NEW YORK, 8 May 2005 — Tino Martinez’s throwing error allowed two runs to score in the top of the 10th inning as the Oakland Athletics beat the struggling New York Yankees 6-3 in American League play at Yankee Stadium on Friday.
The Yankees lost their fourth straight game and slipped to 11-19, tied for last place in the AL East, despite having a payroll of more than $200 million, the highest in baseball.
New York has lost eight of its last 10 games to slip eight games under .500 for the first time since 1995. The latest loss came when the Athletics scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning without hitting the ball out of the infield. Eric Byrnes and Bobby Kielty both homered for the Athletics, who snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory.
Barry Zito pitched well into the eighth inning for the A’s before Octavio Dotel (1-0) went 1 2/3 hitless innings in relief for the win. Kiko Calero got the final two outs for his first save.
Carl Pavano pitched seven strong innings for the Yankees, but closer Mariano Rivera again failed to close down a game for New York.
Rivera (2-2) allowed three runs — one earned — on one hit with three strikeouts and two walks. Martinez was charged with two errors on the same play in the 10th and Alex Rodriguez also made an error in the 10th for the Yankees. Hideki Matsui had a run-scoring triple for the Yankees.
In other games, Johan Santana pitched a six-hitter as the Minnesota Twins beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7-1 in St Petersburg. Santana (5-1) allowed one run on and struck out seven.
In Baltimore, Sidney Ponson pitched eight solid innings as the Orioles beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1. Ponson (4-1) allowed one run on five hits and struck out eight. B.J. Ryan pitched one inning for his sixth save.
In Boston, Matt Clement pitched seven strong innings as the Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 7-2. Clement (4-0) allowed one run on five hits and struck out six. Bill Mueller had two hits and drove in four runs for Boston.
In Toronto, Orlando Hernandez pitched seven solid innings as the Chicago White Sox beat the Blue Jays 5-3. Hernandez (4-1) allowed three runs on six hits, walked three and struck out four. Dustin Hermanson pitched two outs for his fifth save. Jermaine Dye homered and A.J. Pierzynski drove in two runs for the White Sox. Jason Frasor (1-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on one hit for the loss. Corey Koskie homered for the Blue Jays.
In Arlington, Cliff Lee pitched 5 1/3 strong innings as the Cleveland Indians raced into a seven-run first inning lead before holding off the Texas Rangers 8-6. Lee (3-1) allowed three runs on eight hits. Bob Wickman pitched one inning for his eighth save and Travis Hafner and Jhonny Peralta homered.
In Anaheim, Steve Finley drove in three runs as the Los Angeles Angels edged the Detroit Tigers 4-3. Kelvim Escobar(1-1) went 7 2/3 innings for the win, allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
Kent Sparks 10-Run First as
Dodgers Thump Reds
In Cincinnati, Jeff Kent hit a two-run homer and a three-run triple in the first inning, as the Los Angeles Dodgers opened the game with a 10-run salvo on their way to a 13-6 road win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday.
Hee Seop Choi homered in the first and again in the seventh for the Dodgers, who sent 14 men to the plate in the first off Reds starter Paul Wilson. Wilson (1-3) failed to retire a hitter, giving up eight runs on five hits with one walk as his ERA went up by two full runs, from 5.25 to 7.25. The Dodgers first inning lasted 27 minutes and made it an easy night for starter Brad Penny, who pitched a one-hit shutout over seven innings.
Penny (2-0) struck out four and walked two and left with a 13-0 lead. B.J. Houlton allowed six runs in 1 2/3 innings before Wilson Alvarez finally closed out the game.
In other games, LaTroy Hawkins’ throwing error in the top of the ninth inning allowed two runs to score, giving the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-2 win over the Cubs in Chicago. Hawkins (1-3) hit Jose Offerman in the batting helmet with his throw to first base to try and complete a double play, but the ball bounced off his head into the stands, allowing the tying and winning runs to score.
In Atlanta, John Smoltz pitched five solid innings as the Braves beat the Houston Astros 9-4. Smoltz (3-3) allowed one run on two hits and struck out two before leaving after the fifth with a strained back.
In Miami, Dontrelle Willis pitched seven strong innings as the Florida Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 7-0. Willis (6-0) allowed only five hits and struck out 10.
In Milwaukee, Mike Piazza hit two home runs as the New York Mets beat the Brewers 7-4. Victor Zambrano (2-3) allowed three runs on six hits, walked four and struck out four in 5 2/3 innings.
In St. Louis, Mark Sweeney homered and drove in three runs as the San Diego Padres beat the Cardinals 6-5. Randy Williams (1-0) pitched one inning and allowed one run on one hit for the win.
Trevor Hoffman pitched one inning for his seventh save.
In Phoenix, Troy Glaus hit a 464-foot home run and had four RBI as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4.
Shawn Green also homered for Arizona.
Javier Vazquez (4-2) allowed two runs on seven hits over seven innings and picked up the win.
In San Francisco, Ryan Church drove in three runs as the Washington Nationals beat the Giants 9-3. Brad Wilkerson had three hits, scored two runs and drove in another for Washington.
Reliever Jon Rauch (1-1) pitched three hitless innings of relief for the win.
Noah Lowry (1-3) was the loser, allowing four runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. Deivi Cruz homered for the Giants.
