Sports

AL: 20 games later, the Royals win

Associated Press
Published August 21, 2005

---

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Kansas City Royals ended baseball's longest losing streak in 17 years Saturday night, defeating the Athletics 2-1 to snap a club-record 19-game skid.

Emil Brown doubled in a run, Matt Stairs added a run-scoring groundout and Mike Wood pitched five effective innings, helping the Royals stop their slide two shy of the American League record. They also ended a 12-game road losing streak that tied the franchise single-season mark.

It didn't come without a couple of bloopers that so defined the play of the lowly Royals for 23 days since their previous victory, a 6-5 win over the Chicago White Sox in 13 innings on July 27.

Kansas City, which owns the majors' worst record, beat A's ace Barry Zito and got clutch outs when Oakland had a runner on third base with fewer than two outs in the fifth and sixth.

Mike MacDougal got four outs for his 15th straight save and 16th in 18 chances - his first since July 24.

The Royals' skid was the longest since Baltimore lost an AL-record 21 in a row at the start of the 1988 season. The major-league mark since 1900 is 23 straight losses by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1961.

Royals outfielder Terrence Long, who spent 2000-03 with the A's, avoided becoming the first player since 1900 to be part of a 20-game winning streak and a 20-game losing streak, according to Stats, Inc.

"I don't want to be that guy," Long said before the game. "Not that way. But what can you do?"

ANGELS 4, RED SOX 2: Rookie Ervin Santana took a two-hit shutout into the eighth inning in a matchup of division leaders.

The loss was the sixth in 22 games for the visiting Red Sox, who lead the Yankees by three games in the East.

Santana, who had an 11.34 ERA in four previous daytime starts, allowed five hits and two runs in 72/3 innings while throwing 111 pitches.

He retired his first 11 batters and 21 of the first 23. The only baserunners for the Red Sox in the first seven innings were David Ortiz, who hit a two-out double in the fourth, and Edgar Renteria, who doubled to start the seventh.

TIGERS 3, BLUE JAYS 2 (13): Magglio Ordonez doubled in the winning run with one out in the 13th inning to lead host Detroit to its third straight victory.

Placido Polanco singled off Miguel Batista to open the inning, then moved to second when Chris Shelton walked. Ordonez's hit sailed over leftfielder Reed Johnson to the wall.

Franklyn German worked the last 11/3 innings for the Tigers, who have won six of seven.

Tigers starter Jason Johnson gave up two runs - one earned - and four hits in eight innings. It was the eighth time in 25 starts Johnson has worked at least eight innings.

Rookie left-hander Gustavo Chacin gave up two home runs in seven innings for the Blue Jays, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out two.

YANKEES 5, WHITE SOX 0: Shawn Chacon throttled Chicago's punchless offense and Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run double as visiting New York sent the White Sox to a season-high seventh straight loss.

Chacon allowed four hits in eight sharp innings for his second straight win, and the Yankees again beat former teammate Orlando Hernandez, who had a frustrating day at U.S. Cellular Field.

El Duque was warned for throwing a pitch behind Rodriguez, committed his first two errors in 109 games and was called for a balk. He gave up six hits and five runs - four earned - in six-plus innings.

MARINERS 8, TWINS 3 (10): Richie Sexson hit a grand slam in the 10th inning, and visiting Seattle snapped Minnesota's six-game winning streak.

Seattle rookie Felix Hernandez allowed five hits and struck out nine in eight innings. He shook off a shaky first inning and dominated the final seven, mixing a 95 mph fastball with an 82 mph changeup and a devastating curveball.

Sexson added a homer in the seventh and had five RBIs.

INDIANS 6, ORIOLES 1: Cliff Lee remained unbeaten since July 8, pitching seven superb innings as host Cleveland stayed with rest of the wild-card pack.

Lee allowed one run and four hits, but only two after the first inning. The left-hander hasn't lost in his last seven starts, going 4-0.

Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez each hit a two-run homer off Rodrigo Lopez for the Indians, who came in trailing wild-card pacesetter Oakland by 21/2 games. Cleveland, which is 11 games over .500 for the second time, is 81/2 games behind Central-leading Chicago - the closest the Indians have been since June 19.

[Last modified August 21, 2005, 00:51:14]

[an error occurred while processing this directive]