OAKLAND, 24 May 2003 — Luis Rivas singled the winning run in the ninth inning to clinch the red-hot Minnesota Twins a 6-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics in the American League Thursday. Minnesota has won seven out of nine games and 17 of 22 as the Twins took two of three from the AL West-leading Athletics, ending a streak of 15 consecutive home-field series wins by Oakland.
“We’re playing better baseball,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters. “We have a chance in every series.” AJ Pierzynski had three hits to pace the Twins offense while Bobby Kielty belted a two-run homer in the third to put them in front.
Joe Mays (5-3) worked five innings, allowing four runs and five hits. Eddie Guardado picked up his 12th save in as many chances despite giving up a two-out homer to Mark Ellis. Eric Byrnes also homered for the A’s.
John Halama (2-3) gave up five runs and eight hits in six innings and lost for the first time to Minnesota in seven career decisions. The Twins lost first baseman Matthew LeCroy with a knee injury after his first at-bat.
Mariners 5 Royals 1
In Seattle, Ichiro Suzuki had two hits and scored the game-winning run to help the Mariners to a 5-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Suzuki, who doubled in the fifth inning and had a stolen base, extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
Ben Davis homered in the seventh while starter Gil Meche (6-2) struck out seven batters and held the Royals to one run and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Jeremy Affeldt (3-2) surrendered three runs and nine hits in a seven-inning start.
Rangers 10 Devil Rays 8
In Texas, Alex Rodriguez struck a game-winning homer in the seventh inning to give the Rangers a 10-8 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Einar Diaz and Hank Blalock homered in the fourth and Juan Gonzalez added three hits.
Reliever Todd Van Poppel (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings, giving up one hit, while Ugueth Urbina struck out two in the ninth to convert his 15th save of the season. Travis Harper (0-3) gave up two runs and three hits in three innings of relief.
Tigers 3 Indians 2
In Cleveland, Eric Munson drove in the winning run in the top of the 11th inning to help the Detroit Tigers edge the Indians 3-2. Dmitri Young pinch-hit a two-run single in the sixth to tie the game for the Tigers, who won for the first time in eight outings.
Franklyn German (2-2) worked a scoreless inning of relief and Steve Sparks earned his second save of the season with a perfect 11th. Reliever Jason Phillips (0-1) gave up the winning run and two hits in one inning.
Blue Jays 8 Yankees 3
In New York, Carlos Delgado belted two homers and drove in five runs to power the Toronto Blue Jays to an 8-3 triumph over the Yankees. Vernon Wells had three hits and scored twice while Shannon Stewart added a solo homer in the eighth inning.
Roy Halladay (5-2) won his fifth straight start, holding the Yankees to two runs and nine hits in seven innings. Andy Pettitte (4-5) was pulled in the fourth after allowing seven runs and nine hits in his fourth consecutive loss.
Orioles 7 Angels 4
In Anaheim, Brian Roberts hammered a grand slam homer in the top of the ninth inning to hand the Baltimore Orioles a 7-4 win over the Angels. Roberts’s blast came off closer Troy Percival (0-2) as the Orioles won their second consecutive game over the Angels.
Willis Roberts (3-1) picked up four outs for the win in relief while Tony Batista had two hits and drove in two runs. Jorge Julio pitched the ninth for his 12th save of the season.
Adam Kennedy drove in a pair of runs for Anaheim.
