AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mack Comes Back to Lead Twins Over Rangers

The Minnesota Twins received a major scare Wednesday night when their outfielder Shane Mack was beaned by pitcher Mike Fetters of Milwaukee.

Mack didn’t move for several seconds, was carried off on a stretcher and taken to a hospital in Milwaukee. Although he had only a mild concussion, there is always a chance that a beaning will make a hitter tentative.

That fear was erased in a hurry Friday night when the Twins played their home opener before 53,031, who honored last season’s World Series champions.

Mack, who replaced Dan Gladden as the leadoff hitter, let Texas starter Bobby Witt know right away he had no fear.

Mack hammered Witt’s fifth pitch for a home run, had three more hits and led the Twins to a 7-1 victory over the Rangers, who had won their first four games.

The Texas hitters, who had scored 38 runs in their four victories, were limited to six hits in seven innings by Minnesota starter Kevin Tapani.

Mack, who had hit a home run in the at-bat before he was beaned, is batting .462. He also made a diving catch of a foul fly ball.

“I was confident,” Mack said. “I didn’t feel intimidated. I just put it behind me. I didn’t feel any jitters.”

He didn’t surprise Manager Tom Kelly. “He’s a tough athlete. He told me he took some tough blows playing football. He had a super night.”

Witt, winless since last May 26, gave up eight hits and three runs in five innings.

New York 7, Detroit 3--Most players love to hit at Tiger Stadium, but it hasn’t been a favorite of Mel Hall.

But that might be changing. Hall had three hits, including his first home run of the season to lead the Yankees, who improved to 3-0. The Tigers are 0-4.

Entering the game, Hall was batting .234 in the park. The home run was only his fifth in 142 at-bats there.

Melido Perez, given a 4-0 lead, won his Yankee debut. He pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs and five hits, but walking six.

Oakland 6, Chicago 5--Jamie Quirk singled home Jose Canseco in the seventh inning at Oakland for the decisive run in the Athletics’ fourth win without a loss. Dennis Eckersley picked up his third save, striking out Frank Thomas with two out and runners on first and second in the ninth.

Toronto 4, Baltimore 3--The hitting of Pat Borders has helped the Blue Jays to a 4-0 start.

Borders, who didn’t hit his first home run last season until July 30, hit his third this season in the ninth inning at Toronto to tie the score. Then, Roberto Alomar singled in the winning run with two out.

Seattle 9, Kansas City 3--Edgar Martinez homered and drove in four runs at Seattle and Ken Griffey Jr. also homered as the Mariners earned their first victory after four defeats.