The California Angels had a great game in the first inning.
Led by Jim Edmonds' two singles, the Angels scored 11 two-out runs in the first and went on to a 20-4 victory over Texas, pulling into a tie with the Rangers atop the AL West."It was like a football scoreboard up there," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said.
Even Texas, with 18 come-from-behind victories, including from an 8-2 deficit Wednesday night, had little chance in this one.
"We got a ton of runs early but they looked like they weren't going to quit so we just kept scoring," Angels manager Marcel Lachemann said. "When they came back like they did last night, then started to score tonight, we felt like we had to put up more runs."
In their 42-minute half of the first, the Angels loaded the bases with two outs. The first run scored on Ivan Rodriguez's passed ball and others followed on J.T. Snow's bases-loaded triple, Spike Owen's two-run single and RBI singles by Edmonds, Jorge Fabregas, Gary Disarcina and Tony Phillips. Fifteen Angels batted and four of the runs were unearned as third baseman Luis Ortiz made two errors.
Roger Pavlik (4-3) lasted two-thirds of an inning, allowing eight runs, five hits, two walks and a hit batter. He has allowed 11 runs and 15 hits over his last 5 2-3 innings.
"It ain't been going good for awhile," Pavlik said. "I kept telling myself, `You're one pitch away, you're one pitch away.' But that pitch never came."
In other AL games on Thursday, it was: Boston 7, Detroit 1; Seattle 5, Oakland 2; Toronto 5, Baltimore 1; Cleveland 10, Minnesota 5; and Chicago 17, Milwaukee 13.
The Rangers got as close as 11-4, but the Angels finished with the most runs in the majors this season on 21 hits, four each by Edmonds and Disarcina.
Edmonds' hitting streak reached 23 games, matching Colorado's Dante Bichette for longest in the majors.
"When you get seven at-bats in a game you've got to get some hits," Edmonds said. "But I don't think I've ever had two hits in an inning before. Things are falling for me. I struggled early in the season and I'm trying to make up for lost time."
Red Sox 7, Tigers 1
Tim Wakefield won for the first time in four starts and Boston increased its lead over second-place Detroit in the AL East to six games.
Wakefield (5-1) allowed one run and eight hits in the first four innings, then permitted only two runners over the last five.
Mike Macfarlane led off the fifth with a homer off Mike Moore (5-6) to break a 1-1 tie. Boston added five runs in the eighth.
Chris Gomez, the second batter of the game, homered for Detroit.
Mariners 5, Athletics 2
Mike Blowers' three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the eighth capped a four-run rally as Seattle stopped Oakland's four-game winning streak.
Pinch-hitter Doug Strange singled off Mark Acre (1-2) to tie the game and Blowers hit his fourth homer.
Chris Bosio (6-1) allowed one earned run and six hits over eight innings. Bobby Ayala got his 12th save.
Blue Jays 5, Orioles 1
Joe Carter had two of Toronto's four homers and Juan Guzman threw a seven-hitter as Toronto snapped Baltimore's four-game winning streak.
Guzman (2-3) was within three outs of his second career shutout when Harold Baines led off the top of the ninth with a homer. He struck out seven and walked one.
Carter led off the second and fourth with homers, Ed Sprague had a solo shot and Roberto Alomar a two-run homer.
Sid Fernandez (0-4) gave up three runs and five hits over 3 2-3 innings in his first start since going on the disabled list with a strained joint in his left shoulder on June 7.
Indians 10, Twins 5
Eddie Murray moved within one hit of 3,000 with a two-run homer and a single, then made outs in his last four at-bats.
The Indians made it 5-0 in the second against Scott Erickson (3-6) on a two-run homer by Carlos Baerga, who had four of Cleveland's 16 hits.
Bud Black (4-2) pitched six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits.
The Twins lost for the 14th time in 15 home games.
White Sox 17, Brewers 13
Robin Ventura had five of Chicago's 22 hits in a game that had two dugout-clearing incidents.
Ray Durham and Craig Grebeck each had four RBIs for the visiting White Sox, who won their seventh straight. The Brewers have lost seven in a row.
In the sixth, Milwaukee reliever Bill Wegman was ejected after hitting Ron Karkovice in the ribs with a fastball after Durham's three-run homer put Chicago ahead 13-6.
In the ninth, Chicago reliever Rob Dibble threw his first pitch near the head of Pat Listach, who charged the mound and exchanged punches with Dibble. Karkovice ran out from behind the plate and tackled Listach, while others exchanged punches. Listach and Dibble were ejected.