NEW YORK, 7 June 2004 — Designated hitter Brad Fullmer homered in the second inning before doubling two frames later to plate a second run to spark the Texas Rangers to an 8-1 rout of the hosts New York Yankees in the American League on Saturday.
Fullmer had an eventful afternoon, scoring four times in all to set a new career best. Mark Teixeira also had a big part to play for Texas, homering and singling to plate three more runs. Yankees starter Jon Lieber (4-3) was tagged with the first six runs as New York lost for only the second time in 12 games.
Rangers starter Juan Dominguez (1-1), who began the season with Triple-A Oklahoma, limited the powerhouse Yankees to five hits while striking out five batters in eight complete innings. He set down 11 straight batters at one point. Ruben Sierra took Dominguez deep in the fifth for New York’s only run. The Yankees had scored five or more times in each of their 11 previous games.
In Minneapolis, Craig Monroe drove in four runs with a pair of singles to help the Detroit Tigers to a 6-0 blanking of the Minnesota Twins. Carlos Guillen and Carlos Pena belted solo homers as Detroit snapped a two-game losing skid.
In Oakland, the Toronto Blue Jays outhit the Athletics and Tim Hudson 8-4 but the hosts did all the scoring to win 4-0.
Hudson (6-2) went all the way, striking out five batters and walking one. The six-year veteran is now 69-2 over his career when Oakland scores four or more runs.
In Seattle, Bret Boone cracked a two-run homer to deep left in the fifth inning to snap a 2-2 tie and send the Mariners to a 4-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Ryan Franklin (3-4) tossed seven innings of six-hit ball to earn the decision. Eddie Guardado finished up for his 10th save in 13 chances.
In Kansas City, David Ortiz, Mark Bellhorn and Kevin Youkilis recorded two-run homers, all served up by Darrell May (2-8), as the Boston Red Sox pounded the Royals 8-4 to snap a four-game losing streak.
In Anaheim, Casey Blake’s two-run, sixth-inning double earned the Cleveland Indians a 3-2 victory over the Angels. Rick White (3-1) worked 2 2/3 innings in relief to notch the win.
In Baltimore, the game between the Orioles and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays was postponed due to rain.
Marlins Spoil Piazza’s Two-Homer Effort
Damion Easley’s three-run homer guided the defending champions Florida Marlins to a 7-6 victory over the hosts New York Mets in the National League.
Easley took reliever Mike Stanton deep with a man gone in the seventh to knot the game at 5-5.
The Marlins then picked up single runs in the next two innings, Mike Lowell’s double in the ninth with two men gone plating the deciding run. That spoiled a two-homer effort from Mike Piazza, who had a solo blast in the fifth before repeating the trick in the ninth, this time off near-perfect closer Armando Benitez.
It was the 370th homer of Piazza’s career, putting him level with Brooklyn Dodger Gil Hodges on the all-time list.
In Chicago, Carlos Zambrano (6-2) tossed eight innings of four-hit ball to lead the Cubs to a 6-1 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates which snapped a three-game losing streak.
Zambrano struck out seven batters while walking two.
In Atlanta, Ricky Ledee singled with the bases full to launch a four-run first inning as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Braves 5-3.
Ledee singled again in the second to plate another run.
In Cincinnati, Adam Dunn thumped a three-run homer in the 10th inning to lift the Reds to a 6-3 win over the Montreal Expos.
Dunn also had a solo blast in the fourth, following the 496th home run of Ken Griffey Jr’s career.
In St. Louis, Jim Edmonds singled and doubled to drive in four runs and steer the Cardinals to a 10-4 triumph over the Houston Astros. St. Louis racked up a season-high 19 hits. Lance Berkman singled and doubled to account for Houston’s runs.
In Denver, Todd Greene and Royce Clayton clubbed two-run homers as the Colorado Rockies destroyed the San Francisco Giants 11-2.
In Phoenix, the Los Angeles Dodgers rode a six-run fourth inning to a 10-3 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Dave Roberts had the inning’s big blow, a three-run homer.
In San Diego, Ismael Valdez (5-2) tossed his sixth career shutout and also drew a bases-loaded walk as the Padres blanked the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0.
Jay Payton singled to plate two more San Diego runs.
