AL: Orioles break through vs. Chisox

CHICAGO - Though it's early in the season, the Orioles knew how important their 9-6 win over the White Sox was on Saturday night.

The Orioles rebounded from losses in the first two games between division leaders, erasing a three-run deficit before breaking a tie at 5 on Miguel Tejada's run-scoring double in a four-run seventh inning.

"That was a big, big win," Tejada said.

Added winning pitcher Daniel Cabrera: "That was real important."

Brian Roberts was 3-for-5 with three doubles for Baltimore. He is 13-for-26 the past six games.

Chicago's Freddy Garcia walked Melvin Mora to start the seventh and left after Tejada's double. Rafael Palmeiro greeted reliever Neal Cotts with a double that made it 7-5, then B.J. Surhoff drove in a run with a single and scored when Tadahito Iguchi overthrew first trying to complete a double play.

Garcia, who allowed 10 hits and seven earned runs, became the first White Sox starter to lose consecutive starts this season.

Cabrera allowed five runs and six hits with four walks in six innings, but he retired the final nine batters he faced. It helped that Chicago had three runners thrown out at the plate - Paul Konerko in the first, Jermaine Dye in the third and Scott Podsednik in the fourth.

B.J. Ryan pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances.

RANGERS 5, TWINS 0: Kenny Rogers pitched a six-hitter and ran his scoreless streak to 30 innings for host Texas. Rogers (4-2) has won his past four starts and has not allowed a run since the sixth inning of a 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay on April 21. It is the longest streak in the majors this season and Rogers' longest since his team-record of 39 consecutive innings in 1995.

The 40-year-old left-hander threw 104 pitches and did not allow a baserunner past first until the ninth inning in a dominating performance against one of his former teams.

Carlos Silva cruised through the first four innings, allowing two hits and a walk. He got some help from his defense, including a strong throw from rightfielder Jacque Jones that caught Mark Teixeira trying to stretch a single into a double in the fourth, and a couple of double plays. But the Rangers finally got to him in the fifth.

Texas scored four runs on six singles, including Sandy Alomar's bases-loaded hit that scored Alfonso Soriano and Laynce Nix. David Dellucci and Michael Young also had run-scoring singles in the inning to help Texas to a 4-0 lead.

That was more than enough for Rogers.

Enjoying a bit of a renaissance late in his career, Rogers kept the Twins off balance with an array of off-speed pitches and pinpoint location. After starting the season with two no-decisions and two losses, he has been brilliant.

"I think he's throwing the ball awesome," said Rangers pitching coach Orel Hershiser, who set the major-league record with his 59-inning streak in 1988. "It's exciting to watch. ... He's not even breaking a sweat."

He threw seven scoreless innings to beat Cleveland a week ago, eight shutout innings against Oakland on May 2 and six against Seattle on April 27.

TIGERS 2-3, ANGELS 4-2: Brandon Inge hit a two-run homer, Craig Monroe had a solo shot and host Detroit won to split a doubleheader. Jeff DaVanon's suicide squeeze broke a seventh-inning tie in the opener, sending the Angels to victory.

In the second game, Mike Maroth (4-2) improved to 4-1 in his past six starts, giving up two runs and seven hits in 61/3 innings. Four Tigers relievers finished, with Ugueth Urbina pitching a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

INDIANS 3, BLUE JAYS 2: Jhonny Peralta homered to snap a seventh-inning tie as host Cleveland has won three in a row for the first time this season. Peralta hit a 2-2 pitch from Jason Frasor (1-3) over the wall in right-center for his fifth home run.

Arthur Rhodes (2-1), the fourth of six pitchers used by the Indians in a game delayed twice by rain, retired all three batters he faced for the win. Bob Howry worked a perfect eighth and Bob Wickman pitched the ninth for his 11th save in 13 tries.

YANKEES 15, ATHLETICS 6: Derek Jeter and Tino Martinez hit three-run homers, Alex Rodriguez added his major league-leading 12th shot and the Yankees won their seventh straight.

Jorge Posada also homered, while Martinez had three hits and drove in five runs for the Yankees, who have scored 59 runs during their longest winning streak in more than a year. Hideki Matsui matched his career high with four of New York's 18 hits. Kevin Brown (2-4) won his second straight start for the Yankees (18-19), who are back within a game of third-place Toronto in the East.

[Last modified May 15, 2005, 01:22:06]