AL: White Sox rout Tigers for best start since '81

DETROIT - Jermaine Dye chilled out after pressuring himself into an early slump with the White Sox, who signed him to replace Magglio Ordonez.

Dye hit a two-run homer and two-run single to back Jon Garland in Chicago's 9-1 victory over Detroit on Wednesday.

The White Sox have won three in a row to match the best 15-game start in team history - also done in 1981 and 1980.

"Any player that comes to a new team is going to try to get off to a good start," said Dye, who entered hitting .178. "But I'm relaxed now."

Garland improving to 3-0 for the first time and has won three consecutive starts for the first time in three years.

Wilfredo Ledezma gave up six runs on eight hits. Since allowing a run in his first start, he has given up 10 runs and 16 hits in 11 innings in two outings.

After Paul Konerko walked in the first, Dye's two-run homer over the leftfield wall made it 3-0. It was his first hit in 12 at-bats.

The White Sox went ahead 6-1 in the fifth on Dye's two-run single and Carl Everett's sacrifice fly.

YANKEES 11, BLUE JAYS 2: Carl Pavano scattered seven hits over eight innings for his first win for visiting New York. Pavano, who signed a $39.95-million, four-year contract during the offseason, pitched well but didn't get a decision against Boston in his first start, was knocked out by a line drive off his head against Baltimore and pitched poorly against the Orioles in his third.

Jorge Posada went 3-for-5, falling a triple shy of a cycle, and drove in four runs. He had a run-scoring double in the four-run fourth, singled in the fifth and hit his first home run of the season in the sixth.

Up 3-1, the Yankees broke it open with four in the fourth. After Posada's double, Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams had run-scoring singles and Alex Rodriguez drew a bases-loaded walk. Posada hit a three-run homer in the sixth to make it 10-1.

Yankees designated hitter Ruben Sierra left after doubling twice with the team saying he had a stiff right elbow. Centerfielder Bernie Williams left because of tenderness in his left knee after singling in the seventh. The status of both is unknown.

RED SOX 8, ORIOLES 0: David Wells allowed three hits for visiting Boston. He came within three outs of his first shutout since April10, 2003, a span of 63 starts, and since losing his first two starts, he has thrown 15 consecutive scoreless innings. Baltimore's Brian Roberts went 0-for-3 with a walk, ending a 14-game hitting streak.

Jason Varitek's three-run homer in the sixth gave the Red Sox a 4-0 lead. It came after Manny Ramirez doubled and Bruce Chen hit Kevin Millar with a pitch. It became 8-0 in the eighth on a run-scoring double by Bill Mueller, run-scoring single by Mark Bellhorn and run-scoring groundout by Johnny Damon.

MARINERS 7, A'S: 6: Greg Dobbs' pinch-hit double drove in three in the seventh for host Seattle. Bret Boone gave the Mariners a 4-0 lead in the first with his sixth grand slam and first given up by Barry Zito.

Then with the score tied at 4, the Mariners loaded the bases on singles by Adrian Beltre, Raul Ibanez and pinch-hitter Jeremy Reed. With two outs, Dobbs, batting for Miguel Olivo, hit a sinking liner that diving leftfielder Eric Byrnes couldn't catch, and the ball rolled past him.

Oakland pulled to 7-5 in the eighth when Ron Villone hit Mark Kotsay in the hand with the bases loaded. But Villone got Jason Kendall to pop out to second and struck out Eric Chavez.

TWINS 5, ROYALS 4: Shannon Stewart's single through a drawn-in infield in the eighth lifted host Minnesota.

With the score 4-4 and one out, Lew Ford had an infield hit and advanced to second on third baseman Joe McEwing's throwing error. Terry Tiffee was intentionally walked, and both moved up on a wild pitch. Michael Cuddyer was intentionally walked to load the bases. Stewart then hit his grounder to left.

ANGELS 2, INDIANS 0: Bartolo Colon pitched four-hit ball over eight innings for host Los Angeles. Colon, who allowed 68 home runs during the past two seasons, has given up only one in 272/3 innings. Darin Erstad made it 1-0 with a third-inning single, and Chone Figgins hit his second homer in the eighth.

[Last modified April 21, 2005, 01:23:02]