Royals Top Yanks After Strange Play
American League
The Kansas City Royals, helped by a rare reversal of an umpire’s ruling on a play in the sixth inning, went on to beat the New York Yankees 7-5 in 12 innings Friday night.
The Yankees played the game under protest after the controversial play. Royals runner Jay Bell was called out for passing teammate Jose Offerman, then, after an umpires’ conference, was allowed to return to third base because Offerman had already been forced out. It led to a three-run inning that made it 3-all.
Shortstop Derek Jeter’s throwing error and a run-scoring double by Jeff King put Kansas City ahead in the 12th. King finished with four RBIs.
White Sox 3, Athletics 2 (10) Chicago
Dave Martinez hit a two-out, game-winning single in the bottom of the 10th inning for Chicago.
With two outs, Norberto Martin had an infield single and Lyle Mouton reached on third baseman Dave Magadan’s error before Martinez lined a hit to right off Aaron Small (4-1).
Indians 5, Tigers 0 Detroit
David Justice and Matt Williams homered, and Charles Nagy pitched his first shutout since 1995 as Cleveland continued its mastery of Detroit.
Nagy (5-2), who has pitched into the sixth inning in all eight of his starts, allowed seven hits, struck out a season-high 11 and walked two in his first complete game of the season.
The Indians have won 14 of their last 15 games against the Tigers.
Justice, who has homered in three straight games, connected on his first at-bat in Tiger Stadium in the second. His 12th homer of the season went deep into the second deck in right field.
Rangers 5, Red Sox 1 Boston
Bobby Witt pitched a five-hitter for Texas’ first complete game of the year, ending its season-high three-game losing streak.
Witt (6-0) walked one and struck out six. Last Sunday, the Red Sox roughed him up for six runs in four innings.
Witt is off to the Rangers’ best start since Jeff Russell (1988) and Jim Kern (1979) each opened at 7-0.
Brewers 5, Angels 4 Milwaukee
Cal Eldred survived a rough first inning and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth for Milwaukee.
Eldred (4-3) gave up a home run on his first pitch of the game to Darin Erstad but settled down, scattering eight hits over seven innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked one to outduel rookie Shigetoshi Hasegawa (1-2).
Blue Jays 4, Twins 1 Minneapolis
Pat Hentgen scattered six hits in eight innings and Toronto took advantage of sloppy defense.
A passed ball in the second and two errors in the sixth led to two Toronto runs as the Twins lost for the 13th time in their last 16 games.
Hentgen (3-1), who held the Twins to four hits in a 1-0 win in Toronto last Sunday, allowed singles on his first two pitches of the game. But he allowed just four more singles while striking out five.
Clearing the bases
The Red Sox dropped to 0-11 in games they don’t hit a home run. … Chicago White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said again Friday he’s going to ask moody $55 million outfielder Albert Belle to talk to the media again. Belle hasn’t talked with reporters since April 11. … The Minnesota Twins have designated relief pitcher Gregg Olson for assignment after the one-time rookie of the year was ineffective this season. Olson, 30, had no record with an 18.36 earned run average in 11 appearances. … Reinsdorf once again suggested a scheduling format that would send cold-weather teams on the road to warmer locales for the first three series of the season. An alternative, he said, would be to start the season later, play more doubleheaders and cut the number of games from the current 162. … Mark McGwire went 0 for 5 and is now in a 7-for-35 slump.