ROUNDUP : Royals Ruin Ramon’s Return

Pedro Martinez is excitable and outgoing. Ramon Martinez is quiet.

Pedro likes to throw strikes. Ramon doesn’t mind working around the plate a little more.

And there’s one more, major difference between the two Martinez brothers now pitching for the Boston Red Sox: Pedro has helped them stay atop the American League wild-card race, and Ramon hasn’t.

Not yet, at least.

Sal Fasano homered and Mac Suzuki pitched 5 1/3 innings of three-hit ball Thursday as the Kansas City Royals beat the Red Sox, 4-2, at Boston to end a six-game losing streak and spoil the return of Pedro’s older brother.

“I was lucky that I pitched against Ramon and not Pedro,” said Suzuki (1-4), who gave up one run, walked four and struck out four to earn his second major league victory.

Chris Fussell pitched 3 1/3 innings for the first save of his career, throwing a run-scoring wild pitch with two out in the ninth before striking out Trot Nixon with a runner on second.

The loss ended Boston’s season-high six-game winning streak and cost the Red Sox a chance to expand their lead in the American League wild-card race.

Making his first start for the Red Sox and his first appearance for any team in more than a year (and his first for any major league team other than the Dodgers), the elder Martinez gave up four runs--three earned--and five hits in three innings.

Baltimore 11, Tampa Bay 6--Cal Ripken connected in the third inning at Baltimore for his 400th home run.

The three-run shot into the left-field seats against Rolando Arrojo made Ripken the 29th player to reach the 400 mark.

The homer was his 16th of the season and first since July 25. He spent a month on the disabled list because of a back injury before being activated Wednesday.

The homer also was the 2,969th hit of his career, leaving him 31 shy of becoming the 23rd player with 3,000. Ripken would become only the seventh player with 400 homers and 3,000 hits, joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Eddie Murray, Stan Musial, Dave Winfield and Carl Yastrzemski.

First-base umpire Marty Foster, who became a permanent member of the American League staff earlier in the day, ejected Tampa Bay Manager Larry Rothschild in the sixth after Rothschild protested Foster’s safe call on Derrick May’s grounder.

New York Yankees 9, Oakland 3--Clay Bellinger started a four-run rally in the third inning with a single and hit his first home run in the sixth at New York.

Darryl Strawberry struck out twice and walked in his return to the majors.

Detroit 8, Texas 7--Deivi Cruz’s two-run homer in the eighth inning rallied the Tigers at Detroit.

Toronto 6, Minnesota 1--Carlos Delgado hit his career-high 39th homer and David Wells pitched a four-hitter at Toronto.

San Francisco 3, Philadelphia 2--Joe Nathan pitched seven strong innings and Barry Bonds had a sacrifice fly to drive in the go-ahead run as the Giants completed a four-game sweep at San Francisco.

The game was officiated by a crew that included three new umpires, including Jim Wolf, who was called up from the minor leagues as a fill-in for the day. Wolf’s brother, Randy, is a pitcher for the Phillies.

St. Louis 4, Milwaukee 3--Joe McEwing’s run-scoring single in the ninth broke a 3-3 tie at Milwaukee.

Mark McGwire went 0 for 4 and remained at 52 home runs.