Rafael Palmeiro doesn't want his charge toward 3,000 hits to get in the way of his primary goal, which is helping the Baltimore Orioles stay in contention in the AL East.
So he addressed both objectives Saturday with a prolific offensive display.
Palmeiro homered, drove in six runs and moved within three hits of 3,000, and Baltimore beat the Boston Red Sox 9-1 with the aid of a sensational catch by center fielder Luis Matos.
PHOTO: AP
Palmeiro put the Orioles ahead for good with a three-run homer in the third inning. He also hit a first-inning sacrifice fly, an RBI single in the seventh and a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
His 2-for-3 performance brought him to the brink of joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players in major league history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.
"I'm just trying to get it over with so we can focus on winning games," Palmeiro said. "This is good. We picked up a game on the Red Sox, which is what we're trying to do."
Miguel Tejada went 5-for-5 and Bruce Chen (7-5) allowed one run and five hits in seven-plus innings for the Orioles, who won for only the fourth time in 16 games to move within three games of the first-place Red Sox. Chen struck out five and walked three in earning his second victory in nine starts since May 18.
Palmeiro hopes to end his pursuit of 3,000 hits on Sunday, at home against the Red Sox.
"It would be nice. I would love it do it, just for the sake of the fans," he said. "If not, it will be on the road, I guess."
Baltimore closes out the first half Sunday, then plays 10 straight games on the road after the All-Star break.
Boston will send knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to the mound in the series finale.
"Three bunts," Palmeiro said with a grin.
Johnny Damon went 2-for-5 to extend his career-best hitting streak to 24 games, and Edgar Renteria drove in the lone run for the Red Sox.
Indians 8, Yankees 7
In New York, Jose Hernandez hit a pair of two-run homers off new Yankees starter Darrell May and drove in five runs, and Cleveland snapped a four-game losing streak.
Cleveland, which had dropped 10 of 12 to the Yankees and 11 of 12 to them on the road, ended New York's six-game winning streak.
Cleveland's Scott Elarton followed his complete-game victory on Monday over Detroit with a seven-inning effort.
Rangers 12, Blue Jays 10
In Arlington, Texas, Kenny Rogers got plenty of cheers from Texas fans in his first home start since shoving two TV cameramen, and a lot of help from a blown call in a victory over Toronto.
Mark Teixeira hit two of Texas' five home runs, all of them coming with two outs, and drove in six runs. The All-Star had an RBI single to go with his homers that pushed his AL-leading total to 24.
Scott Downs (0-1) retired the first eight Texas hitters until Mark DeRosa's two-out single in the third. Gary Matthews Jr. then hit a ball down the left-field line near the foul pole, and even he had stopped running before umpire crew chief Joe West the ball was fair.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons came out to argue and Downs was visibly upset as he stood near the mound. West, who was umpiring third base, eventually called his crew together before confirming his original call after a lengthy discussion. Replays from multiple angles showed the ball was foul.
Athletics 10, White Sox 1
In Chicago, Barry Zito pitched two-hit ball for seven innings and Mark Kotsay hit a three-run homer for Oakland.
After signing a three-year contract extension with the Athletics before the game, Kotsay hit a three-run homer in the seventh.
Despite being pushed back a day after complaining of pain in his ribcage after throwing a season-high 124 pitches Sunday, Zito (6-8) looked strong. He allowed just one run and improved to 7-2 against the White Sox in his career. He struck out six and walked three.
Mark Buehrle (10-3) allowed five runs -- two earned -- on six hits in seven innings. He struck out three and walked two. Buehrle is 2-8 against the Athletics in his career and two of his three losses this season have came against Oakland.
Mariners 6, Angels 3
At Anaheim, California, Richie Sexson's two-run double capped a five-run fifth inning, and Seattle beat Los Angeles Angels for its third straight victory over the AL West leaders.
Raul Ibanez had three hits and drove in a run for the last-place Mariners, who beat the Angels 10-2 and 10-4 in the first two games of the four-game series.
Ryan Franklin (5-10) allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings, striking out three and walking three.
David Bell's sacrifice fly off Hector Carrasco in the ninth inning snapped a rare pitcher's duel at Citizens Bank Park and lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to a 1-0 win over the Washington Nationals.
Bobby Abreu lined a single to right off Carrasco (3-2) to lead off the ninth. After Pat Burrell struck out for the third time, Chase Utley doubled to right and Ryan Howard was intentionally walked.
Bell hit a long fly to left and Matt Cepicky never attempted a throw.
Billy Wagner (2-1) earned the win with a scoreless ninth and the Phillies won their first 1-0 game in the second year of their home park.
Astros 4, Dodgers 2
In Houston, Roy Oswalt won his sixth straight start, Craig Biggio got two hits to tie Barry Bonds with the 49th most in Major League Baseball history and the Astros moved back to .500 for the first time since April 22.
Biggio's second hit of the game gave him 2,730 for his career and moved him into a tie with Bonds, who has been injured all season. Biggio is in his 18th season, all with the Astros.
Giants 2, Cardinals 0
In San Francisco, Brad Hennessey pitched seven shutout innings in a spot start and Michael Tucker hit a fifth-inning single to break a scoreless tie for the Giants.
Hennessey (3-2), recalled late Friday to start in place of struggling lefty Kirk Rueter, made his sixth start of the season and 13th of his career. He allowed three hits, struck out two and walked one.
Tyler Walker completed the three-hitter, pitching the ninth for his 13th save and 12th since taking over the closer job May 12.
Matt Morris (10-2) threw just 93 pitches in eight effective innings. He allowed six hits, struck out three and didn't walk a batter for the third straight start.
Cubs 8, Marlins 2
In Miami, Derrek Lee hit his 26th homer in his return to the lineup, Kerry Wood won for the first time in 2 months and Chicago won its second straight following an eight-game losing streak.
Lee, second in the majors to Atlanta's Andruw Jones in homers, returned after missing three games because of irritation in his left shoulder. His solo shot off rookie Scott Olsen in the fourth gave him 68 RBIs.
Todd Walker homered and drove in three runs for Chicago.
Marlins manager Jack McKeon was ejected by third base umpire Jerry Layne for arguing Layne's ruling of a fair ball on Jerry Hairston's tying RBI double off Guillermo Mota (1-2) with two outs in the seventh.
Pirates 11, Mets 4
In Pittsburgh, Jack Wilson singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, then hit his first career grand slam in a seven-run seventh to lead the Pirates to their first series victory in a month.
Pirates starter Dave Williams (7-6) bounced back from his worst start this season, shaking off Mike Cameron's two-run homer and Cliff Floyd's solo drive in a span of three batters in the fifth and sixth innings.
Mets starter Kaz Ishii (2-8) was the loser.
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