AL: Taiwan pitcher's debut gives Yanks needed win

NEW YORK - With pressure mounting on the Yankees to stop their slide, Chien-Ming Wang stepped on the mound for his first big-league game and didn't look nervous at all.

As several fans waved Taiwanese flags in the stands on a rainy afternoon, Wang held Toronto to six singles in seven innings and left with a one-run lead. Tom Gordon allowed a tying homer to Corey Koskie in the eighth, but Tony Womack hit a winning single in the ninth Saturday that gave the Yankees a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays.

"He made it look pretty easy," Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina said. "Maybe we're all trying too hard and we should just go out and do what he did. He looked pretty good."

New York, which stopped a three-game losing streak, is 10-14. Before the game, manager Joe Torre said he held meetings with players in the middle of the month because he "just didn't like the feel of the team. ... But the last couple of days, I just sense the different personality, which I like better."

Alex Rodriguez, who has provided most of the Yankees' offense, did it again with a homer. He hit his major league-leading ninth this season and fifth of the week. He also walked leading off the ninth.

Wang, a 25-year-old right-hander from Taiwan, allowed a bunt single, two other infield hits and three singles to the outfield - all to left-handed batters. Wang (pronounced "Wong") retired his first 10 hitters before Orlando Hudson chopped a single to second base in the fourth.

Wang is the third major-leaguer from Taiwan, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, following Chin-Feng Chen, who played for the Dodgers from 2002-04, and Colorado pitcher Chin-hui Tsao. Taking the spot that opened when Jaret Wright hurt his shoulder, Wang took the mound with the Yankees 61/2 games back, their biggest deficit since September 1997.

RED SOX 9, RANGERS 2: Bronson Arroyo won again while appealing his suspension, and Johnny Damon and Trot Nixon hit consecutive homers to lead visiting Boston.

Jason Varitek also homered, and Arroyo worked seven innings for his eighth straight victory spanning 14 starts since Aug. 21. He pitched a day after being handed a six-game suspension for his role in two bench-clearing scuffles at Tampa Bay last weekend.

The World Series champion Red Sox snapped a three-game losing streak to avoid their first losing April since 1996. They had lost five of six games.

A'S 6, MARINERS 5 (10): Mark Kotsay had five hits, including a winning single with two outs in the 10th, for host Oakland.

Raul Ibanez's run-scoring single in the ninth off Oakland closer Octavio Dotel sent the game to extra innings.

Keiichi Yabu pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Kotsay finished 5-for-6 and matched an Oakland record for hits, also equaling his career best.

With two outs and none on in the 10th, Ron Villone walked Nick Swisher and Marco Scutaro. Kotsay followed with a single to center, scoring Swisher. It was the first earned run allowed by Villone in eight innings this season.

TWINS 4, ANGELS 2: Brad Radke earned his second win with 71/3 strong innings and Justin Morneau had a homer and a triple as host Minnesota won its fifth straight. Radke bounced back after giving up 11 hits in each of his previous two starts.

WHITE SOX 4, TIGERS 3: Tadahito Iguchi's run-scoring single capped a three-run seventh as host Chicago ended Detroit's five-game streak. Orlando Hernandez, bailed out by the Chicago rally, allowed eight hits and three runs in seven innings to get the victory that snapped Chicago's three-game slide.

ROYALS 8, INDIANS 1: Ken Harvey hit his first major-league grand slam and Eli Marrero homered twice to back rookie Denny Bautista as visiting Kansas City snapped a nine-game losing streak. Harvey connected in a five-run third off Cliff Lee as the Royals won for the first time since beating the Indians on April 19.

[Last modified May 1, 2005, 00:00:10]