Boggs Can Be a Pitcher Too

Wade Boggs is headed to the Hall of Fame for his 3,000 hits, not his knuckleball.

Still, Boggs wound up on the mound for the second time in his career Tuesday night, as his Tampa Bay Devil Rays were routed by the Baltimore Orioles, 17-1, at St. Petersburg, Fla.

“There wasn’t much of a choice. It was going to be a position player and Wade had done it before,” Tampa Bay Manager Larry Rothschild said.

Sidney Ponson threw his league-leading sixth complete game for Baltimore. Ponson (11-7) gave up one run and six hits, struck out five and walked two.

Mike Bordick tied his career-high with five RBIs. The Orioles had dropped six in a row to Tampa Bay.

The highlight for the 17,848 fans at Tropicana Field came with two out in the eighth inning when Boggs, who became the 22nd player to reach 3,000 hits last weekend, entered as a relief pitcher.

“It’s been a hell of a week. I didn’t expect to come in with the bases loaded,” Boggs said.

After receiving a standing ovation, Boggs retired Charles Johnson on a fly ball to right field. He got the first two batters in the ninth, including a strikeout of Delino DeShields, before giving up one run and three hits.

Seattle 4, Chicago 3--Ken Griffey Jr. hit his league-leading 36th homer and pinch-hitter Tom Lampkin’s two-run double in the ninth inning gave the Mariners the win at Seattle.

Jamie Moyer (11-6) pitched an eight-hitter for his first complete game of the season. He struck out five and walked two.

Boston 9, Kansas City 6--Brian Daubach’s double capped a four-run 10th inning at Kansas City, after Tim Wakefield struck out four in the ninth but still blew the save.

Boston led, 5-3, in the ninth. Wakefield quickly fanned the first two hitters and then got Johnny Damon to flail at a 3-and-2 pitch, but the ball got away from Jason Varitek as Damon reached on the passed ball.

Another passed ball advanced Damon to second and Carlos Febles, who had struck out three times, tied the score with his 10th homer. Carlos Beltran then struck out.

Toronto 10, Minnesota 6--Carlos Delgado hit two of Toronto’s five home runs and the Blue Jays banged out 15 hits at Minneapolis, giving them 40 in two nights against Texas and Minnesota.

Shannon Stewart, Darrin Fletcher and Homer Bush also homered off Brad Radke (8-11) as Toronto maintained a one-game lead over Boston in the AL wild-card race.

Oakland 6, New York 1--Scott Spiezio’s two-run double in the sixth broke up a scoreless duel and Ben Grieve followed with a two-run homer as the Athletics beat Roger Clemens at Oakland.

Omar Olivares (10-9) gave up one run in six innings to win his second game since he was traded by the Angels. Doug Jones got his sixth save this season and 297th of his career, tying Jeff Montgomery for 10th place.