Major League Baseball Roundup : Yankee Streak Doesn’t Go Quietly

Billy Martin has put his personal stamp--the postgame tirade--back on the New York Yankees.

Even with five straight victories to start the season, Martin reacted angrily Monday after the Yankees’ first defeat, a 17-9 trouncing by the Toronto Blue Jays before 45,185 fans in the home opener at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.

“You don’t forget when you lose that way,” Martin said. “You don’t forget about it because certain things happened today that shouldn’t happen.”

Most of Martin’s outburst was aimed at shortstop Rafael Santana. With the Yankees leading, 3-0, Toronto’s Lloyd Moseby hit a one-out single and Tony Fernandez followed with a grounder to second baseman Bobby Meacham. Santana dropped Meacham’s throw, and both runners were safe.

Instead of the inning being over, the Blue Jays scored six runs.

“I saw a shortstop drop a cinch double-play ball,” Martin fumed. “It changed the whole momentum of the game.”

Rick Rhoden (1-1) and five other Yankee pitchers surrendered 20 hits and 9 walks.

Toronto third baseman Kelly Gruber went 4 for 6 with two home runs and five runs batted in.

New York’s Rickey Henderson went 5 for 5, boosting his average to .565, and stole 4 bases.

Toronto’s David Wells (1-0) pitched the final four innings as the game lasted 4 hours 15 minutes, 3 minutes shy of the major league record for a 9-inning game.

Cincinnati 4, San Francisco 0--Mario Soto pitched a four-hitter and added a run-scoring single to cap a 4-run fourth as the Reds defeated the Giants at San Francisco.

Soto (1-0), who has battled arm trouble the past few seasons, walked three and struck out five in posting his first shutout since April 24, 1986.

Tracy Jones hit a run-scoring single, Buddy Bell drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, Bo Diaz doubled home another run and scored on Soto’s single off Kelly Downs (0-2) in the fourth.

Pittsburgh 5, Philadelphia 1--Barry Bonds hit a triple and a home run, and Mike LaValliere had a 3-run double as the Pirates won their home opener from the Phillies before the largest crowd in Pittsburgh history.

The paid attendance of 54,089 broke the record of 52,119 set in the Pirates’ home opener last year.

Mike Schmidt doubled home the Phillies’ run against Doug Drabek (1-0) as the Pirates beat the Phillies for the eighth time in their last nine meetings.

Cleveland 7, Baltimore 2--Cory Snyder and Pat Tabler each drove in two runs at Cleveland and the Indians got their sixth straight win, sending the Orioles to their worst start in 33 years.

Baltimore lost its sixth straight game, matching its worst start ever in 1955. The Indians are off to their best start since going 10-0 in 1966.

Chicago 6, St. Louis 1--Greg Maddux pitched a six-hitter, and Dave Martinez tripled home three runs to help the Cubs beat the Cardinals at St. Louis for their fifth victory in six games.

Maddux (2-0) also singled, doubled and scored twice as Chicago had 13 hits against Bob Forsch (0-2) and Scott Arnold. Maddux had a shutout until the ninth, when Bob Horner doubled and Terry Pendleton singled him home.