Saberhagen Feels Pain in Red Sox Victory

The Boston Red Sox ended their three-game skid Saturday, but the talk after the game centered on the health of starter Bret Saberhagen.

Nomar Garciaparra’s run-scoring single broke a tie in the sixth inning and the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 9-4, at Boston despite losing Saberhagen because of shoulder injury.

Saberhagen, who was sidelined 15 months because of bad right shoulder in 1996-97, left the game because of stiffness in his shoulder after throwing two warm up pitches before the fifth inning.

“We got him out of there at the right time,” Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams said.

After his last start, Saberhagen said it was the first time he had felt no pain in the shoulder since the surgery. Saberhagen gave up one run, six hits and struck out three in four innings.

“I overthrew in the third inning trying to get outs,” Saberhagen said. “It’s the same spot as spring training. I don’t expect to miss any starts.

The Red Sox showed signs of breaking out of a hitting slump that has plagued them this season.

Mike Stanley broke out of an 0-for-22 slump by going two for three with his first home run and two runs batted in.

With one out in the sixth, Jose Offerman doubled against Indian reliever Rich DeLucia (0-1), moved to third on a fly out and scored on Garciaparra’s single.

The Red Sox added three runs in the seventh, on a solo homer by Stanley, a run-scoring double by Darren Lewis and a run-scoring single by Offerman. Troy O’Leary added a solo homer in the eighth, his sixth.

Seattle 9, Tampa Bay 4--Ken Griffey Jr. hit two of Seattle’s six solo homers at St. Petersburg, Fla. as the Mariners ended the Devil Rays’ franchise-record six-game winning streak.

Griffey, who went four for five with three RBIs, and Jay Buhner homered on back-to-back pitches as Seattle hit three solo homers during a four-run fourth inning.

John Mabry also homered, and Domingo Cedeno added a run-scoring double in the fourth.

David Segui and Griffey chased Tampa Bay starter Rolando Arrojo (1-2) with solo homers in the fifth.

Griffey’s fifth homer was his 355th, which moved him past Lee May into 49th place on the career list. It was Griffey’s 36th career multihomer game.

Jose Canseco of the Devil Rays hit a three-run, opposite-field homer--his major league-leading ninth--against reliever Makoto Suzuki during a four-run seventh-inning.

Canseco set a personal best home run total for April and tops Tampa Bay with 15 RBIs.

Texas 7, Minnesota 2--Mike Morgan gave the Rangers their third consecutive solid pitching performance and became the major leagues’ first four-game winner at Minneapolis.

Morgan, with his major-league record 11th team, gave up seven hits and two runs in seven innings. His four victories include one in relief.

“We are happy as a team,” said Morgan, 39, who was signed in January as the team’s fifth starter. “I’m a little unusual for a fifth starter. Most fifth starters are young guys.”

Juan Gonzalez continued to fight his way out of a slump with three hits, including a two-run single in the third and a run-scoring double in the fifth. Gonzalez finished with three RBIs for the second game in a row.

Gonzalez had gone 16 games without a home run and seven games without an RBI before hitting a three-run homer on Friday night.

Rafael Palmeiro added a two-run homer against LaTroy Hawkins (1-3), his fourth, to cap a three-run fifth inning by the Rangers.

Chicago 3, Detroit 1--Jaime Navarro won his first game since July 15 at Chicago as the White Sox won their sixth consecutive game.

“I never lost confidence,” Navarro said. “This is what I do. This is my job.”

Paul Konerko scored the decisive run on a throwing error in the second inning by third baseman Dean Palmer. The Tigers, who lead the American League in fielding, suffered through their first three-error game this year. Pitcher Dave Mlicki (1-1) made the other two errors.

Navarro (1-1), who returned to the rotation this spring after being demoted to the bullpen last August, scattered six hits over 6 2/3 innings in his longest outing this season. He walked one and struck out seven.

Navarro credited a change in his mechanics--and some advice from his father, Julio Navarro, a former big league pitcher--for the turnaround.

A crowd of 11,264 stunned Navarro with a standing ovation when he was pulled after walking Brian Hunter with two out in the seventh. Navarro responded with a slight tip of his cap. Bob Howry pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Oakland 3, Baltimore 0--Scott Erickson finally ended his string of awful performances--with the exception of one ill-advised pitch at Baltimore.

Matt Stairs hit a three-run homer against Erickson in the sixth inning as the Athletics ended an eight-game losing streak against the Orioles.

Erickson entered the game with a 12.41 earned-run average after allowing 18 runs and 26 hits in his first three starts. He was locked in a scoreless duel with former teammate Mike Oquist when Stairs came to the plate in the sixth with two runners on and two out.

After throwing seven consecutive fastballs and working the count to 3-2, Erickson attempted to fool Stairs with a slider. Stairs sent the pitch over the 25-foot wall in right field.

That was enough offense for the A’s because the Orioles, bidding for a second consecutive win for the first time this season, managed only four hits against Oquist and three Oakland relievers.