White Sox’s Bats Halt Mariners’ Streak

The Mariner express, which steamed west out of New York after winning three games in a row, then found easy pickings in Chicago for one day, was derailed Wednesday night.

Tony Graffanino hit the first grand slam of his career, Frank Thomas hit two homers and Ray Durham homered and drove in another run for the White Sox in a 19-3 laugher over Seattle.

They kept the best record in the American League in the process.

“This year’s a special season and we want to let it continue,” said Thomas, who came close to homering a third time with a double off the center-field wall. He had five runs batted in, one shy of his personal best.

“We have a very explosive offense,” he said. “When it’s clicking, it’s very dangerous.”

Seattle will vouch for that. The 19 runs were a season high for the White Sox, topping the 18 they scored against the Mariners in April. Chicago also had a season-high 24 hits.

The White Sox battered Jamie Moyer (11-5), who had won eight of his last 11 starts, for 11 earned runs and 13 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

“If last night was long, tonight was longer,” Mariner Manager Lou Piniella moaned, referring to Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep by Seattle. “They just put a whipping on us.”

New York 12, Oakland 1--Tino Martinez had a grand slam and an RBI double for the Yankees, who dealt Kevin Appier his worst loss ever at New York.

Andy Pettitte (13-6) took a shutout into the eighth inning and won his fourth consecutive start. Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams hit solo home runs for the Yankees, who sent the Athletics to their fourth loss in a row.

Appier (10-9) gave up 10 runs in only 3 2/3 innings, with seven hits and six walks, an anomaly for him in New York. Appier was 3-1 with a 2.27 earned-run average in seven previous starts at Yankee Stadium.

Tampa Bay 5, Minnesota 4--Miguel Cairo scored on shortstop Cristian Guzman’s error in the 10th inning, giving the Devil Rays a victory at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Cairo opened the inning by drawing a walk off LaTroy Hawkins (2-3) and went to third base on Fred McGriff’s one-out single. Cairo scored when Guzman mishandled Jose Guillen’s grounder.

Tampa Bay right-hander Dave Eiland, activated from the disabled list before the game, gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings in his first outing since May 23.

Kansas City 5, Toronto 3--Mike Sweeney had three hits, including a three-run homer, for the Royals, who dealt Toronto its eighth loss in nine road games.

Cleveland 6, Texas 4--Kenny Lofton’s three hits sparked the Indians’ win at Cleveland that moved them within 1 1/2 games of the A’s for the AL wild card.

Texas’ Gabe Kapler extended the AL’s longest hitting streak of the season to 23 games with a bad-hop RBI single in the seventh.

Baltimore 5, Detroit 2--Jose Mercedes (7-4) pitched into the eighth inning at Detroit to win his fourth consecutive decision.

The Orioles took a 5-1 lead with a three-run sixth inning on consecutive run-scoring singles from Delino DeShields and Albert Belle and a bloop RBI double from Brook Fordyce.