The Kansas City Royals became the first team in 92 years to win its first 11 home games, rallying for two runs in the ninth inning to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-6 Monday.
Mike Sweeney scored the winning run on shortstop Nomar Garciaparra's second error of the game.
Garciaparra, whose two-run homer tied it at 5-5 in the eighth inning, let Brent Mayne's two-out grounder go under his glove. A moment earlier, Brandon Lyon (1-1) hit Desi Relaford with a pitch to force in the tying run.
PHOTO: AFP
Albie Lopez (4-0) got the win despite allowing Jason Varitek's tiebreaking homer in the top of the ninth.
If the Royals win Tuesday, they will equal the 1911 Detroit Tigers, who won their first 12 home games to set the modern major league record. Kansas City is 9-9 on the road.
Tigers 6, Orioles 1
In Baltimore, Nate Cornejo pitched Detroit over Baltimore to give the Tigers their first winning streak in a 66-game span.
Dmitri Young had two RBIs and scored a run for the Tigers, whose last winning streak was a three-game run from Aug. 18-20 that started with a victory in Baltimore.
Detroit then went 9-55 before beating Tampa Bay on Sunday and defeating the Orioles for the first time in four attempts this year. It was the Tigers' most lopsided victory in 79 games since an 8-2 win over Texas on Aug. 6.
The Tigers (5-25) still own the worst record in the majors, but they've scored 19 runs in their last three games after managing only 12 in their previous five.
Played on a chilly night and a soggy field, the game drew an announced crowd of 17,267 -- the smallest in the 12-year history of Camden Yards.
Cornejo (2-2) allowed one run, six hits and three walks in 7 1-3 innings. Steve Sparks got five outs for his second career save, and first since 2000.
Jason Johnson (4-1) allowed four runs, two earned, and six hits in six innings.
Astros 8, Pirates 1
Wade Miller retired his first 16 batters and Jeff Bagwell hit his 11th home run Monday to lead the Houston Astros over the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-1 for their fourth straight win.
Miller was perfect before Pokey Reese singled up the middle on an 0-2 pitch with one out in the sixth inning. The right-hander won for the first time in seven starts this season, allowing three hits and a walk in eight sharp innings. He struck out four in his first victory since Sept. 21 at St. Louis.
Miller (1-3) also gave up a one-out single to Randall Simon in the seventh and a solo homer to Matt Stairs in the eighth that was estimated at 461 feet, longest in Minute Maid Park history.
Pirates starter Kris Benson (3-4) was roughed up for six runs on eight hits in only 2 1-3 innings, his fourth loss in five starts.
Richard Hidalgo went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs for the Astros. Geoff Blum hit his second homer.
Reds 5, Cardinals 4
In Cincinnati, Aaron Boone led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run off Dustin Hermanson (0-1) to give Cincinnati a victory that snapped St. Louis' seven-game winning streak.
The Reds took an early four-run lead against stingy Woody Williams but blew it by committing a season-high four errors. Boone had a two-run double to help put Cincinnati ahead, and Juan Castro hit the first homer off Williams this season.
Scott Williamson (3-1) escaped a threat in the top of the ninth.
Brewers 5, Cubs 3
In Chicago, Richie Sexson hit a two-run homer and Ben Sheets extended his dominance against Chicago as Milwaukee beat the Cubs.
Sheets (3-3) allowed three runs and five hits in 7 2-3 innings, improving to 6-0 with a 2.72 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs. Wes Helms also hit a two-run homer off Matt Clement (2-4).
South Korea's Choi Hee-seop and Eric Karros homered for Chicago.
Sammy Sosa came up with runners at the corners and two outs in the eighth, but Milwaukee reliever Luis Vizcaino struck him out looking. Sosa fanned three times.
Mike DeJean pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Sexson's 11th homer tied him with Bagwell for the NL lead.
Cubs reliever Antonio Alfonseca was activated from the disabled list and struck out two in a scoreless inning.
Diamondbacks 10, Phillies 1
In Phoenix, Arizona, Steve Finley homered twice and tripled, and Matt Williams hit a grand slam and an RBI double in Arizona's rout of Philadelphia.
Along with his four RBIs, Finley scored four times to tie a franchise record.
Miguel Batista (2-2) allowed only an unearned run and seven hits in his fourth career complete game. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Williams' 12th career slam with two outs in the first inning came on an 0-2 pitch from Vicente Padilla (3-4), who has lost his last three starts. He was battered for seven runs in 4 2-3 innings.
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