Sosa Leads Texas Over Boston 2-0

Friday, April 6th 2007, 10:25 pm

By: News On 6

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) _ Sammy Sosa had a bloop RBI single in the 1st inning when he was trying to check his swing and the Texas Rangers went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 in their home opener on Friday.

It was Sosa's first home game for the Rangers since his rookie season in 1989. After a year out of Major League Baseball, he agreed to a minor league deal with Texas and made the team by hitting .408 with five home runs in 17 spring games.

After being swept in a season-opening three-game series at the Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers finally gave rookie manager Ron Washington his first victory.

Robinson Tejeda (1-0) allowed 2-hits, 1-of them an infield single, over 7-shutout innings. Akinori Otsuka worked the ninth for the save.

The Rangers scored runs in the first 2-innings off Tim Wakefield (0-1), who gave up 3-hits over 6-innings.

Orioles 6, Yankees 4

At New York, Mike Mussina was roughed up in his season debut and Baltimore's revamped bullpen succeeded in its first chance to protect a late lead, helping the Orioles to their first victory of the year.

Adam Loewen (1-0) again held New York's powerful lineup in check, and Melvin Mora got 3-hits and scored twice. He also had a delayed steal and made a diving catch at 3rd base. Nick Markakis doubled twice and drove in 2-runs, and Jay Gibbons added a 2-run single for Baltimore.

Chris Ray pitched the 9th to get his first save.

Robinson Cano drove in 2-runs for New York.

Looking for his 240th career, Mussina (0-1) threw 84 pitches in 4-innings against his former team. He gave up 6-runs and 8-hits _ including 4-doubles.

Royals 3, Tigers 1

At Kansas City, Missouri, Tony Pena Jr.'s third triple in four games keyed a 2-run 7th inning for Kansas City.

Justin Verlander, who came into the game with a 3-0 career record and a 0.86 ERA against Kansas City, went 6-innings and gave up only 2-hits and 1-unearned run. He was replaced starting the 7th by Jose Mesa (0-1), and the 17-year veteran gave up a leadoff double to Jason LaRue, Pena's RBI triple and an RBI single to David DeJesus. Mesa recorded only 1-out in his first appearance for Detroit before being replaced by Wilfredo Ledezma.

Jorge De La Rosa (1-0) went a career-high 7-innings in his first start of the year, and David Riske pitched a perfect 9th for his first save.

Devil Rays 6, Blue Jays 5

At St. Petersburg, Florida, Akinori Iwamura hit his first major league homer and sprinted home from 3rd base on B.J. Upton's infield single with 2-outs in the 9th inning to help Tampa Bay win its home opener.

Delmon Young erased a 5-3 deficit with a 2-run homer off B.J. Ryan (0-1) in the 9th, then Iwamura laid down a bunt single to finish 4-4 and set the stage for an exciting finish. Iwamura raced to 3rd on Elijah Dukes' 2-out single and Upton followed with a high chopper to drive in the winning run.

Jae Kuk Ryu (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings to get the victory before a crowd of 38,437, just the fifth home sellout in Tampa Bay's 10-season history.

Iwamura, Upton and Ty Wigginton all homered off Toronto starter Gustavo Chacin, who allowed 3-runs and 6-hits in 6-innings.

Troy Glaus homered for the Blue Jays.