Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. ó Tim Wakefield took a no-hitter into the eighth inning on a day when the Red Sox desperately needed a strong start from their 42-year-old knuckleballer and finished with a four-hitter Wednesday in Boston’s 8-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics.
Wakefield (1-1) got within five outs of the first no-hitter of his 17-season major league career, nearly becoming the second-oldest pitcher to accomplish the feat after Nolan Ryan.
Kurt Suzuki broke it up with a one-out single to left for the A’s, and Landon Powell had an RBI single later in the inning. Wakefield gave up Matt Holliday’s run-scoring double in the ninth, but escaped one last jam before getting hugs and congratulations from each of his teammates.
Brett Anderson (0-2), Oakland’s 21-year-old rookie left-hander, looked sharp in just his second major league appearance, allowing just five hits and two walks through seven innings.
Mariners 11, Angels 3
SEATTLE ó Ken Griffey Jr. hit career home run No. 613 and his 400th as a Mariner in his second home game of his return season in Seattle.
Blue Jays 12, Twins 2
MINNEAPOLIS ó Aaron Hill went 4-for-5 with one of Toronto’s four home runs in four innings against Minnesota starter Scott Baker, and the Blue Jays kept up their torrid hitting.
Hill and Scott Rolen hit two-run shots against Baker, who came off the disabled list to make a forgettable first start of the season. Vernon Wells and Michael Barrett also went deep, sending Baker to an early exit.
Yankees 4, Rays 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. ó The road-weary New York Yankees headed to their new home on a high note.
Andy Pettitte pitched into the eighth inning, Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer and Derek Jeter singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth to lead the Yankees.
Jeter also doubled in the eighth and scored the tying run on Johnny Damon’s double off J.P. Howell. He delivered the tiebreaking run against Troy Percival (0-1) following a one-out double to Cody Ransom.
New York concluded a nine-game, opening trip and returned home for Thursday’s debut of the $1.5 billion new Yankee Stadium, across 161st Street from the House that Ruth Built. CC Sabathia makes his first home start ó against his former team, the Cleveland Indians.
Tigers 9, White Sox 0
DETROIT ó Armando Galarraga threw 61/3 scoreless innings and Placido Polanco drove in three runs Wednesday.
Galarraga (2-0) gave up four hits and two walks while striking out five. He left to a standing ovation after walking Paul Konerko with one out in the seventh. Jose Contreras (0-2) yielded five runs ó three earned ó on five hits in 52/3 innings
Rangers 19, Orioles 6
ARLINGTON, Texas ó Ian Kinsler went 6-for-6 while hitting for the cycle as the Rangers beat the Orioles 19-6 Wednesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Kinsler became the fourth player in Rangers history with a cycle, reaching the feat with a triple in the sixth inning. With his RBI double in the eighth, he became only the second Texas player with a six-hit game and then scored his fifth run, matching another team record.
Kris Benson (1-1), who missed the last two seasons after surgery to repair a torn right rotator cuff, earned his first win since Sept. 21, 2006.
Indians 5, Royals 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. ó Travis Hafner’s second double keyed a three-run seventh inning, and the Cleveland Indians picked up their first road win of the year while avoiding a three-game sweep.
Jensen Lewis (1-0) issued three straight walks in the bottom of the seventh but still got the victory in relief of Aaron Laffey. Kyle Farnsworth (0-2) gave up three runs while getting only one out in relief for the Royals.
The Indians took the lead on an RBI single by Mark DeRosa, who has a five-game hitting streak and seven RBIs in eight games.
After Victor Martinez walked, Hafner hit an RBI double and Shin-Soo Choo made it 5-3 with a sacrifice fly.
Yankees 4, Rays 3ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) ó The road-weary New York Yankees headed to their new home on a high note.
Andy Pettitte pitched into the eighth inning, Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer and Derek Jeter singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth to lead the Yankees over the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 Wednesday.
Jeter also doubled in the eighth and scored the tying run on Johnny Damon’s double off J.P. Howell. He delivered the tiebreaking run against Troy Percival (0-1) following a one-out double to Cody Ransom.
New York concluded a nine-game, opening trip and returned home for Thursday’s debut of the $1.5 billion new Yankee Stadium, across 161st Street from the House that Ruth Built. CC Sabathia makes his first home start ó against his former team, the Cleveland Indians.
Tigers 9, White Sox 0DETROIT (AP) ó Armando Galarraga threw 6 1-3 scoreless innings and Placido Polanco drove in three runs Wednesday.
Galarraga (2-0) gave up four hits and two walks while striking out five. He left to a standing ovation after walking Paul Konerko with one out in the seventh. Jose Contreras (0-2) yielded five runs ó three earned ó on five hits in 5 2-3 innings
Detroit took a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning. Josh Anderson and Ramon Santiago walked, and after Curtis Granderson hit into a force at second, Polanco sent a shot over Brian Anderson’s head in center for a two-run double.
Rangers 19, Orioles 6ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ó Ian Kinsler went 6-for-6 while hitting for the cycle as the Rangers beat the Orioles 19-6 Wednesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Kinsler became the fourth player in Rangers history with a cycle, reaching the feat with a triple in the sixth inning. With his RBI double in the eighth, he became only the second Texas player with a six-hit game and then scored his fifth run, matching another team record.
Kris Benson (1-1), who missed the last two seasons after surgery to repair a torn right rotator cuff, earned his first win since Sept. 21, 2006.