Devil Rays Draw Blanks Against Mussina

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays didn’t have any answers for Mike Mussina.

The American League expansion team was shut out a major league-high fifth time, managing only five hits off Mussina in a 7-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Rafael Palmeiro had a four-for-five night and Cal Ripken Jr. homered and drove in four runs in support of Mussina (4-2), who has not given up a run in 16 2/3 innings--two starts--since returning from the disabled list.

The Baltimore right-hander struck out 10, including the last three batters, and walked none for his first complete game of the season. He threw 127 pitches, 91 for strikes.

“He changes speeds, has a heck of a change-up, and he climbs the ladder with his fastball,” Tampa Bay Manager Larry Rothschild said.

“His record speaks for itself. I don’t think I have to say anything else. You aren’t going to figure him out. You might narrow him down, but you are not going to figure him out.”

Palmeiro hit a towering, solo homer in the first off Dennis Springer (1-5) and Ripken, stuck in a two-for-30 slump, hit a three-run shot in the sixth for a 4-0 lead.

Ripken’s single in the eighth drove in Palmeiro and B.J. Surhoff added a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Palmeiro, who had only had one hit in his previous 20 at bats and began the night 0 for 15 lifetime against Springer, finished off his big night with an RBI single in the ninth.

Minnesota 8, New York 1--Mike Morgan came close to his first shutout since 1993, Matt Lawton hit a grand slam and the Twins ended the Yankees’ eight-game winning streak by winning big at Minneapolis.

The Yankees lost for only the third time in 25 games, though they still have the best record in the majors at 23-7. The Twins won for only the fourth time in 11 games.

Morgan (1-1) won for the first time with the Twins. With two outs in the ninth, Chad Curtis singled and Scott Brosius followed with a single off Morgan’s glove. The ball rolled to second baseman Brent Gates and his throw was dropped by first baseman Orlando Merced for an error, allowing Curtis to score.

Morgan gave up seven hits, struck out four and walked one in 8 2/3 innings. His last shutout came on July 15, 1993, with the Chicago Cubs.

Lawton was on an eight-for-45 slide when he came up with two outs in the sixth, but he saved the Twins from coming up empty for the second time in the game with the bases loaded and no outs. It was Lawton’s second grand slam.

Boston 3, Kansas City 1--Pedro Martinez gave up four hits in seven innings and Troy O’Leary hit his 10th home run as the Red Sox beat the Royals at Kansas City.

Martinez (4-0), the National League Cy Young award winner in 1997 for Montreal, struck out six and walked three, lowering his ERA to 1.88.

Tom Gordon pitched the ninth for his league-leading 13th save.

O’Leary singled in the second inning off Kansas City starter Tim Belcher (1-5) to extend his career-high hitting streak to 14 games. O’Leary moved into the team lead in home runs with a solo shot to right center leading off the fourth inning.

Texas 7, Cleveland 3--Juan Gonzalez hit a three-run homer, increasing his major league-leading RBI total to 45 and leading the Rangers over the Indians at Arlington, Texas.

Darren Oliver (2-4) pitched a complete game, giving up seven hits. He struck out four and walked one.

Oliver has pitched at least eight innings in his last three games after going 0-3 to begin the season.

The Rangers’ Rusty Greer, a career .300 hitter who has been struggling, delivered a solo shot that gave Texas a 5-3 lead in the seventh.

“I don’t know why a three-run home run does not surprise me with Juan and it was good to see Will [Clark] put one in the seats, but Rusty’s home run may be the one that gets us started,” Manager Johnny Oates said. “We’ve been waiting since Feb. 27 for Rusty to get started. He hit three balls very well tonight.”

Darren Oliver (2-4) pitched his second consecutive complete game, giving up seven hits. He struck out four and walked one. It was the first time in his career he had pitched two complete games in a row.

Toronto 4, Seattle 1--Pat Hentgen pitched six scoreless innings and the Blue Jays escaped a pair of bases-loaded jams to beat the Mariners at Seattle.

Hentgen (4-3) stopped Seattle in its fifth bid to go over .500 this season. He gave up six hits, struck out six and walked three.

Randy Myers pitched the ninth for his ninth save.

The Mariners loaded the bases in the third inning on Joey Cora’s single and walks to Ken Griffey Jr. and David Segui, but Hentgen ended the threat by getting Edgar Martinez and Glenallen Hill on line outs to right field.

The Mariners scored a run against Toronto’s bullpen in the seventh, but again left the bases loaded when Hill grounded out. The Mariners are batting .120 (three for 25) with the bases loaded this season.