Two Is a Very Good Number for the Tigers

OK, it’s only two games, but when is the last time you heard of a winning streak associated with the Detroit Tigers?

It was April 13-14, and the Angels were the victims.

Now it’s the New York Yankees, beaten 9-7, Saturday night at Detroit, as Kenny Rogers (4-2) was rocked for eight runs in 2 2/3 innings, his shortest outing in three seasons.

Kimera Bartee had the first three-hit game of his career for the Tigers.

“We haven’t been playing bad,” he said. “It’s been blown out of proportion because we’ve lost 46 games.

“But we’ve been playing hard and that’s all we can ask. We’re just going to roll with it and see how far it takes us.”

If form holds, not far. Toronto ended that April streak at two games.

On Saturday, John Flaherty had a three-run double and Cecil Fielder a two-run double to highlight the Tigers’ 12-hit attack.

Rogers, who walked three, said, “It wasn’t location; it was just about everything. It just wasn’t a very good exhibition all the way around. I couldn’t pinpoint one problem.”

Bernie Williams hit two homers, Matt Howard hit his first major league home run and Tino Martinez also homered for the Yankees.

Detroit, which had lost 39 of its past 45, won for only the third time in its last 22 starts.

Chicago 2, Baltimore 1--James Baldwin (6-1) and four relievers combined on a nine-hitter and Danny Tartabull drove in both runs for the White Sox, who won at Baltimore and are 17-3 in their last 20 games.

The Orioles’ Roberto Alomar had two hits and extended his hitting streak to 22 games.

Texas 2, Toronto 0--Darren Oliver (5-2), recovering from rotator cuff surgery, pitched his first major league shutout in his first complete game in 18 starts, giving up five hits in a win at Arlington, Texas.

Minnesota 4-7, Oakland 2-13--George Williams hit a grand slam and Brent Gates added a two-run homer in a six-run fifth inning for the A’s, who won the second game at Minneapolis after Rich Robertson (2-7) pitched 6 2/3 innings to win his second decision in a row for the Twins in the first.

It was the only regularly scheduled doubleheader in the major leagues this season.

Milwaukee 3, Boston 2--Kevin Koslofski, called up from triple-A earlier in the day, doubled in the 10th inning and scored the winning run on the Red Sox’s fourth error of the game at Boston.

Kansas City 12, Seattle 8--Bip Roberts drove in four runs and a struggling Kevin Appier (5-6) pitched six shaky innings at Kansas City for the Royals, who won their third game in a row.