Torre Gets Ejected; Yankees Beat Red Sox

Joe Torre certainly has no problem leading by example. The Yankees manager, calling on his club to ``be a little more fiery,'' got himself tossed for arguing a caught stealing in the fifth inning

Saturday, June 2nd 2007, 2:39 pm

By: News On 6

Joe Torre certainly has no problem leading by example. The Yankees manager, calling on his club to ``be a little more fiery,'' got himself tossed for arguing a caught stealing in the fifth inning and New York beat the Boston Red Sox 9-5 Friday night to climb out of the AL East cellar.

Torre was joined by reliever Scott Proctor, whose errant pitch in the ninth dusted Kevin Youkilis and cleared the benches and bullpens. Proctor was ejected, and the fans who remained began their traditional anti-Yankees chant.

``I think we showed fight tonight. We need to assert ourselves ... just get that determination back,'' Torre said. ``I hope we can build on this because we're good. We're much better than we've been playing, but obviously the results haven't shown.''

Jorge Posada's three-run double capped a six-run rally that broke a fourth-inning tie. Alex Rodriguez reached base three times and scored twice despite the constant mockery of the Fenway crowd.

Chien-Ming Wang (4-4) scattered 10 hits and two walks over 5 2-3 innings, allowing three runs while striking out one to win for the third time in four starts.

Tim Wakefield (5-6) lasted 3 2-3 innings _ the shortest outing for a Red Sox starter this year _ and saw his ERA balloon from 3.36 to 4.24. He gave up eight runs and five hits with six walks, a wild pitch and a hit batsman.

In other AL games, it was: Cleveland 12, Detroit 11; Kansas City 4, Tampa Bay 1; Chicago White Sox 3, Toronto 0; Los Angeles Angels 3, Baltimore 2; Minnesota 3, Oakland 2; and Texas 9, Seattle 8.

No longer tied for last in the division with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York still trails Boston by 12 1/2 games.

``I don't think the New York Yankees are ever a last-place team,'' Youkilis said. ``They have too much potential.''

Manny Ramirez had four hits and Dustin Pedroia three for Boston, which lost both third baseman Mike Lowell and right-fielder J.D. Drew to apparently minor injuries during the game.

A-Rod dealt with heckling throughout the game, including barbs lobbed by a contingent of a few dozen in the seats near the New York dugout that pulled on masks of a woman with blonde hair, a reference to the woman photographed with Rodriguez last weekend at a Toronto hotel. In a front-page story on Friday, the New York Post reported she is a former Las Vegas stripper.

``The fans thought about what they were going to do all day instead of enjoying the beautiful weather,'' Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon said. ``If that floats their boat, so be it.''

The fans also mocked A-Rod's antics in Toronto, when he yelled _ ``Mine!'' or ``Hah!'' depending on whom you believe _ at Blue Jays third baseman Howie Clark on an easy popup that dropped in for a hit.

Rodriguez was not available for comment after the game.

Indians 12, Tigers 11

At Detroit, David Dellucci singled home the winning run with two outs to cap a five-run ninth as Cleveland rallied to get the win.

Detroit closer Todd Jones (1-3) blew his second straight save opportunity as the Tigers lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Roberto Hernandez (3-1) got one out for the win and the Indians improved baseball's best home record to 19-4. They are off to their best start at home in 107 years in the American League.

Royals 4, Devil Rays 1

Brian Bannister allowed two hits in eight innings to help visiting Kansas City snap a seven-game losing streak.

Bannister (1-3) won for the first time since the Royals obtained him in an offseason trade. Octavio Dotel worked the ninth for his first save in two years.

Scott Kazmir (3-3) allowed eight hits in seven innings for Tampa Bay, and has not won at home since pitching a two-hit, complete-game shutout against Boston last July 3.

White Sox 3, Blue Jays 0

Javier Vazquez pitched eight shutout innings and Chicago ended a five-game skid.

Vazquez (3-3) gave up six hits and struck out five to give visiting Chicago its first victory by a starter in the past eight games. Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.

Toronto's A.J. Burnett (5-5) struck out a season-high 12 but still lost his second straight start. He gave up three runs and six hits.

Angels 3, Orioles 2

At Anaheim, Calif., Gary Matthews Jr. drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning for Los Angeles.

John Lackey (9-3) became the major league's first nine-game winner, allowing two runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out four to win his career-best fifth consecutive start.

Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 19th save in 20 attempts, ending Baltimore's six-game winning streak.

Daniel Cabrera (4-6) gave up three runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings for the Orioles.

Rangers 9, Mariners 8

At Seattle, Kenny Lofton took a home run away from Adrian Beltre in the seventh and drove in the go-ahead run in the next inning to help Texas get the win.

Texas ace Kevin Millwood, starting for just the second time in five weeks because of a strained hamstring, allowed seven runs _ four earned _ in five innings.

Joaquin Benoit (2-1) gave up Richie Sexson's eighth home run but picked up the win.

Eric Gagne pitched the ninth for his fourth save in four opportunities.

Sean Green (0-1) recorded just one out and got the loss.

Ichiro Suzuki went 2-for-5 and extended his career-best hitting streak to 25 games, a Seattle record. The longest hitting streak in the majors this season broke the Mariners' previous mark set by Joey Cora in 1997.

Twins 3, Athletics 2, 10 innings

At Oakland, Calif., Jeff Cirillo and Mike Redmond had RBI singles in the 10th inning and Minnesota won its fifth straight.

Luis Castillo doubled leading off the 10th against Kiko Calero (0-4) and Cirillo followed with a base hit to center. Redmond's single drove in the needed insurance run.

Pat Neshek (3-0) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win and Joe Nathan got his 12th save despite giving up a run as the Twins won for the eighth time in nine games.

Nathan walked Travis Buck leading off the 10th, and Milton Bradley singled one out later, setting up Dan Johnson's sacrifice fly. After a walk to Eric Chavez, Nathan struck out Bobby Crosby to end the game.