American League
Ruben Sierra homered twice and drove in seven runs, and Jon Lieber pitched into the eighth inning in his Yankees debut, leading New York over the Kansas City Royals 12-4 on Saturday.
Hideki Matsui also connected and had three RBIs for the Yankees, who have won a season-high five straight following a four-game skid.
Sierra hit a three-run shot off Eduardo Villacis in the third inning and a grand slam off Curtis Leskanic in the eighth.
"I've been feeling good since last week. I've been hitting the ball hard," Sierra said. "Right now it looks like everybody is coming around. It's a good sign.''
Bench coach Willie Randolph filled in for manager Joe Torre, who was attending his daughter's Holy Communion ceremony.
The last-place Royals lost for the 13th time in 16 games. "This ballclub is much too good a ballclub to keep playing like this," Kansas City manager Tony Pena said.
"We're going to come back tomorrow and get started."
Lieber (1-0), coming back from a shoulder injury, made his first major league appearance since Aug. 1, 2002. He allowed three runs and five hits in seven-plus innings.
Villacis (0-1) pitched 3 1-3 innings in his big league debut.
White Sox 4, Blue Jays 3
Blue Jays 10, White Sox 6
In Chicago, Frank Catalanotto tied an American League record with six hits, and Eric Hinske and Orlando Hudson homered for Toronto in the second game of a doubleheader with Chicago.
Chicago won the opener on Joe Crede's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th.
Catalanotto went a career-best 6-for-6 and fell one hit short of the major league record for a nine-inning game, accomplished by Rennie Stennet on Sept. 16, 1975 for Pittsburgh.
Catalanotto had five singles and a double to become the first player in Blue Jays' history to have six hits in a game. Toronto had a season-high 18 hits in snapping a four-game losing streak.
Ted Lilly (2-2) got the win in the nightcap, allowing seven hits and five runs, including homers to Juan Uribe and Miguel Olivo.
In the opener, Justin Speier (1-3) walked Paul Konerko intentionally to load the bases before Crede lifted a fly to right fielder Howie Clark.
Japanese saves leader Shingo Takatsu (1-0) got his first major league win with a scoreless top of the 10th.
National League
A.J. Pierzynski hit a tiebreaking, two-run single and also had a triple among his three hits in the San Francisco Giants' 6-3 win over the Florida Marlins on Saturday.
Barry Bonds went 0-for-1 with a flyout and four intentional walks, the most in a nine-inning game since the stat became official in 1955.
"We pitched to him in the first inning," said Marlins manager Jack McKeon.
"With Barry, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. You just take your chances and sometimes it works -- like it did for us in the playoffs.''
Pierzynski was criticized anonymously by several teammates in recent days for his work ethic and it showed up in a newspaper Friday.
``I've been taking a lot the last couple days,'' said Pierzynski, who also threw out speedy Florida baserunner Juan Pierre trying to steal second.
Jason Schmidt (2-2) struck out nine in seven innings and earned his second win this week. Matt Herges got four outs for his ninth save in 10 chances.
Carl Pavano (2-1) pitched 7 2-3 innings and hit his first career home run, a solo shot into the left-field seats off Schmidt in the fifth to give the Marlins a 3-2 lead.
Cubs 4, Cardinals 2
In St. Louis, Matt Clement worked eight strong innings and Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run home run as Chicago downed St. Louis.
The Cubs won for only the sixth time in their last 32 games at Busch Stadium.
Clement (4-1) allowed five hits and one run with five strikeouts and one walk, winning his fourth straight start since losing his first outing of the season. During his winning streak Clement has allowed only three earned runs in 27 1-3 innings with 31 strikeouts.
Ramirez was 2-for-17 on the first six games of the Cubs' eight-game trip before hitting his seventh homer against Jeff Suppan (2-3) in the fourth.
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