Appier Proves His Value

Kevin Appier gave up one run over eight innings in his Oakland debut Monday as the surging Athletics defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 7-1.

It was the A’s seventh win in a row at Oakland Coliseum, moving them to a major-league best 35-16 at home and a season-high five games over .500 (55-50).

Appier (10-9), acquired Saturday in a trade with Kansas City to boost Oakland’s second-half playoff push, allowed three hits. He struck out four, walked two and received plenty of support from his new teammates.

Miguel Tejada homered and singled to drive in four runs, Ben Grieve had three hits, an RBI and two runs scored and Matt Stairs homered and singled with two runs scored.

That more than offset the solo home run Appier gave up to the second batter he faced, Mike Bordick. B.J. Surhoff followed with a single, but Appier then set down the next 11 batters before issuing a leadoff walk to Will Clark in the fifth.

Harold Baines reached on second baseman Randy Velarde’s throwing error with one out in the seventh, but Clark then bounced into an inning-ending double play turned by Velarde.

Scott Erickson (7-9) gave up seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings, ending his six-game winning streak. It was the first loss since June 4 for Erickson, who fell to 0-3 with a 10.67 earned-run average against Oakland this season.

New York 3, Toronto 1--Andy Pettitte gave up one run in eight innings and Derek Jeter broke out of the worst slump of his career with a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth to lead the Yankees at New York.

Jeter’s career-high 20th homer ended an 0-for-17 skid that matched the longest hitless streak of his career. The Yankees beat their former ace David Wells (11-7) for the third time this season and improved to 7-0 against Toronto.

Joe Girardi led off the eighth with a hustling double. He blooped a fly ball to shallow left center that Jacob Brumfield trapped. After Chuck Knoblauch sacrificed, Jeter homered over the left-field wall on a 1-2 pitch.

Pettitte (8-8), nearly traded to Philadelphia for minor leaguers at last week’s trade deadline, had been ineffective all season. His lack of aggressiveness drew the ire of owner George Steinbrenner, who was pushing for the trade.

Pettitte gave up six hits in his longest outing of the year.

Texas 5, Minnesota 4--Ivan Rodriguez homered twice and drove in four runs at Arlington, Texas, as the Rangers remained unbeaten against the Twins.

Minnesota has lost all eight meetings with the Rangers this season.

Ranger reliever Jeff Zimmerman (9-0) had his string of scoreless appearances end at a club-record 26, but still managed to pick up the victory.

The victory enabled Zimmerman to tie Whitey Ford and Joe Pate for the AL record for consecutive wins at the start of a career. It also matched Pate’s mark of consecutive wins by a rookie relief pitcher.

Texas trailed, 3-2, in the seventh when Royce Clayton tripled off LaTroy Hawkins and Mark McLemore drew a walk from reliever Eddie Guardado (2-3). Rodriguez, who is 15 for 23 in his last five games with four homers and 13 RBIs, followed with his 21st home run into the left-field seats.

Chicago 6, Detroit 2--Kip Wells pitched 5 1/3 solid innings to win his major league debut and Frank Thomas went four for five to lead the White Sox at Detroit.

The Tigers lost their seventh in a row to fall a season-worst 22 games under .500. Their 42-64 record is the worst in the AL and tops only Florida and Montreal in the majors.

Wells gave up only two runs--one earned--and six hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

Seattle 4, Tampa Bay 0--Freddy Garcia won his 11th game, the most among major league rookies, and the Devil Rays’ Wade Boggs moved to within five hits of 3,000 at Seattle.

Garcia (11-6), who came to Seattle in the Randy Johnson trade with Houston last year, gave up six hits and tied his career high with 10 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. He hit a batter and walked one.

Boggs, who will be pulled from the Devil Ray lineup if he gets hit No. 2,999 at Safeco Field so he can go for the milestone at home this weekend, went one for three. He singled to lead off the fifth, but grounded out in the sixth.