Here’s the Capper for Red Sox--a Win

Forget pyramid power. The Boston Red Sox have white cap power.

The Red Sox wore white caps for the first time since the 1930s and unleashed a hidden power during Sunday’s 7-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

Tim Naehring hit a grand slam over the Green Monster and Wil Cordero hit the first homer off Fenway Park’s “Caffeine Monster” as the Red Sox won for the second time in seven games.

Naehring’s home run broke a 1-1 tie in the second inning. Cordero homered off the 20-foot Coke bottles that have been added to a light standard above the left-field wall. The 427-foot shot earned $1,000 for charity and put Boston up 6-1.

Tom Gordon (1-1) limited the Mariners to one unearned run on four hits and a walk, striking out six in eight innings.

The loss broke Seattle’s four-game winning streak.

Ken Griffey Jr. singled in the sixth-- his first hit in the series. He has not hit a home run in three games after hitting six in the first week.

Baltimore 9, Texas 0--Jimmy Key pitched a six-hitter for his first shutout in four years and Jeffrey Hammonds hit two solo homers at Baltimore.

Key (2-0) walked one and struck out seven in lowering his ERA to 1.29 over three starts. The left-hander, signed as a free agent during the offseason after a four-year stint with the New York Yankees, threw 122 pitches and permitted only one runner past first base.

The impressive performance also served as a statement from a pitcher who two years ago underwent rotator cuff surgery on his throwing arm.

“This shows I can go nine innings,” Key said.

Milwaukee 3, Toronto 2--After consecutive snowouts at Milwaukee, these teams finally got a game in as the Brewers won on Fernando Vina’s ninth-inning single off Tim Crabtree.

Gerald Williams led off the ninth with a bloop to right-center that he stretched into a double. Jesse Levis sacrificed him to third and reached base safely when second baseman Carlos Garcia pulled his foot off the first base.

Vina then stroked an inside slider into right field for a single, scoring Williams. Bob Wickman (1-0) got the victory.

Chicago 11-2, Detroit 8-4--Travis Fryman hit a three-run home run with one out in the ninth inning, giving the Tigers a split of their doubleheader with the White Sox at Detroit.

In the first game, the White Sox overcame an early 7-0 deficit in 12 innings to end a three-game losing streak.

Fryman, who hit an 11th-inning home run off Roberto Hernandez in the first game, again victimized the White Sox closer for the game-ending homer. Hernandez wound up with a win and a loss for the day.

Kansas City 6, Minnesota 1-- At Kansas City, Johnny Damon and David Howard both drove in three runs and Kevin Appier got his first victory.

Appier (1-0) gave up five hits in eight innings. He struck out seven and walked three in his third start.

Damon, starting his second game of the season, lined a 3-2 pitch into the right field bullpen in the third inning for a two-run home run. Howard walked and Damon followed with his first hit of the season.

Twin starter Frank Rodriguez (0-2) left the game because of a sprained left ankle after throwing two balls to Damon in the fourth.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

*--*

Player Team Performance Team’s Result Travis Fryman Detroit doubleheader: Split 4 for 9, 2 HR, 4 RBI Jeffrey Hammonds Baltimore 3 for 4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 3 runs Won Geronimo Berroa Oakland doubleheader: Split 5 for 8, 1 RBI, 1 run

*--*

PITCHING

*--*

Player Team Performance Team’s Result Jimmy Key Baltimore 9 innings, 6 hits, 0 runs, Won 7 strikeouts Kevin Appier Kansas City 8 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, Won 7 strikeouts Andy Pettitte New York 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, Won 4 strikeouts

*--*