Need a Win? Rookies Just Find Orioles

John Snyder became the latest rookie to earn a victory at the expense of the struggling Baltimore Orioles.

Snyder pitched a three-hitter over seven innings for the Chicago White Sox, who beat the Orioles, 3-2, at Baltimore on Wednesday night, extending the Orioles’ losing streak to a season-high 10 games.

The streak is their worst since they lost 21 in a row to open the 1988 season. Baltimore, which suffered through its first 0-6 home stand since April of that same season, fell below .500 for the first time since July 26.

Rookie pitchers Chad Bradford, Jim Parque and Snyder, all of Chicago, and Kansas City’s Brian Barber have earned victories at Baltimore’s expense during the Oriole streak.

Snyder (5-2) struck out one and walked one, and Chicago completed its second three-game sweep of the Orioles in a nine-day span.

Texas 5, Detroit 3--Ivan Rodriguez ended a one-for-11 slump with two hits, including a two-run homer at Tiger Stadium that helped the Rangers remain 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Angels in the AL West.

Rick Helling (17-7) gave up a run and six hits over 6 1/3 innings, becoming the first Texas pitcher since Kenny Rogers in 1995 to win 17 games.

Boston 7, Seattle 3--Nomar Garciaparra joined Mark McGwire as one of five players to hit 30 homers in each of his first two seasons with his ninth-inning grand slam at Boston.

Garciaparra, who had 30 homers and 98 RBIs as a rookie, hit his first grand slam on Bobby Ayala’s first pitch to him. Besides McGwire and Garciaparra, Rudy York, Ron Kittle and Jose Canseco had at least 30 homers in their first two seasons.

Oakland 2, New York 0--The Yankees’ quest to reach win No. 100 on the earliest date in major league history was delayed in a game that began 2 hours, 14 minutes late after heavy rain. It was the first shutout loss at home for the Yankees since last Sept. 19 against Toronto.

Toronto 5, Kansas City 0--Kelvim Escobar limited the Royals to four hits in 8 1/3 innings at Kansas City and the Blue Jays extended their winning streak to six games and improved to 73-66, the first time they have been seven games over .500 since April 1994.

Tampa Bay 4, Minnesota 1--Quinton McCracken extended his hitting streak to 15 games and doubled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning at Minnesota.