MINNEAPOLIS, 25 July 2003 — The surprising Kansas City Royals rode a five-run sixth inning for a convincing 8-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins in American League play on Wednesday.

Angel Berroa’s three-run homer was the big blow of the innings.

Raul Ibanez connected earlier in the frame with Aaron Guiel and Carlos Beltran also homering, Guiel going deep twice, the first time off loser Johan Santana (4-3).

Jeremy Affeldt (6-5) held the Twins to just three hits while striking out five in his five innings on the mound.

The Royals (55-44) sit comfortably on top of the AL Central Division after losing 100 times in 2002, the worst season in club history. They are 30-9 against Central Division opposition.

Yankees 4 Orioles 2

In New York, Orioles killer Andy Pettitte improved to 16-4 lifetime against Baltimore as the Yankees downed the Orioles 4-2 to end their six-game winning streak.

Pettitte (12-6) tossed seven innings of five-hit ball for his career-high seventh straight victory.

Red Sox 10 Devil Rays 4

In Boston, Trot Nixon belted a grand slam home run to highlight a seven-run seventh inning as the Red Sox extended their win streak to five games with a 10-4 rout of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Nixon had a solo shot earlier.

White Sox 7 Blue Jays 6

In Toronto, the Blue Jays’ bullpen again failed them, the Chicago White Sox scoring three times in their last at-bats to win 7-6 and extend their win streak to a season-high six games. Juan Acevedo (1-1) was charged with all three runs, denying Jays ace Roy Halladay his 15th victory.

Indians 4 Tigers 1

In Cleveland, in the fastest game in the history of decade-old Jacobs Field, the Indians defeated the Tigers 4-1 to snap a seven-game losing streak while extending Detroit’s winless skid to six games.

Rangers 12 Angels 9

In Arlington, Shane Spencer drove in four runs as the Texas Rangers overcame an early 4-0 deficit to defeat the Anaheim Angels 12-9. Spencer’s three-run homer off Jarrod Washburn (8-10) in the fourth plated the winning run.

Cardinals Ease to Victory Over Padres

In San Diego, the St. Louis Cardinals eased to an 8-4 victory over San Diego in National League play on Wednesday as the teams combined for 29 hits and the Padres’ four-game winning streak came to end.

Three Cardinals players collected three hits, including Edgar Renteria, who plated a pair of runs with a single and double.

Mark Loretta drove in three of San Diego’s four runs with two singles and a fielder’s choice.

Marlins 5 Braves 4 (12 innings)

In Atlanta, Mike Mordecai homered for the first time since August 2001 to give the Florida Marlins a 5-4 win over the Braves.

Mordecai, a former Brave, connected off Trey Hodges (3-1), the fifth Atlanta pitcher.

Expos 5 Mets 2

In Montreal, the Expos snapped a four-game losing skid with a 5-2 win over the New York Mets.Montreal did all their scoring in the opening frame, Ron Calloway’s single off Jae Weong Seo (5-7) plating two of the five runs.

Phillies 3 Cubs 0

In Chicago, the Cubs and Philadelphia collected just four hits apiece but the Phillies made the most of theirs in posting a 3-0 victory. Ricky Ledee opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second stanza and veteran Jim Thome added a two-run shot for his 1,000th and 1,001st career RBIs an inning later.

Pirates 6 Reds 5

In Cincinnati, Matt Stairs took closer Kent Mercker (0-2) deep with a man gone in the top of the ninth inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Reds 6-5. Recently-acquired Jose Hernandez and Randall Simon homered earlier for Pittsburgh.

Astros 3 Brewers 2 (11 innings)

In Milwaukee, Lance Berkman took Dan Kolb (0-1) deep with two men gone in the top of the 11th inning to give the Houston Astros a 3-2 win over the Brewers. Berkman also scored the run that sent the game into extra innings.

Giants 7 Diamondbacks 1

In San Francisco, Barry Bonds smacked his 32nd home run of the season - the 645th of his career - to provide some insurance as the Giants thumped the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-1.It was Bonds’ 469th homer as a Giant, tying him with Willie McCovey for the franchise record.

Rockies 8 Dodgers 3

In Los Angeles, the Colorado Rockies pushed across a season-high seven runs in the sixth inning to turn a close game into an 8-3 rout of the Dodgers.

Winner Darren Oliver (8-6) helped his own cause with a two-run double to get the ball rolling in the sixth.