Randy Johnson won despite lasting only five innings, and the New York Yankees got home runs from Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon to polish off a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 9-3 home victory Thursday.
Bernie Williams, who finished with three hits, and Robinson Cano each had an RBI single off Denny Bautista (0-1) for the Yankees, who have won 14 straight home games against Kansas City — a streak that dates to August 2002.
The loss matched the Royals' record for consecutive defeats in an opposing ballpark, set at Detroit's Tiger Stadium from August 1987 to May 1990.
Johnson (2-1) was pulled after 87 pitches, but New York general manager Brian Cashman said it was not for any medical reason, it was simply a baseball decision.
The Big Unit has 16 strikeouts and no walks in three solid starts this year. He had never gone two starts into a season without walking a batter.
Featuring a biting slider, Johnson cruised into the fifth inning with a 4-0 lead. He had allowed only one hit and faced one more than the minimum.
But with two outs, the Royals strung together three hits. Shane Costa poked an 0-2 pitch to left-center for an RBI single.
Johnson retired Tony Graffanino to end the inning, and never came out for the sixth. Scott Proctor worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Mike Myers fanned Costa with two on to end the seventh.
Graffanino homered against Tanyon Sturtze leading off the eighth, cutting it to 4-2. Sturtze got a visit from manager Joe Torre and retired the next three batters.
Kansas City dropped its fourth in a row.
TWINS 8, ATHLETICS 2: At Minneapolis, Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer, Kyle Lohse threw six innings for his first win and the Minnesota Twins finished a three-game sweep.
Luis Castillo and Mike Redmond each had three hits, and Shannon Stewart drove in two runs for Minnesota, which had three-run innings in the first and fifth against Oakland starter Joe Blanton.
Blanton (1-1), who pitched eight shutout innings and allowed two hits in Seattle last Friday, gave up 11 hits, seven runs and two walks in six innings while striking out four. Lohse (1-1) made up for a bad first start by giving up only five hits, two walks and two runs while striking out two.
WHITE SOX 13, TIGERS 9: At Detroit, Jim Thome homered in his fourth straight game to lead the Chicago White Sox.
Tadahito Iguchi also homered and drove in three runs and Alex Cintron had a pair of RBI triples for the White Sox, who have won four straight. Chicago swept the three-game series and is 10-2 at Comerica Park since the start of last season.
Jon Garland (1-1) got the win despite allowing seven runs and 13 hits, tying a career high, in five innings.
Justin Verlander (1-1) gave up seven runs and seven hits in just 2 2/3 innings in the loss.
MARINERS 9, INDIANS 5: At Cleveland, Ichiro Suzuki and Jose Lopez each hit two-run homers to help Seattle rally past Cleveland.
The Indians led 5-3 after five innings but three Seattle relievers combined to throw 4 1/3 shutout innings, allowing five hits and no walks.
Lopez tied the score at 5-5 with a two-run homer off reliever Rafael Betancourt with one out in the seventh. Scott Sauerbeck (0-1) then yielded a sharp single to Raul Ibanez and was replaced by Guillermo Mota, who walked two batters to make it 6-5. Richie Sexson then scored on Kenji Johjima's grounder when third baseman Aaron Boone throw home pulled catcher Victor Martinez off the plate.
Johjima added a two-run double in the ninth.
BLUE JAYS 8, RED SOX 6: At Bsoton, Vernon Wells hit a grand slam in a six-run second inning and Ted Lilly dominated Boston again, striking out 10 in seven innings.
Eric Hinske had three hits for the Blue Jays, who have won two in a row. Toronto outhit the Red Sox 12-7.
David Ortiz homered to make it 8-3 in the eighth.
Lilly (1-0) gave up Mark Loretta's double and then Ortiz's single in the first for his only earned run before settling down and retiring 20 of his last 23 batters.
Matt Clement (1-1) gave up seven runs and eight hits with four walks, striking out one in four-plus innings.
ORIOLES 6, DEVIL RAYS 5: At St. Petersburg, Fla., Melvin Mora hit a go-ahead two-run homer during a three-run ninth inning to lift Baltimore over Tampa Bay.
Brian Roberts cut the Devil Rays' lead to 5-4 with a sacrifice fly and Mora's two-out drive off closer Dan Miceli (0-1) gave Baltimore the lead.
Ty Wigginton homered for the third consecutive game and Travis Lee, Tomas Perez and Jonny Gomes also had solo shots for the Devil Rays, who have 16 homers in 10 games this season.
Baltimore starter Bruce Chen gave up five runs and five hits in 7 2/3 innings. Chris Ray (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.