TORONTO, 16 April 2005 — Edgar Renteria hit two-run homer and a key eighth inning RBI double as the Red Sox stopped the New York Yankees 8-5 in a bad-tempered American League clash between the bitter rivals at Boston’s Fenway Park on Thursday. The game was marred by a potentially explosive incident when a Boston fan sitting in the front row threw a punch at Yankee outfielder Gary Sheffield in the eighth inning as he chased down a Jason Varitek fly ball.

Sheffield swung back at the fan and appeared to be sprayed by beer thrown by another spectator but security officials quickly intervened, preventing the situation from escalating as Yankee players raced out of the dugout to assist their teammate. The incident aside, Boston fans had plenty to celebrate as the Red Sox roughed up Yankee ace Randy Johnson with Renteria, Varitek and Jay Payton all tagging the Big Unit for home runs. Johnson, who took a no decision, worked seven innings, surrendering five runs on five hits, striking out nine.

In Kansas City, Richie Sexson had two-run homer and 42-year-old veteran Tom Moyer pitched seven strong innings as the Seattle Mariners completed a three-game sweep of the Royals with a 10-2 win.

Moyer, who led the major leagues in home runs allowed last year with 44, gave up two runs on nine hits, struck out four and walked one to improve to 2-0 this season.

The lefthander has not given up a homer in 18 innings.

The Mariners broke open a 2-2 tie with a six-run fourth inning, Jeremy Reed delivering the big hit with a three-run bases clearing double.

In St Petersburg, Carl Crawford crushed a three-run homer and Josh Phelps and Travis Lee each drove in three runs powering the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 12-7 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Crawford’s homerun off Sidney Ponson (1-1) keyed a seven run fourth inning that put the Mariners ahead 12-3.

The Orioles rallied with two runs in the fifth and two in the seventh off a Miguel Tejada homer before Trever Miller and Danys Baez closed the door, working the final two innings of shutout relief.

Alex Sanchez, the first player suspended for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy, was back in the Tampa Bay line-up after serving his 10-day suspension and had a pair of hits.

In Cleveland, Travis Hafner’s two-run double keyed a three-run sixth inning and Victor Martinez homered to help the Cleveland Indians to an 8-6 win over the Chicago White Sox. Cleveland bats, that had been mostly silent this season, came alive as the Indians cracked 10 hits to prevent a series sweep by the Sox.

In Arlington, Roy Halladay pitched a complete game five-hitter and pinch-hitter Russ Adams drove in the winning run as the streaking Toronto Blue Jays edged the Rangers 2-1 for their fifth win in six games. Displaying the dominate form that earned him the 2003 Cy Young award, Halladay struck out nine and walked one in his first complete game since April 15 2004.

In Minneapolis, Lew Ford had a three-run homer and Brad Radke worked six solid innings to earn his first win of the season as the Twins dumped the Detroit Tigers 10-4 to complete a three-game series sweep. Radke (1-2) fell behind 2-0 in the first but regrouped to retire the next 11 batters, finishing the night giving up three runs on six hits.

Hernandez Shines as Nationals

Make Winning Return to DC

In Washington DC, Livan Hernandez pitched 8 1/3 sparkling innings and Vinny Castilla drove in four runs to lead the Washington Nationals to a 5-3 win over Arizona as baseball made a rousing return to the US capital on Thursday.

President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial opening pitch of the National League encounter but it was Hernandez (1-1) who starred on the mound giving up just one hit to the Diamondbacks through eight innings.

Hernandez faltered in the ninth, however, Chad Tracy tagging the big Cuban for a three-run blast to add a bit of drama to the Nationals home opener.

Closer Chad Cordero made sure there would be a happy ending for the raucous opening day crowd of 45,596 at RFK Stadium coming on to get the final two outs and his second save of the season.

The game took on a World Series atmosphere as ecstatic fans welcomed back big-league baseball to Washington for the first time since the Senators packed up and left town for Texas at the end of the 1971 season.

Bush, wearing a red Nationals jacket, waved to the crowd after becoming the first president since Richard Nixon in 1969 to throw out the ceremonial opening pitch in Washington -- a tradition started 95 years ago to the day by President William Howard Taft.