Scott Hatteberg's second at-bat couldn't have gone any worse. His next trip to the plate couldn't have been better.
Hatteberg experienced the rarest of baseball extremes Monday night, hitting a grand slam one at-bat after lining into a triple play in Boston's 10-7 win over the Texas Rangers.
"That's from the outhouse to the penthouse right there," Hatteberg said. "I was trying to get the ball in the air, trying to stay out of the double play. It was a great feeling going around the bases."
The Red Sox moved within 2 1/2 games of AL East-leading New York with their first four-game sweep of Texas since July 10-13, 1975. Boston also improved its wild card lead to two games over Cleveland.
The Rangers turned their third triple play in club history in the fourth inning when Hatteberg lined to shortstop with the runners on first and second moving on the pitch. Alex Rodriguez flipped to second baseman Randy Velarde, who forced the lead runner and tagged the second.
MARINERS 8, INDIANS 6: Paul Abbott (12-2) won his 10th straight decision, Ichiro Suzuki had three hits and Seattle didn't let any leads slip away at Jacobs Field.
ANGELS 3, YANKEES 1: Emergency starter Lou Pote limited New York to four hits in five innings, helping Anaheim split the four-game series at Yankee Stadium.
ATHLETICS 6, TIGERS 3: Johnny Damon hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth inning off Danny Patterson (4-3) to give Oakland its first four-game sweep in Detroit in 46 years.
ORIOLES 9, ROYALS 6: Cal Ripken kicked off his final trip to Kansas City in style, capping a five-run fifth inning with a two-run double that led Baltimore to the win.
WHITE SOX 5, DEVIL RAYS 2: Dan Wright took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his second career start, lifting Chicago over visiting Tampa Bay.