drove in four runs and finished a double short of the cycle.

Signed to a $21-million, three-year deal after going 15-8 for Atlanta last season, Wright gave up six runs and eight hits in four-plus innings.

The Orioles scored three in the third on Luis Matos' run-scoring single and Roberts' homer. Matos added a run-scoring triple as Baltimore batted around in a four-run sixth, in which Roberts, Miguel Tejada and Javy Lopez had run-scoring singles.

RED SOX 6, BLUE JAYS 5: Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon homered for visiting Boston. Varitek led off the second with a homer off the facing of the fifth deck in rightfield to make it 2-0, and Nixon's homer to lead off the third made it 3-1.

Boston loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Brandon League got a comebacker but threw the ball into centerfield. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz followed with a run-scoring single and double, respectively.

With Boston up 6-3, Keith Foulke nearly blew the save. Singles by Corey Koskie, Shea Hillenbrand and Eric Hinske (his first three batters) made it 6-4. Gregg Zaun's groundout made it 6-5 and moved Hinske, the tying round to second. Hinske advanced on Alex Rios' flyout to right, and Foulke reloaded the bases with a walk and hit batter. But Orlando Hudson grounded out to end it.

WHITE SOX 5, TWINS 1: Orlando Hernandez pitched seven sparkling innings in his White Sox debut, and sixth-inning home runs by Paul Konerko and Aaron Rowand lifted Chicago in Minnesota's home opener.

Hernandez, the 35-year-old Cuban whose shoulder problems last year led to a disappointing September and October with the Yankees, struck out five and retired his last seven batters.

ROYALS 6, ANGELS 2: Denny Bautista allowed three hits in eight innings for his first major-league victory for visiting Kansas City. He struck out eight, walked none and retired 15 of his last 16 batters in his sixth major-league start.

Kansas City scored two in the fifth for a 5-1 lead. David DeJesus tripled just past first baseman Darin Erstad and scored when Tony Graffanino's squeeze bunt to the right of the mound ended up as a single. Mike Sweeney followed with a run-scoring double just inside third base.

MARINERS 9, RANGERS 6: Raul Ibanez hit a two-run homer and Willie Bloomquist added a two-run single as the Seattle Mariners rallied in the eighth inning to beat the Texas Rangers 9-6 Friday night. Texas wasted leads of 2-0, 4-3 and 6-5, and Seattle 3-2 and 5-4 advantages before going ahead for good.

[Last modified April 9, 2005, 01:42:05]