AMERICAN LEAGUE
The New York Yankees posted their first four-game winning streak of a stumbling season, beating the Seattle Mariners 12-6 in the American League on Saturday.
Starting pitcher Mike Mussina survived five shaky innings before turning it over to Joba Chamberlain and New York’s reshaped bullpen.
PHOTO: AP
The Yankees, who remain last in the East Division, have shown signs of stirring over the past four games, outscoring opponents 35-9.
New York improved to 5-0 this season against the Mariners.
BLUE JAYS 6, ROYALS 0
In Toronto, the home team shut down Kansas City, extending the Royals’ losing streak to six.
Jesse Litsch pitched a seven-hitter in his first career complete game and Brad Wilkerson hit a grand slam for the Blue Jays.
ANGELS 2, WHITE SOX 0
In Chicago, Los Angeles’ Jered Weaver pitched three-hit ball over eight innings to shut down Chicago.
Vladimir Guerrero hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth for the Angels, who have won five of six.
RAYS 11, ORIOLES 4
In St Petersburg, Florida, Evan Longoria homered twice and had six RBIs to lead Tampa Bay past Baltimore.
It was Longoria’s first career multihomer game.
INDIANS 5, RANGERS 2
In Cleveland, the home team snapped its seven-game losing streak with a win over Texas.
Ben Francisco hit a three-run homer for the Indians.
In other American League action on Saturday it was:
• Tigers 19, Twins 3
• Athletics 3, Red Sox 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
AP, DENVER
The New York Mets eased some of the growing pressure on manager Willie Randolph by beating the Colorado Rockies 9-2 on Saturday, ending a five-game losing streak.
New York general manager Omar Minaya made the holiday weekend trip to Colorado, leading to speculation that Randolph’s job could be in jeopardy.
BRAVES 3, DIAMONDBACKS 1
In Atlanta, Jeff Francoeur hit a game-ending, two-run homer in the ninth inning as Atlanta downed Arizona.
The Braves overcame a 10-strikeout performance by veteran Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson.
CARDINALS 4, DODGERS 0
In Los Angeles, Kyle Lohse pitched six scoreless innings to lead St Louis past Los Angeles. Lohse struck out five and walked none, allowing only one runner past second base.
In other National League action on Saturday it was:
• Brewers 5, Nationals 2
• Astros 4, Phillies 3
• Pirates 5, Cubs 4
• Reds 7, Padres 2
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set