Mariners’ Johnson Runs Win Streak to 12

Randy Johnson, pitching for the first time in 11 days, extended his winning streak to 12 games and Alex Rodriguez hit a pair of two-run homers as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Kansas City Royals, 8-5, Sunday at Seattle.

Kansas City closed to 6-5 in the eighth by scoring four runs, two unearned, but Rodriguez hit his second homer of the game in the bottom of the inning to give the Mariners some insurance.

Johnson (5-0), who sat out one start because of an inflamed nerve in his lower back, hasn’t lost since Aug. 1 against the Angels. He pitched five innings against the Royals. Norm Charlton finished for his fifth save.

The Mariners hit eight doubles to match a club record for the second consecutive game.

Kansas City rookie Chris Stynes stole three bases in the first inning to tie a major-league record. Stynes, who added his fourth stolen base in the eighth, is the first player to get three steals in one inning since 1989.

New York 9, Chicago 8--Joe Girardi cleared the bases with a three-run double in the sixth inning and the Yankees rallied from an 8-0 deficit to stun the White Sox at Chicago.

Trailing, 8-4, New York scored five runs in the sixth.

Reliever Bob Wickman (3-1), the fourth Yankee pitcher, went 1 2/3 innings for the victory.

Detroit 5, Texas 3--Felipe Lira gave Detroit’s pitching staff a rare quality start and John Flaherty jump-started the offense with a three-run double as the Tigers won at Arlington, Texas.

Lira (3-3) gave up three runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings for a staff that started the day with a 7.19 earned-run average, the worst in the major leagues. Lira struck out one and didn’t walk a batter.

Mike Myers got four outs for his second save, only the Tigers’ fifth this season.

Toronto 8, Boston 7--Rookie Robert Perez hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th to lift the Blue Jays at Toronto.

Perez’s single helped rookie Marty Janzen (1-0) get the victory in his major league debut. Janzen gave up three hits in three innings of relief.

Milwaukee 6, Baltimore 4--Dave Nilsson went three for four and and drove in three runs as the Brewers won at Milwaukee.

Milwaukee overcame a pair of two-run homers by Rafael Palmeiro. Angel Miranda (2-2) gave up both homers but got the victory, giving up four runs and seven hits in seven innings.

The Brewers had runners thrown out at the plate in the first and second innings.

Oakland 8, Minnesota 3--Ernie Young homered for the fourth time in three games and Don Wengert gave up two hits over seven innings to lead the Athletics at Oakland.

Young also had an RBI double in Oakland’s 14-hit attack. Jose Herrera was three for four and scored two runs for the A’s.

Wengert (1-1) spent the first month of the season in the bullpen before replacing Todd Van Poppel in the rotation. He walked one and struck out four.