Devil Rays Still Haven’t Found the Way to Deal With Johnson

If Randy Johnson was distracted by trade rumors, it didn’t show during another strong performance against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Friday night.

The Seattle Mariners’ ace gave up three hits, struck out 10 and walked two in eight innings to beat the Devil Rays, 6-2, Friday at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Ken Griffey Jr. had three hits, including two doubles and a tiebreaking run-scoring single in the fifth inning. Russ Davis and Rich Amaral also drove in runs for the Mariners, who have been trying to meet Johnson’s request for a trade.

“I have no control over that. I can just go out there and work hard for this team,” Johnson said. “It hasn’t been easy, no doubt about that. The guys in the clubhouse have been good about it. I need to go out there and do my job.”

Johnson (5-3) shut down the Devil Rays for the second time in a week. He struck out 15 in a 3-1 victory last Sunday in Seattle and only gave up singles by Mike DiFelice, Aaron Ledesma and Tim Laker on Friday night.

Johnson, unhappy since the Mariners indicated last year that his contract wouldn’t be renewed beyond this season, got relief help from Mike Timlin, who pitched the ninth.

“He pitched a heck of a ballgame. He gave us exactly what we needed,” Seattle Manager Lou Piniella said of Johnson. “He was ready to go out for the ninth inning, but it was a long inning. . . . He pitched exceedingly well.”

Johnson, who lowered his earned-run average from 6.02 to 5.47, has struggled at times this season. But Tampa Bay Manager Larry Rothschild said he may be pitching as well as ever now.

“I don’t know if he can throw any better,” Rothschild said. “If he can, I don’t want to see it.”

New York 6, Boston 2--The Yankees defeated the Red Sox for the 1,000th time in their storied rivalry with a win at New York.

David Cone (7-1) overcame two home runs by Reggie Jefferson as the Yankees survived a rain delay of more than two hours to win for the 11th time in 13 games.

Paul O’Neill, Chuck Knoblauch and Joe Girardi each drove in two runs, helping Cone defeat the Red Sox for the second time in six days.

The Yankees improved to 1,000-813 against the Red Sox since they began playing in 1903. Boston is the fifth franchise the Yankees have beaten at least 1,000 times.

The victory also assured the Yankees of their 19th consecutive series without a loss, their longest such streak since 1955-56. The last team to go 19 in a row was Philadelphia in 1983-84.

Tino Martinez returned to Yankee lineup for the first time since last Friday, when he sprained his right shoulder sliding in Boston. He went 0 for 4.

Baltimore 6, Texas 3--B.J. Surhoff hit a three-run homer off Aaron Sele and drove in four runs for the Orioles at Baltimore.

Harold Baines also homered against Sele, who was trying to become the first nine-game winner in the majors. Sele (8-3) gave up five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, his shortest stint of the season.

Roberto Alomar had three hits for the Orioles, who have won three in a row for the first time since April 11-14. Baltimore is 5-1 since dropping nine consecutive games.

Texas has lost a season-high five in a row. It was the Rangers’ eighth consecutive loss at Camden Yards.

Doug Johns (1-1) gave up two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings to earn his first major league win since July 14, 1996.

Armando Benitez, back with the Orioles after serving an eight-game suspension for his part in a May 19 brawl with the Yankees, gave up one run over the final three innings, striking out five, for his seventh save.

Cleveland 7, Toronto 3--Bartolo Colon struck out a career high 14 at Toronto as the Indians extended their win streak to four games.

Toronto starter Roger Clemens (5-6) gave up four earned runs on seven hits and four walks and struck out nine in seven innings.

“It was thrilling because I got 14 strikeouts and a chance to face my idol,” Colon, a native of the Dominican Republic, said through an interpreter. “My best pitch was the fastball, but every time I got into trouble I threw a curve.”

Jim Thome, David Bell and David Justice hit home runs to support Colon (4-3), who gave up three runs and five hits in his third complete game of the season. Colon retired eight in a row to finish the game.

Detroit 8, Chicago 7--Damion Easley’s second homer of the game, a three-run shot in the eighth inning, gave the Tigers a victory at Detroit.

Trailing, 7-4, the Tigers rallied in the eighth off reliever Carlos Castillo (1-4). Kimera Bartee hit a leadoff homer before Castillo gave up two-out walks to Tony Clark and Luiz Gonzalez.

Easley, who also homered in the seventh off Chicago starter Jason Bere, then hit his 16th homer to put the Tigers ahead, 8-7. Easley has hit in an AL-best 18 consecutive games.