American LeagueFrank Thomas had a season-high four hits, including a three-run homer, and Esteban Loaiza snapped a three-start losing streak on Thursday to lead the Chicago White Sox over the Minnesota Twins 10-3.
Thomas finished a triple short of the cycle -- when a batsman hits a single, double, triple and home run in the same game -- and drove in a season-high five runs. He homered in a six-run second inning for the White Sox, who opened the four-game series with their third straight win.
"He's hitting the ball well," Loaiza said of Thomas. "I think everybody's hitting the ball well."
PHOTO: REUTERS
Paul Konerko added two solo shots -- one off reliever Terry Mulholland in the seventh and another off Grant Balfour in the ninth.
Loaiza (5-3) pitched seven innings, allowing nine hits and three runs. His last victory was April 29 against Toronto.
"Hopefully, we just come back tomorrow and get some more runs like we did today," Loaiza said.
Seth Greisinger (1-3) lasted four-plus innings, allowing seven runs -- three earned -- and 10 hits.
Rangers 6, Royals 3
In Arlington, Texas, Rod Barajas had a three-run double and Hank Blalock hit a two-run homer in a five-run second inning as Texas beat Kansas City to snap a three-game losing streak.
Barajas entered in the second inning in place of rookie catcher Gerald Laird, who tore a ligament in his left thumb on a tag play in the first inning. Laird began the night leading American League rookies in hits (27), runs (14), batting average (.307) and on-base percentage (.374).
Rangers starter Kenny Rogers (6-2) allowed three runs and 10 hits over 6 2-3 innings. Francisco Cordero got three outs for his 13th save in as many chances.
Darrell May (1-6) allowed six runs and eight hits over four-plus innings.
Devil Rays 9, Red Sox 6
In St. Petersburg, Florida, Jose Cruz Jr. had a two-run double and Rocco Baldelli drove in two runs with a single during a six-run third inning as Tampa Bay beat Derek Lowe and Boston.
Tampa Bay nearly blew a seven-run lead in ending a five-game losing streak. It was just the second win in the past 14 games for the Devil Rays.
Jorge Sosa (1-0) went two scoreless innings for the win. Danys Baez pitched the ninth for his fifth save.
Lowe (3-4) lasted a season-low 2 1-3 innings, giving up seven runs and eight hits. He's winless in his last four starts, including three losses.
Athletics 3, Tigers 2
In Oakland, California, Erubiel Durazo scored on Eric Munson's throwing error in the eighth inning after reaching base on another miscue as Oakland defeated Detroit.
Durazo reached on a fielding error by first baseman Carlos Pena, went to second on Damian Miller's sacrifice, advanced to third on Mark McLemore's groundout and scored when Munson dived to stop pinch-hitter Billy McMillon's sharp grounder but threw the ball wide of first.
Jaime Walker (0-1) pitched one-plus innings, giving up just one hit and the unearned run in the eighth.
Yankees 6, Angels 2
In Anaheim, California, Mike Mussina pitched effectively into the eighth inning, and New York got home runs from Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter in a victory over Anaheim.
Mussina (5-4) won his fourth consecutive start, holding the AL West-leading Angels to one run and seven hits through 7 2-3 innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked none.
Matsui hit a two-run homer in the fourth off Bartolo Colon (4-3). Jeter had a solo shot in the third, and Jorge Posada added a two-run double to help the Yankees move a half-game ahead of the Red Sox in the AL East.
Mariners 11, Orioles 0
In Seattle, Jamie Moyer threw seven sharp innings and Ichiro Suzuki homered and drove in three runs to lead Seattle over Baltimore.
Moyer (2-2) and Ron Villone combined on an eight-hitter, Seattle's first shutout of the season. It was also the Mariners' largest margin of victory this year.
Bret Boone's two-run single highlighted Seattle's six-run fifth as the last-place Mariners avoided being swept by the Orioles and ended a three-game losing streak.
Baltimore had its three-game winning streak snapped.
Making his first start of the season after 12 relief appearances, Rodrigo Lopez (3-2) allowed six runs and five hits in 4 2-3 innings.
