Wang Goes Distance For Yanks

All quiet in the bullpen. Chien-Ming Wang went the distance himself, a rare feat for the New York Yankees. <br/><br/>Wang pitched a five-hitter for New York's first nine-inning complete game since

Thursday, June 7th 2007, 7:33 am

By: News On 6

All quiet in the bullpen. Chien-Ming Wang went the distance himself, a rare feat for the New York Yankees.

Wang pitched a five-hitter for New York's first nine-inning complete game since last summer, and the visiting Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Wednesday night.

``That's as good a game as he's thrown as a Yankee and it came at a good time,'' Alex Rodriguez said.

A-Rod and Bobby Abreu keyed a resurgent offense that helped New York (26-31) win for the fifth time in seven tries. The Yankees also got some good news before the game when Roger Clemens said he was on track to make his season debut against Pittsburgh on Saturday in New York.

Wang (5-4) struck out four and walked one, throwing 104 pitches in the club's first nine-inning complete game since he beat Tampa Bay with a two-hit shutout last July 28. It was his fourth win in five starts and the third complete game of his career.

``We're feeling pretty good,'' New York's Johnny Damon said. ``It's fun when things start going your way.''

Detroit also got an outstanding pitching performance, from Justin Verlander, and a big night at the plate by Gary Sheffield. The Tigers cruised to a 10-0 victory in Texas, leaving the sinking Rangers with the worst record in the major leagues at 21-38.

``We've been dealing with adversity for a while,'' Texas manager Ron Washington said. ``We've got games left on the schedule and we're going to show up.''

In other AL games, it was: Minnesota 8, Los Angeles 5; Baltimore 9, Seattle 5; Kansas City 4, Cleveland 3; Tampa Bay 6, Toronto 2; and Oakland 3, Boston 2.

Sheffield homered twice and drove in five runs, sending the Rangers to their 11th loss in 14 games. Verlander (6-2) allowed five hits in seven sharp innings to bounce back from his worst start of the season.

``We're prepared every day,'' Sheffield said. ``If you beat us, you've got to earn it. If somebody has a bad game, you erase it the next day.''

Carlos Guillen and Ivan Rodriguez hit consecutive homers in the fifth inning to put the Tigers ahead 9-0. Placido Polanco added three hits and Magglio Ordonez got his AL-leading 54th RBI.

Sheffield's RBI single in the fourth chased starter Kevin Millwood (2-5), who gave up nine hits and seven runs _ increasing his ERA to 7.57.

``I've been trying about everything I know to get things right,'' said Millwood, who won 16 games for Texas last season. ``It's just not happening. It's starting to get frustrating.''

At Chicago, Rodriguez hit a two-run single off the left-field wall in a four-run third. Abreu, who has 10 hits in his last 21 at-bats, added an opposite-field homer in the eighth.

The White Sox (26-29) have lost nine of 11 and are fading fast in the AL Central. Although the losing is wearing on manager Ozzie Guillen, he vowed not to sulk.

``I'm going to start enjoying this game,'' he said. ``I have to. I'm only 43 years old. Whether I get fired or I stay, I'm going to regret that I didn't enjoy this game. I have to start enjoying this game and be my way. It's not easy when you have fun with the players and you lose, people think you don't care. I have to change my style. I have to go out there and have some fun.''

Former Yankee Javier Vazquez (3-4) allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings.

Earlier in the day, baseball commissioner Bud Selig asked Jason Giambi to speak with steroids investigator George Mitchell within two weeks but deferred a decision on whether to discipline Giambi for recent remarks that many took as an admission of steroids use.

Athletics 3, Red Sox 2

Joe Kennedy (2-4) shut down visiting Boston for seven innings to beat Tim Wakefield (5-7). Bobby Crosby drove in two runs for the Athletics, who won their season-best fifth straight and handed the Red Sox their fourth consecutive loss. Santiago Casilla got four outs for his first career save.

Boston, which still has the best record in the majors at 37-21, is on its longest skid since dropping six straight last August, the final three in Oakland. The frustration boiled over in the eighth inning when manager Terry Francona was ejected by plate umpire Dan Iassogna for arguing balls and strikes.

Royals 4, Indians 3

Brian Bannister (2-3) won his second consecutive start and Ryan Shealy homered off Paul Byrd (6-2) for visiting Kansas City, which won for only the third time in 13 games. Octavio Dotel got his second save.

Devil Rays 6, Blue Jays 2

Carl Crawford drove in four runs and visiting Tampa Bay's bullpen bounced back with four scoreless innings, one night after four relievers gave up six runs in the ninth inning of a 12-11 defeat. Scott Kazmir (4-3) walked five but still beat Tomo Ohka (2-5).

Twins 8, Angels 5

At Anaheim, Calif., Nick Punto, Michael Cuddyer and Jason Bartlett homered, and Kevin Slowey (1-0) lasted long enough to earn his first major league win. The Twins took advantage of a key error by shortstop Orlando Cabrera to stop a four-game skid. The Angels had won five in a row.

Luis Castillo's major league-record errorless streak for second basemen ended at 143 games. He missed a throw from Bartlett, the Minnesota shortstop, in the first inning. Joe Nathan closed for his 13th save. John Lackey (9-4) gave up six runs in seven innings after being staked to a 4-0 lead.

Orioles 9, Mariners 5

Jay Gibbons ended an 0-for-22 slide with two hits and started a five-run rally that helped Baltimore stop a five-game losing streak. The Orioles rallied from a 4-0 deficit, and Daniel Cabrera (5-6) beat Jarrod Washburn (5-5) to end host Seattle's four-game winning streak.