NEW YORK — Roger Clemens became the AL strikeout king Monday, getting five to pass Walter Johnson as the Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 in their season opener.
Jorge Posada went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs, and Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez also homered.
Clemens struck out Joe Randa on a forkball in the dirt in the ninth for his 3,509th career strikeout. He allowed three runs and seven hits in 8 1/3 innings and got the win.
Loser Jeff Suppan gave up five runs and eight hits in five-plus innings.
WHITE SOX 7, INDIANS 4: At Cleveland, David Wells allowed two runs — both homers — and four hits in six innings, improving to 17-4 against Cleveland.
Juan Gonzalez homered twice in his first game for the Indians, whose run of five straight AL Central titles was stopped by the White Sox last season.
Magglio Ordonez hit a three-run homer off loser Bartolo Colon, and Paul Konerko had three hits and two RBIs for the White Sox. Keith Foulke pitched the ninth for the save.
ORIOLES 2, RED SOX 1: At Baltimore, Brady Anderson singled home the winning run in the 11th off Derek Lower following Jerry Hairston's leadoff double after winner Ryan Kohlmeier worked out of a jam in the top half.
Pedro Martinez, vying for his fourth straight opening day win, allowed one run and four hits in seven innings, walked one and struck out six.
Orioles starter Pat Hentgen gave up one run, four hits and one walk in 8 2/3 innings.
Cal Ripken, opening his 21st and perhaps final season with the Orioles, was 0-for-4 but made three nice defensive plays.
MARINERS 5, ATHLETICS 4: At Seattle, Kazuhiro Sasaki helped the Seattle Mariners reach the AL championship series last season. Ichiro Suzuki might help them forget about Alex Rodriguez.
Suzuki contributed two key hits in his major league debut, and Sasaki earned his first save of the season as the Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics.