AROUND THE HORN | Thursday's other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Royals 2, Twins 1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Joe Randa hit a go-ahead double in the sixth inning and Kansas City beat Minnesota to become the first team since 1987 to win its first 10 home games. The Royals, who overcame a four-hitter by Brad Radke (1-3), sent the Twins to their second six-game losing streak this season. Kansas City is the ninth team to start 10-0 at home, two shy of the major league record, set by the 1911 Detroit Tigers. Chris George (3-1) allowed one run and four hits in six innings, and Mike MacDougal finished the seven-hitter for his ninth save. Mike Sweeney homered for the Royals.
Athletics 2, Tigers 0
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mark Mulder (3-1) retired his first 13 batters and pitched a three-hitter for his first shutout since last June 12. Craig Monroe singled to shortstop and barely beat Miguel Tejada's throw to break up the no-hit bid in the fifth. Mulder struck out three and walked one. Tigers starter Nate Cornejo (1-2) gave up one run and five hits in six innings. Chris Singleton hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth and the A's added an unearned run in the seventh when shortstop Omar Infante committed two errors on the same play.
Rangers 16, Red Sox 5
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez both hit three-run homers and had three hits, and Carl Everett had a three-run triple. Texas had 19 hits. Palmeiro's 496th career homer, his sixth this season, was a 427-foot drive in the fifth that put the Rangers ahead 13-5. Everett's triple into the right-field corner in a seven-run third gave the Rangers a 6-4 lead and chased Derek Lowe (3-2).
Orioles 5, White Sox 4
BALTIMORE -- Deivi Cruz and Gary Matthews Jr. homered in a three-run seventh as Baltimore rallied from a 4-2 deficit against Rick White and Tom Gordon (1-2). Melvin Mora went 3-for-4 with a homer for the Orioles, who climbed over .500 (11-10) for the first time since opening day. Willis Roberts (2-1) pitched 11/3 innings, and Jorge Julio got three straight outs for his sixth save.
Blue Jays 5, Devil Rays 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tanyon Sturtze (3-1) allowed two runs and six hits in six innings and Orlando Hudson had a two-run single during a three-run fifth. Kelvim Escobar got three outs for his third save. Tampa Bay's Jorge Sosa (1-2) didn't allow hit until two outs in the fifth, when Hudson singled home two runs and Shannon Stewart hit a go-ahead single. Toronto went 3-8 on its longest road trip of the season.
Angels 6, Yankees 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Bengie Molina hit a three-run homer and Anaheim beat New York to avoid a three-game sweep in their rematch of last year's playoff series. Anaheim snapped the Yankees' seven-game winning streak. The Angels beat Andy Pettitte to end a 16-0 run by New York starting pitchers this season. Pettitte (3-1) gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings. Tim Salmon hit a solo shot in the first. Ramon Ortiz (3-2) went 51/3 innings and allowed two runs on eight hits, including Bernie Williams' leadoff homer in the sixth.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Phillies 9, Rockies 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Chase Utley hit a grand slam in his first major league game as a starter, as Philadelphia swept the three-game series. The 24-year-old infielder, 0-for-1 in his major league debut April 4, played his second big league game, starting at second base because Placido Polanco went on the disabled list. Utley flied out in the second inning, then gave the Phillies a 6-0 lead in the third when homered off Aaron Cook (1-2) and became the first major leaguer with a grand slam for his first hit since Boston's Creighton Gubanich against Oakland in 1999. Pat Burrell also homered to back Randy Wolf (3-1), who struck out eight in 72/3 innings.
Padres 2, Cubs 1
CHICAGO -- Oliver Perez (1-2), winless in his first four starts, struck out six in 61/3 scoreless innings, allowing six hits. Chicago lost consecutive games for only the second time this season. San Diego got its runs in the third off Matt Clement (2-2) when Ramon Vazquez singled and scored on a double by Keith Lockhart, who came around on a single by Ryan Klesko.
Mets 7, Astros 4
NEW YORK -- Pedro Astacio (1-0) returned to the Mets' rotation with six innings and Roberto Alomar doubled twice. Alomar drove in two runs and scored twice as the Mets matched their longest winning streak of the season at two and their season high for runs. They did it minus All-Star catcher Mike Piazza, a late scratch because of a sore groin. Lance Berkman and Jeff Kent hit consecutive home runs in the Houston ninth off Jaime Cerda. Armando Benitez got the final out for his seventh save in 11 chances.
Braves 4, Cardinals 3
ATLANTA -- Andruw Jones hit a two-run single in the ninth inning. The Braves went to the ninth trailing 3-2, but Rafael Furcal got things started with a leadoff single. Marcus Giles sacrificed him to second before Steve Kline (0-2) walked Gary Sheffield and Chipper Jones to load the bases. Cal Eldred, seeking the first save of his career, came on to face Andruw Jones, who lined the first pitch to the gap in left-center.
Expos 1, Diamondbacks 0
MONTREAL -- Javier Vazquez and two relievers combined on Montreal's major league-leading fifth shutout and Vladimir Guerrero homered. Vazquez (3-1) allowed six hits in seven innings to help the Expos blank Arizona for the second time in three days. Guerrero led off the seventh with his fifth home run of the season, a drive to left off Byung-Hyun Kim (1-4).
Reds 3, Dodgers 2, 11 innings
CINCINNATI -- Kevin Brown struck out 11 in seven innings, but Reggie Taylor's RBI single in the 11th gave Cincinnati the victory. Brown, who had back surgery last season, gave his most dominating performance in nearly a year. He gave up four hits and two runs in seven innings.
Marlins 4, Brewers 2
MIAMI -- Mark Redman struck out a career-high 11 and pitched a four-hitter as Florida completed a three-game sweep. Redman (2-2), backed by an early 4-0 lead, walked one and got his first win since striking out 10 in beating Philadelphia 8-3 on April 3. It was his first complete game since last July 17 against the New York Yankees for Detroit. Alex Gonzalez had two RBIs for the Marlins, who hadn't swept the Brewers at home in four years.
-- Associated Press