Rays/MLB

AL roundup

By Wire services
Published April 21, 2006

ORIOLES 9 INDIANS 4: BALTIMORE - Big rallies and series wins are commonplace these days for the Orioles.

Erik Bedard improved to 4-0, Miguel Tejada homered and drove in three and Baltimore rallied. Javy Lopez, Jeff Conine and Tejada had two RBIs during a six-run sixth that erased a 4-3 deficit and gave Baltimore its sixth win in eight games.

"It was a big inning for the team; it was a big relief for me that I was able to contribute to the team," Lopez said.

Minor injuries and inconsistency have hampered Lopez's transition from catcher to DH. He was 5-for-13 against the Indians.

"It seems like everything's starting to come into place right now; my thumb, my elbow, getting used to being DH," Lopez said.

Victor Martinez and former Devil Ray Eduardo Perez homered for Cleveland. Martinez was 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 15 games, longest in the majors this season.

"We've been doing the little things well. We always make sure we play the game hard," Martinez said. "Unfortunately, these last two games, some of those things didn't go real good for us."

NOTABLE: The Orioles in the sixth batted around for the third time in two games against the Indians.

NATIONALS 10 PHILLIES 4: PHILADELPHIA - Frank Robinson got his 1,000th win as a manager as Nick Johnson hit two homers for Washington.

Robinson, 70, is 1,000-1,095 in 16 seasons. He became the 53rd manager to reach the milestone.

Winner Billy Traber hadn't pitched in the majors since Sept. 16, 2003, for Cleveland. He missed the 2004 season after Tommy John surgery and spent last season in the minors.

NOTABLE: Johnson is batting .560 (14-for-25) over the past seven games and has reached base in 22 of 34 plate appearances since April 12.

TIGERS 4 ATHLETICS 3: OAKLAND, Calif. - Brandon Inge walked on the 15th pitch from Justin Duchscherer, then Curtis Granderson walked with the bases loaded to bring home the go-ahead run in the ninth as Detroit rallied.

Inge was determined to wear down Duchscherer, pitching in place of Huston Street because the A's regular closer has a mild strain of a chest muscle.

"I was battling absolutely as hard as I could," Inge said. "A pitcher would rather have a rocket hit off him than have someone stand up there and keep fouling off pitches."

QUOTABLE: "One-and-a-half Marlboros." - Jim Leyland, Tigers manager on the number of cigarettes he had time to smoke during Inge's at-bat

ANGELS 6 TWINS 4: MINNEAPOLIS - Francisco Rodriguez didn't want to let the Angels leave with another loss.

A day after his club-record streak of 22 save conversions ended, the Los Angeles closer was back in form and keeping Minnesota from another comeback. Jose Molina's two-out double drove in pinch-runner Maicer Izturis to break an eighth-inning tie, and Rodriguez got four outs for his fifth save.

"I felt confident. I went out there and threw hard and made the right pitches," Rodriguez said.

NOTABLE: Twins leadoff man and leftfielder Shannon Stewart left the team to be with his wife, Sharonda, who was due to give birth to the couple's first child.

[Last modified April 21, 2006, 01:43:05]