Sports: AL briefs

AL briefs

Compiled from Times wires

Indians finish off sweep

BALTIMORE -- Marty Cordova is making a solid case to get more playing time for the talent-laden Indians.

Cordova homered twice and drove in four runs Thursday as the Indians completed their first three-game sweep in Baltimore since 1988 with an 11-5 victory.

It was the fifth career two-homer game for Cordova, who gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead with a home run in the fourth inning and added a three-run shot in the fifth.

"One home run is nice. Two is nicer," he said. "It makes the flight home a lot easier."

It's been a long time since the Indians left Baltimore during the regular season feeling this good. Cleveland outscored the Orioles 23-7 in its first three-game sweep in Baltimore since the Orioles' season-opening 0-21 start 13 years ago.

Cordova has played in only six of the Indians' 13 games, but he's made the most of the opportunity. The outfielder-designated hitter is 7-for-15 with three homers and eight RBI.

"When I get my chance to play, I try to do what I can," he said. "There's a lot of good players on this team and hard to fit everybody in."

Cordova went 2-for-4 with two RBI on Wednesday, then topped that with a performance that should earn him more starting assignments from manager Charlie Manuel.

"Cordova's not getting a lot of playing time, but he's taking a lot of extra hitting," Manuel said. "That's a good indication of the type of player he is."

Einar Diaz also homered and C.C. Sabathia allowed two runs in six innings for the Indians, who have their first three-game winning streak of the season. Cleveland took two of three from the Orioles last week and won the season series 5-1.

Sabathia, 20, gave up six hits in his third major-league start. He struck out three and walked two.

"It's a learning experience," the left-hander said. "Every time I go out there, something new happens. ... I really struggled to throw strikes. The first two times, I never really struggled throwing strikes."

Brady Anderson had three hits for the Orioles, who have lost eight of 11. Half of Baltimore's 10 defeats this season have been to the Indians.

"They keep coming at you," Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove said. "They're obviously one of the favorites in the AL to be contenders, for good reason. They've got good pitching and good hitting."

After a listless performance in a 4-1 loss Wednesday, the Orioles offense showed signs of life in the series finale.

"We got our butts kicked last night and today, but today left a better taste," Hargrove said. "We did some real positive things today. We swung the bats well."

Cleveland went up 6-2 with a three-run fifth. After Juan Gonzalez and Wil Cordero singled off Chuck McElroy, Cordova hit the second pitch from Chad Paronto over the centerfield wall for his third homer of the season.

The Indians made it 9-2 in the sixth on a run-scoring double by Ellis Burks and a two-run double by Cordero. Diaz hit a two-run homer off Ryan Kohlmeier in the ninth, and Baltimore scored three runs in the bottom half off Paul Shuey.

ATHLETICS 9, RANGERS 5: Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi homered as visiting Oakland beat Texas starter Kenny Rogers for the first time since 1994.

Barry Zito, the second-year Oakland pitcher, matched a career high with 10 strikeouts in his six innings.

Six of Zito's strikeouts were on called third strikes. The only runs he allowed were on a two-run homer by Alex Rodriguez -- his first at home for the Rangers.

The last time Rogers lost to Oakland was Aug. 7, 1994. He went 7-0 in his next 11 appearances against the A's, including nine starts, before giving up seven runs and 11 hits in six innings Thursday.

MARINERS 3, ANGELS 2: Freddy Garcia outpitched Ismael Valdes for the second time in a week for host Seattle.

On a night when the Mariners matched their best start at 12-4, they played before a crowd of 25,016 -- the smallest at Safeco Field since it opened on July 15, 1999.

Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 14 games, a Mariners' rookie record, with a single in the first inning. He scored the game's first run in the sixth.

WHITE SOX 3, TIGERS 1: David Wells needed only 100 pitches in a complete-game win, including 81 for strikes.

Wells avenged a loss April 8 to the Tigers in which he allowed five runs in eight innings.

This time, he worked around eight hits, walked none and struck out six. It was his 46th career complete game.

Detroit threatened in the ninth, using Tony Clark's single and an error to put runners on first and second with one out, but Wells escaped.

Magglio Ordonez drove in two runs for the White Sox.

Jeff Weaver took the loss, giving up three runs on 11 hits and two walks in seven innings.

The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the first without hitting a ball hard.

Ray Durham led off with a single and took second on Jose Valentin's sacrifice bunt. Durham moved to third on Harold Baines' ground single through the left side and scored on Ordonez's single off third baseman Jose Macias' foot.