Youkilis Hits Inside-The-Park Home Run In Boston's Win

Kevin Youkilis runs hard after every at-bat, and sometimes it pays off with an extra base. <br/><br/>Youkilis hit a stand-up inside-the-park homer, Curt Schilling struck out 10 to rebound from his worst

Tuesday, May 29th 2007, 7:44 am

By: News On 6

Kevin Youkilis runs hard after every at-bat, and sometimes it pays off with an extra base.

Youkilis hit a stand-up inside-the-park homer, Curt Schilling struck out 10 to rebound from his worst start of the season, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 5-3 Monday night for their fourth straight win.

``He runs right out of the batter's box every time,'' Boston manager Terry Francona said of Youkilis. ``Sometimes you get rewarded for that, not with a triple but with a home run.''

At 35-15, the Red Sox lead the AL East by 11 1/2 games over Baltimore and hold a 13 1/2-game lead over the rival New York Yankees. Boston has never had a bigger lead through 50 games.

``We're good,'' said Schilling, who allowed one run in seven innings. ``There's a lot more focus on the spread between us and the Yankees than we put on it. But to be 50 games into a season and be by double-digits up on anybody is good.''

In other AL games, it was: Seattle 12, Los Angeles 5; Toronto 7, New York 2; Minnesota 10, Chicago 4; Tampa Bay 6, Detroit 5; Oakland 5, Texas 3; and Baltimore 9, Kansas City 1.

Youkilis hit a high fly ball to the deepest part of Fenway Park in the seventh and center fielder Grady Sizemore chased after it. He couldn't get to it before it hit the side of the Red Sox bullpen and kicked toward left field, where right fielder Trot Nixon ran it down.

Nixon _ who happened to hit the last inside-the-park homer for the Red Sox, on July 15, 2005, against the Yankees _ made a throw to the cutoff man but Youkilis was already coasting across the plate.

Youkilis, who also doubled in the fourth, has hit in 20 consecutive games, raising his average from .280 to .354. Manny Ramirez also homered for Boston, moving into a tie for 25th on the career list with No. 478.

Jonathan Papelbon allowed one run in the ninth but managed to finish for his 13th save.

Schilling (5-2) beat Cliff Lee (2-2) in a matchup of pitchers coming off their season worsts. Lee allowed three runs and six hits in five innings.

The biggest ovation of the game was to welcome Nixon, who left in the offseason as a free agent after 13 seasons in the Red Sox organization.

Nixon and his wife received an award from the Jimmy Fund before the game for their charitable work, and Kathryn Nixon threw out the first pitch. Nixon received another warm welcome when he came to the plate in the second and again when he singled to right, where J.D. Drew has replaced him.

Mariners 12, Angels 5

At Anaheim, Calif., Adrian Beltre tied a franchise record with four extra-base hits, including two homers, and Richie Sexson added a three-run drive.

Seattle won its fourth straight to match its longest winning streak of the season and trails the AL West-leading Angels by 3 1/2 games. The Mariners (25-22) moved three games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2003 season.

Miguel Batista (5-4) won despite allowing four runs, nine hits and four walks in 5 1-3 innings. Bartolo Colon (5-2) gave up nine runs _ seven earned _ and 11 hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Blue Jays 7, Yankees 2

Dustin McGowan won for the first time in more than a year and Lyle Overbay homered as host Toronto handed New York its fourth straight loss and eighth in 11 games.

The Yankees had just five hits _ including two infield singles _ and were shut out until Hideki Matsui's two-run homer in the eighth. New York is a season-high seven games under .500, tied with Tampa Bay for last in the division.

Rookie Matt DeSalvo (1-2) gave up three runs, five hits and three walks in 4 2-3 innings.

McGowan (1-2) struck out a career-high seven and gave up five hits in 7 2-3 innings.

Twins 10, White Sox 4

At Minneapolis, Johan Santana pitched eight innings and Mike Redmond drove in three runs for the Twins.

Nick Punto, Torii Hunter and Jason Tyner each had three hits for Minnesota. Santana (6-4) allowed four runs and seven hits.

The Twins rallied after manager Ron Gardenhire hollered at all four umpires after A.J. Pierzynski appeared to spike first baseman Justin Morneau while running out a double play to end the top half of the sixth inning.

The Twins scored five times in the bottom half to take an 8-4 lead.

Jose Contreras (4-5) gave up seven runs over 5 1-3 innings for the White Sox.

Devil Rays 6, Tigers 5

Elijah Dukes drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the ninth inning and host Tampa Bay rallied to hand Detroit its fourth straight loss.

Dukes, who was held out of two games last week following a published report that he made death threats against his estranged wife and kids, hit a high bouncer to left field off Todd Jones (1-2).

Tigers slugger Gary Sheffield hit his 465th homer, tying Hall of Famer Dave Winfield for 29th on the career list.

Gary Glover (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Athletics 5, Rangers 3

Eric Chavez hit a three-run homer and rookie Travis Buck added a solo shot for host Oakland.

Chad Gaudin (5-1) won his fourth consecutive decision, allowing one run _ unearned _ and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. Alan Embree pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

Robinson Tejeda (4-5) lost for the fourth time in five starts, giving up five runs, four hits and four walks in three innings as Texas lost its sixth straight.

Orioles 9, Royals 1

Ramon Hernandez hit his fifth career grand slam, Steve Trachsel pitched a five-hitter and visiting Baltimore extended Kansas City's losing streak to five games.

Hernandez's slam off Scott Elarton (1-1) put the Orioles on top 6-0 in the fourth.

Trachsel (4-3) walked three, struck out none and threw 104 pitches in his first nine-inning complete game since 2003.