Randy Johnson allowed home runs to three straight batters for the first time in his major league career and four in all during the fourth inning, and the Chicago White Sox beat the New York Yankees 6-2 Sunday in Chicago to stop a seven-game losing streak.
Giving a 1-0 lead, the Big Unit allowed solo homers to Tadahito Iguchi, Aaron Rowand and Paul Konerko with one out in the fourth, gave up consecutive singles to Jermaine Dye and Juan Uribe, then allowed a three-run homer to Chris Widger. The four homers were in a 16-pitch span.
Johnson (11-8) has allowed 29 homers, the most in the American League and second in the major leagues behind Cincinnati's Eric Milton (35). The most Johnson has allowed in a season was 30 with Arizona in 1999.
The Big Unit, who missed a start earlier this month because of a bad back, allowed 10 hits, struck out eight and walked none in his fourth complete game this season. His ERA rose to 4.34.
Former Yankee Jose Contreras (8-7) allowed two runs — one earned — and 11 hits, and matched his career high by pitching eight innings. He struck out five and walked none.
ROYALS 5, ATHLETICS 4: At Oakland, Calif., Kansas City won its second straight game following a 19-game losing streak, with Emil Brown hitting a go-ahead single in the 12th inning to beat Oakland.
Denny Hocking reached against Kiko Calero (2-1) with an infield single opening the 12th, took second on Mike Sweeney's single and third on Joe McEwing's sacrifice. Brown then singled to right against a drawn-in infield.
RED SOX 5, ANGELS 1: At Anaheim, Calif., Edgar Renteria hit a three-run homer and Manny Ramirez added a two-run shot as Boston did all its scoring in the eighth inning and beat Los Angeles for a four-game split of a series between division leaders.
Mike Timlin (5-2) pitched two hitless innings for the victory, which extended Boston's AL East lead over the New York Yankees to four games. Curt Schilling allowed three hits in the ninth inning against the AL West leaders, including Steve Finley's RBI double.
INDIANS 5, ORIOLES 1: At Cleveland, Travis Hafner drove in four runs to help C.C. Sabathia win his fourth straight start, and Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of Baltimore.
The Indians, who began play 1 1/2 games behind Oakland in the AL wild-card race, won their fourth straight and fifth in six games to move a season-high 12 games over .500.
TWINS 8, MARINERS 3: At Minneapolis, Lew Ford homered for the third straight game, hitting a three-run drive and helping Minnesota over Seattle.
Matthew LeCroy drove in two runs with two hits and Joe Mauer reached base five times.
DEVIL RAYS 6, RANGERS 3: At St. Petersburg, Fla., Kenny Rogers lost his third straight start since serving a 13-game suspension and Jonny Gomes homered and drove in two runs as Tampa Bay completed a three-game sweep of Texas.
TIGERS 17, BLUE JAYS 6: At Detroit, Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer in a seven-run first inning that started the Tigers to their highest-scoring game in more than a year, and Detroit extended its winning streak to four.
Craig Monroe hit a two-run homer in the second and Curtis Granderson had a three-run shot in the sixth.