Explosive Battle Ends In Whisper

After 40 hits and nearly two-dozen runs, the Oakland Athletics finally beat the Minnesota Twins without swinging a bat.

Rick Aguilera, who gave up a pair of homers in a three-run ninth, threw a wild pitch that allowed the winning run to score in the 11th as the Athletics won 12-11 Thursday in Oakland, Calif.

“It was quite a thing to lose a game on a wild pitch, but I think it was a fitting way to end this game,” Minnesota manager Tom Kelly said.

Oakland led 6-0 after two innings and 8-2 entering the seventh. But Terry Steinbach’s three-run homer against his former team highlighted a seven-run eighth as Minnesota took an 11-8 lead.

Brent Mayne hit a solo homer in the ninth and Matt Stairs hit a two-run drive that tied the score.

Rangers 4, Tigers 2 Arlington, Texas

Ivan Rodriguez broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double and Roger Pavlik rebounded from two bad starts to lead Texas over Detroit. Detroit manager Buddy Bell was ejected by home-plate umpire Dale Ford in the top of the seventh after arguing from the dugout about Raul Casanova’s strikeout. It was his second ejection this year.

Red Sox 2, Orioles 1 (12) Baltimore

Nomar Garciaparra homered with two outs in the 12th inning to lift Boston past Baltimore.

Garciaparra was 0 for 5 before driving a 1-0 pitch from Terry Mathews (0-1) into the left-field stands. Garciaparra’s fourth homer of the season extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Indians 6, Brewers 3 Milwaukee

Brian Giles and Tony Fernandez hit two-run homers as Cleveland sent Milwaukee to its fifth consecutive loss.

Charles Nagy (3-1) allowed three runs - two earned - and eight hits in six-plus innings, struck out eight and walked three. Jose Mesa got the save.

National League

Pirates 4, Cubs 3 Chicago

Jason Kendall scored from second on a throwing error by shortstop Rey Sanchez as Mel Rojas blew his first save chance for Chicago, allowing Pittsburgh to rally for the victory.

The Cubs, who at 2-17 have the worst record in the majors, are 0-7 at Wrigley Field and have lost nine straight home games dating to last season.

Clearing the bases

Left-handed pitcher Tim Davis was placed on the Seattle Mariners’ 15-day disabled list with a sprained ligament in his left elbow.

The 26-year-old Davis had been scheduled to start Wednesday night’s game against Kansas City but left the game with discomfort in his elbow before throwing a pitch.

Pitcher Hideki Irabu’s agent, Don Nomura, quickly rejected New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner’s initial offer, reported to be a three-year deal worth $12 million, plus a $2 million to $3 million signing bonus.

The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly are about to be sold by their Belgian brewery owners to a Toronto group led by real estate developer Murray Frum.

Steve Howe, whose career was interrupted by seven drug or alcohol-related suspensions, agreed to a contract with the Sioux Falls Canaries of the independent Northern League.

Dean Palmer has returned to the cleanup spot for Texas after hitting .308 with four homers in seven games at the No. 5 spot.