National League
Neifi Perez hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning, spoiling another dramatic home run by Moises Alou and lifting the short-handed San Francisco Giants over the Chicago Cubs 5-3 on Thursday.
Pedro Feliz had another big offensive day, homering and driving in two runs to make up for the absence of Barry Bonds, who was out of the lineup for a second day with back spasms.
Alou hit a game-winning homer in the 10th inning on Wednesday, making his father, San Francisco manager Felipe Alou, pay for a pitching switch. And Alou was at it again on Thursday, tying the game with a two-run shot in the seventh inning after Felipe Alou replaced lefty Scott Eyre with Felix Rodriguez.
Cardinals 11, Mets 4
In New York, So Taguchi had four hits, driving in two runs and scoring two more to lead St. Louis past New York.
Scott Rolen hit a two-run shot in the ninth as the Cardinals batted around and broke the game open with six runs behind three New York errors.
Jim Edmonds opened the sixth with a single and went to third on a double by Reggie Sanders. That finished Jae Seo (2-4) and Orber Moreno relieved. Taguchi singled off Moreno, scoring Edmonds and then Sanders scored when third baseman Todd Zeile bobbled Mike Matheny's groundball.
Jason Marquis (3-3) gave up three runs in five inning for St. Louis.
Brewers 3, Expos 2
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, Scott Podsednik hit the go-ahead home run off closer Rocky Biddle in the ninth inning to lift Milwaukee to a victory over Montreal.
Podsednik took a 2-1 pitch over the right-field wall against Biddle (0-2), who was brought in to protect a tie game. It was Podsednik's fourth home run of the season.
The homer made a winner out of Mike Adams (1-0), who threw a scoreless eighth in his second major league appearance.
Dan Kolb pitched the ninth for his 10th save, and second in two nights.
Phillies 4, Dodgers 0
In Philadelphia, Brett Myers pitched a five-hitter for his second career shutout and Philadelphia sent Los Angeles to its seventh straight loss.
Chase Utley homered for the National League East-leading Phillies, who swept the three-game series and have won 10 of 13 overall.
Los Angeles could do little against Myers (3-2), who won his third straight start. He struck out five and walked two in his third career complete game.
Kazuhisa Ishii (5-3) pitched 6 1-3 innings, and gave up four runs -- three earned -- and seven hits.
Marlins 6, Astros 2
In Miami, Mike Lowell homered twice, and Josh Beckett rebounded from his worst start of the season, leading Florida over Houston.
Lowell's two solo home runs gave him 13 this season, tying him with Colorado's Jeromy Burnitz and Arizona's Steve Finley for the major league lead.
Beckett (4-3) allowed five hits and two runs in 7 2-3 innings. He gave up nine hits and six runs in six innings and struggled with his command in a loss at St. Louis last week.
Roy Oswalt (2-3) gave up 11 hits and five runs in six innings, losing for the first time in four starts against the Marlins.
Braves 5, Diamondbacks 1
In Atlanta, Horacio Ramirez pitched a three-hitter for his second career complete game and even helped out on offense, leading Atlanta past Arizona.
The left-hander turned in the second standout performance of the series, though he didn't match Randy Johnson's effort two nights earlier for Arizona. The Big Unit pitched the 17th perfect game in major league history.
Ramirez (2-3) went 17 consecutive innings without giving up a run until Robby Hammock homered leading off the eighth to ruin the shutout bid.
Casey Fossum (0-1) took the loss.
Reds 3, Rockies 1
In Cincinnati, Paul Wilson pitched eight solid innings for his career-high sixth straight win, and Danny Graves became Cincinnati's all-time saves leader as the Reds downed Colorado.
Wilson (6-0) outdueled Colorado's Joe Kennedy, who had a no-hitter through five innings. Wilson allowed one run, three hits and struck out six.
Graves pitched a perfect ninth to move past John Franco with his 149th career save, and major league-leading 18th in 22 opportunities this season.
Pirates 9, Padres 7
In Pittsburgh, Daryle Ward and Jason Bay each homered twice and drove in three runs and Pittsburgh overcame a six-run San Diego first inning.
The Pirates' comeback prevented San Diego from sweeping a road series for the first time this season and ended Pittsburgh's six-game home losing streak.
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