SEATTLE - Rafael Palmeiro will have to wait at least one more day.
The Baltimore first baseman moved within one hit of 3,000, Daniel Cabrera pitched eight two-hit innings and the Orioles opened the second half with a 5-3 victory over the Mariners on Thursday night.
Jay Gibbons hit a two-run homer and Sal Fasano also homered as the Orioles erased an early 3-0 deficit pulled one game behind East-leading Boston.
But the story was Palmeiro's bid for history, and even Mariners fans cheered him each time he was up.
Palmeiro recorded career hit No. 2,999 with a one-out single to right in the fourth. It was a clean hit off Seattle starter Aaron Sele.
Gibbons followed with a high shot off the facing of the middle deck behind the rightfield corner, pulling Baltimore within 3-2.
With 566 home runs, Palmeiro is poised to join Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers.
Palmeiro went 1-for-3 with a walk. He grounded out in the second and sixth and walked in the eighth. He was on deck when Miguel Tejada was retired to end the top of the ninth.
Palmeiro's son, Preston, documented the night's events using a hand-held video camera. Another son, Patrick, served as an Orioles batboy.
B.J. Ryan struck out the side in the ninth for his 20th save in 23 chances.
Harden flirts with perfection
OAKLAND, Calif. - Rich Harden carried a perfect game into the eighth, finishing with a masterful two-hitter in the Athletics' 6-0 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Harden was five outs from the 18th perfect game in history when Alfonso Soriano hit a clean single to center. He was the first pitcher this season to take a no-hitter through seven innings.
The crowd gave him a warm standing ovation, and he quickly recovered. He allowed a two-out single to David Dellucci in the ninth before retiring Michael Young on a groundout to complete his first career shutout. Harden threw 61 of his 81 pitches for strikes in a game that lasted 2 hours, 11 minutes.
It was the fewest pitches by an Oakland starter in a complete game since 1988, when the team began counting pitches.
WHITE SOX 1, INDIANS 0: Jose Contreras pitched seven three-hit innings to outduel Kevin Millwood and lead visiting Chicago,
The White Sox stopped a season-high three-game losing streak. Cleveland, trying to gain on the Central leaders, lost for the sixth time in seven games.
ANGELS 3, TWINS 2: Steve Finley, Maicer Izturis and Adam Kennedy each had two hits and an RBI to help visiting Los Angeles snap its season-high four-game losing streak.
Bret Boone, acquired by Minnesota this week after being designated for assignment by the Mariners, batted third and went 0-for-4. The Twins have lost five of seven.
ROYALS 12, TIGERS 9: Matt Stairs hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in six, and Zack Greinke won for the first time since May 31 for visiting Kansas City.
