Stottlemyre’s the Big Apple of Mother’s Eye

Todd Stottlemyre made it a difficult day for his family and the New York Yankees.

With his father in the opposing dugout and his mother abandoning her usual seat in the stands, Stottlemyre helped stop the Yankees’ winning streak at nine games, pitching the Texas Rangers to a 16-5 victory Saturday at New York.

The victory gave Stottlemyre and his dad--Yankee pitching coach, Mel--a total of 284 wins, the most ever by a father-son tandem. The elder Stottlemyre had 164 wins in 11 seasons with the Yankees.

“This was probably, emotionally, the toughest game I’ve ever pitched, and that includes World Series games,” Todd said. “Whatever the outcome, the little kid in me wanted to make him proud. I’m glad I got an opportunity to do it, and I’m glad it’s over.”

It was not easy on Mel, either, because Todd gave up four runs in the first inning. Yet Stottlemyre (2-1) overcame his shaky start and left with a 7-5 lead after the sixth. He gave up nine hits and six walks.

“It’s a day I should’ve stayed home,” Mel said. “Watching my son struggle and our guy [Hideki Irabu] struggle. . . . It was real difficult, a tough day on me overall.”

Rusty Greer hit a grand slam in a six-run second inning, and had an RBI single in a six-run ninth. Mike Simms homered and drove in four runs as Texas stopped a three-game losing streak.

A crowd of 53,117 saw New York’s 10-game home winning string stopped. Irabu (11-6) lasted only 2 1/3 innings in his shortest outing of the season.

The Yankees surrendered their most runs since July 18, 1996, when they lost, 16-4, at Milwaukee.

Stottlemyre, traded from St. Louis to Texas on July 31, won for the fourth consecutive time at Yankee Stadium. His 12 victories over the Yankees are his most against any team.

Never before had he pitched a game in the majors in which his dad was in either dugout.

“Walking out on the bullpen and seeing Pops walking out with his pitcher, it’ll be a great memory,” Todd said.

“I looked him in the eye when he went to warm up,” Mel said. “It was a neat thing, watching your kid pitch on the same field.”

The whole scene was tough on Todd’s mother, Jean, too. She moved from her normal spot in the Yankee wives’ section and instead sat with Todd’s wife, Sheri, behind the plate.

“My stomach’s in knots,” Jean said early in the game. “Blood’s thicker than anything else. That’s my son out there. Of course I’m going to root for my son.”

Minnesota 3, Boston 2--Pat Meares singled home the go-ahead run, and Frankie Rodriguez pitched seven strong innings at Boston.

The teams combined for 40 runs and 60 hits in the first two games of the series, both one-run victories by the Red Sox.

Rodriguez (2-2), traded to the Twins from Boston in a 1995 deal that sent Rick Aguilera to the Red Sox, gave up two runs and seven hits while striking out seven and walking one, helping stop Minnesota’s five-game losing streak. He entered the game with a 7.47 earned-run average in 11 games.

Hector Carrasco pitched a perfect eighth and Aguilera--who returned to the Twins two years ago--pitched out of a jam in the ninth for his 29th save.

Minnesota’s David Ortiz and first base coach Ron Gardenhire were both ejected in the first inning after Ortiz’s home run was reversed. Ortiz hooked a fly ball near the right-field foul pole, and first base umpire Marty Foster pointed fair. The umpires changed the call after the Red Sox argued.

Tampa Bay 8, Kansas City 6--Bobby Smith’s two-run double with one out in the 11th inning gave the Devil Rays the victory at Kansas City and kept the AL East expansion franchise from being the first team eliminated from a division race.

Ricky Bones (0-1) walked Kevin Stocker. After a sacrifice bunt by Randy Winn, Bones intentionally walked Wade Boggs. Smith lined a fastball into right-center field and continued to third when second baseman Jose Offerman bobbled the throw from the outfield.

Jim Mecir (6-3) pitched 2 1/3 innings for the victory, giving up only one hit, with one walk and one strikeout. Roberto Hernandez got the last three outs for his 20th save.

Oakland 10, Detroit 8--Miguel Tejada tied the score with a ninth-inning homer and Mike Macfarlane had a go-ahead two-run single in the 11th to win it for the Athletics at Detroit.

The Athletics, who led, 4-0, in the first and, 6-3, in the seventh, had 20 hits, their highest total since getting 20 against Minnesota on April 10, 1994. The Athletics had lost their previous seven games against the Tigers.

Tejada, three for five with three RBIs, singled leading off the 11th. Jason McDonald reached on a bunt single, and the Athletics loaded the bases when Dean Crow (1-2) failed to get Tejada at third base on Rickey Henderson’s sacrifice.

Macfarlane’s single made it 9-7 and Ryan Christenson had an RBI single with one out.