Rays/MLB

AL roundup

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 26, 2006

RANGERS 6, ATHLETICS 5: ARLINGTON, Texas - Hank Blalock's run-scoring single with two outs in the ninth lifted Texas

Blalock bailed out closer Francisco Cordero, who allowed Oakland to tie with two runs in the top half. It was his fourth blown save in seven opportunities this season.

Mark Teixeira doubled with two outs in the Texas ninth off former Devil Ray Chad Gaudin. Phil Nevin walked and Blalock singled up the middle.

The Rangers have won five of six and nine of 12.

NOTABLE: Kevin Mench became the fourth Ranger to homer in five straight games, joining Carl Everett, Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez.

RED SOX 8, INDIANS 6: CLEVELAND - Manny Ramirez followed an intentional walk to David Ortiz with a tiebreaking three-run homer in the eighth that lifted Boston.

The score was 5-5 when Kevin Youkilis singled off Guillermo Mota with one out in the eighth and stole second. Mark Loretta popped out and Cleveland walked Ortiz, who hit his ninth homer an inning earlier.

Ramirez hit a 1-and-0 pitch for the 438th homer of his career, tying Andre Dawson for 32nd.

NOTABLE: Jonathan Papelbon's ninth save tied the major-league record for a rookie in April, set by Kansas City's Mike MacDougal in 2003.

BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 3: TORONTO - Vernon Wells doubled home the go-ahead run in a four-run seventh, backing Gustavo Chacin and leading the Blue Jays.

Chacin improved his ERA from 5.60 to 5.11. Baltimore has lost three straight after winning nine of 12.

The Orioles, who have scored five in their skid, tied it at 3 in the seventh on Jay Gibbons' two-run homer.

Rodrigo Lopez walked Russ Adams leading off the bottom half, and Jim Brower relieved and walked Frank Catalanotto with one out. Wells doubled for a 4-3 lead.

NOTABLE: Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada was selected AL player of the week after batting .536 with 24 total bases.

TWINS 2, ROYALS 1: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Ruben Sierra and Joe Mauer drove in runs in the eighth, and Minnesota rallied to stop a four-game losing streak.

Scott Elarton shut out the Twins on three hits through seven innings, and Lew Ford singled against Luke Hudson leading off the eighth.

Ford advanced on John Buck's passed ball and scored on a pinch single by Sierra, 40, his second RBI in 11 at-bats.

Shannon Stewart singled to send pinch-runner Nick Punto to third, and Mauer hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly off Andrew Sisco.

NOTABLE: Kansas City stranded 14, three short of the team record for a nine-inning game.

TIGERS 5, ANGELS 2: ANAHEIM, Calif. - Magglio Ordonez was 3-for-4 with a home run, Jeremy Bonderman allowed three hits in six innings and Detroit improved to a major league-best 11-3 on the road.

Bonderman held the two-time defending West champs to two sixth-inning runs after being staked to a 5-0 lead. The right-hander helped improve the Tigers' league-best ERA to 3.58. Detroit is 3-0 in Bonderman's road starts and 0-2 in his starts at Comerica Park.

Todd Jones pitched a perfect ninth for his third save in three attempts since coming off the disabled list.

NOTABLE: Tigers opponents have attempted five steals in 21 games, the fewest attempts against one team in the majors.

WHITE SOX 13, MARINERS 3: SEATTLE - Jermaine Dye hit two home runs and Tadahito Iguchi had a career-high four RBIs to lead Chicago.

Iguchi, Paul Konerko and Joe Crede homered to help the White Sox to their biggest victory margin since 12-2 over the Cubs on June 24. A night earlier, the Mariners had snapped a four-game skid by stopping Chicago's eight-game winning streak.

Seattle had not lost by 10 or more since the Red Sox beat it 13-2 on Sept. 11, 2004.

NOTABLE: Dye, who batted .175 last April in his Chicago debut, is batting .333 this month.

[Last modified April 26, 2006, 01:28:03]