Zito Pitches A's to Win Over Mariners

David Ortiz supported Curt Schilling with two home runs against the Devil Rays. Barry Zito didn't need much support at all to beat the Mariners again. <br/><br/>Zito allowed one run and seven hits

Saturday, August 5th 2006, 12:39 pm

By: News On 6

David Ortiz supported Curt Schilling with two home runs against the Devil Rays. Barry Zito didn't need much support at all to beat the Mariners again.

Zito allowed one run and seven hits in the Oakland Athletics' 5-2 win Friday night to improve to 12-2 in 22 career starts against the Mariners. He also lowered his ERA against Seattle to 3.49, though his scoreless innings streak against them ended at 21.

Oakland also won its 10th straight over the Mariners.

``I can't explain it at all. I look at their players and they're a good team,'' Oakland manager Ken Macha said. ``It's tough to put your finger on it.''

At St. Petersburg, Fla., Schilling (14-4) yielded two runs and nine hits in seven innings in Boston's 3-2 win. He struck out four, walked two and became the major leagues' second 14-game winner, joining Detroit rookie Justin Verlander.

``Winning games like this can be momentum-changers,'' Schilling said. ``David continues to be the best hitter in the game.''

In other AL games, it was: New York 5, Baltimore 4; Detroit 7, Cleveland 6; Chicago 6, Toronto 4; Minnesota 8, Kansas City 5 in 10 innings; and Texas 7, Los Angeles 3.

Ortiz's second homer of the game, his AL-leading 39th this season, was a solo shot in the eighth inning off Seth McClung (3-11) that gave the Red Sox a 3-2 lead. He also hit a solo homer in the fourth.

``He's amazing,'' Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. ``He truly is. The last time I've seen anything like that was (Barry) Bonds in the (2002) World Series, where if you made a mistake it absolutely melted. He doesn't miss a mistake.''

Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 30th save in 33 opportunities. He is the fifth rookie ever to reach the 30-save mark.

At Seattle, Jarrod Washburn (5-11) battled through control problems to keep the Mariners close, but still lost for the fourth time in his last five decisions. He walked three, hit two batters and allowed four runs in seven innings.

``Ten straight is a little ridiculous. It's one of those things you can't explain,'' Washburn said. ``We haven't played terrible or played scared against them, they have just played better than us.''

Yankees 5, Orioles 4

Jorge Posada homered off Chris Ray to break a ninth-inning tie, and the visiting Yankees rallied for their fifth straight victory.

Ray (1-4) retired Jason Giambi before Posada hit his 14th homer, a solo shot that soared well above the 25-foot scoreboard in right. Three of Ray's four losses have come against the Yankees.

Scott Proctor (4-2) worked the eighth to earn the win and Mariano Rivera got the last three outs for his 27th save. By finishing his 114th game over two seasons, Rivera guarantees his $10.5 million option for 2007.

The Yankees had 13 hits and stranded 13 runners.

Tigers 7, Indians 6

Craig Monroe hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift host Detroit.

Trailing 6-4, the Tigers scored three runs in the eighth. Placido Polanco and Ivan Rodriguez singled off Rafael Betancourt with no outs to begin the rally. After Polanco advanced to third on Magglio Ordonez's fly ball, Carlos Guillen drove him in with a sacrifice fly off Fernando Cabrera (1-2).

Monroe then drilled a 3-2 pitch into the left-field stands for his 18th homer of the season.

Ramon Colon (2-0) allowed a run in 2 1-3 innings to get the win and Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his 30th save in 33 chances.

White Sox 6, Blue Jays 4

A.J. Pierzynski hit a three-run homer and Jon Garland (12-3) outpitched Roy Halladay (13-3) to win his eighth straight decision for visiting Chicago.

Sluggers Jim Thome and Paul Konerko returned to the White Sox's lineup. Thome went 3-for-4 with a walk after missing four games because of tendinitis in his right wrist and back spasms. Konerko went 3-for-3 with two walks after missing a game with a bruised left arm.

Troy Glaus hit two homers for the Blue Jays, who have a season-high six-game losing streak _ their longest since losing six straight from July 9-18, 2004.

Twins 8, Royals 5, 10 innings

Jason Bartlett scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Scott Dohmann with two outs in the 10th inning and Torii Hunter added a two-run single for visiting Minnesota.

Six Royals pitchers walked 12 and Dohmann's wild pitch was the staff's major league-leading 64th this season.

Dohmann (0-1), acquired in a trade Monday with Colorado, gave up a leadoff single in the 10th to Bartlett. After he was sacrificed to second, there was another out before Dohmann walked Joe Mauer intentionally and Michael Cuddyer unintentionally to load the bases. He then threw the wild pitch to break the tie and Hunter's single scored Mauer and Cuddyer.

Left-hander Dennys Reyes (3-0) worked two-thirds of an inning for the victory and Joe Nathan pitched the 10th for his 23rd save in 24 chances.

Rangers 7, Angels 3

Mark DeRosa hit his third career grand slam, rookie Ian Kinsler had a go-ahead two-run single, and Texas took over second place in the AL West from host Los Angeles.

Vicente Padilla (11-7) allowed three runs and seven hits over seven innings, helping send the Angels to their third straight loss. He struck out five and walked none.

John Lackey (10-7) gave up seven runs, six hits and six walks over 4 1-3 innings in his first start since being named AL pitcher of the month for July, an honor he earned with a 5-1 record, 2.08 ERA and 30 2-3 inning scoreless streak.