Rafael Palmeiro went 0-for-4 in his first game since returning from a 10-day doping suspension, making the final out with two runners on Sunday in the Baltimore Orioles' 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Orioles supporters welcomed back Palmeiro with a mixed response, but many of those remaining in the crowd of 30,954 began chanting "Raffy! Raffy!" as he stepped to the plate in the ninth inning.
Facing closer Miguel Batista, Palmeiro sent a routine fly to right field, the only time all afternoon he hit the ball out of the infield.
Tigers 8, Royals 7, Game 1
Tigers 1, Royals 0, Game 2
In Kansas City, Missouri, Mike Maroth came within one out of a shutout to help Detroit complete a doubleheader sweep and send the Royals to their franchise-record 15th straight loss.
Kansas City's losing streak is the longest in Major League Baseball since Tampa Bay also dropped 15 consecutive games in 2002. The only American League team to have a longer skid in the last 30 years was the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who lost a league-record 21 in a row.
Yankees 10, Rangers 3
In New York, Hideki Matsui beat a rainstorm with a three-run homer that gave New York the lead, Alex Rodriguez hit his fifth home run in eight days and the Yankees completed a four-game sweep of Texas.
In a game delayed twice by rain, the Rangers lost their seventh straight.
Twins 2, Athletics 1
In Oakland, California, Joe Mauer doubled and scored on Matthew LeCroy's single in the ninth inning, leading Minnesota over Oakland.
Rich Harden struck out nine while allowing one hit in eight innings, but left without a decision because the A's managed just one run against Carlos Silva. Minnesota's only hit off Harden was Michael Ryan's long homer in the third.
Devil Rays 1, Indians 0
In Cleveland, pinch-hitter Travis Lee homered off Bob Wickman with one out in the ninth inning, sending Tampa Bay to its first series sweep in Cleveland.
The Devil Rays had lost four straight when they arrived in Cleveland, where they were 7-21 all-time. But they completed their 12-game road trip with a three-game sweep and hurt the Indians' wild-card chances.
The Indians entered the series on a six-game winning streak _ all on the road.
Angels 7, Mariners 6
In Seattle, Darin Erstad drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning single, and Los Angeles beat Seattle to complete a three-game sweep and move back into sole possession of first place in the AL West division.
Vladimir Guerrero added to his impressive series with a three-run homer in the fifth, when the Angels scored five times and chased starter Gil Meche.
Guerrero was 8-for-14 in the series with three home runs and seven RBIs.
RSS