Victory Is No. 150 for Blue Jays’ Wells

David Wells planned to celebrate his 150th victory as if it were any other.

“I’ll do what I always do,” he said Wednesday night after striking out nine in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Toronto. “I’ve got four days to recoup.”

Wells (9-2) gave up eight hits in eight-plus innings and walked none. Cristian Guzman’s two-out homer in the eighth drove in Minnesota’s first run.

Wells, who pitched a perfect game against the Twins in 1998, became the American League’s first nine-game winner and upped his record to 150-101. He has won eight consecutive decisions against the Twins, improving to 14-5 against them, and has won eight of his last nine starts overall.

Blue Jay Manager Jim Fregosi thinks Wells is having a great start because of an improved attitude. Wells was devastated after being traded from his beloved New York Yankees in February 1999.

“I think his mental outlook is much better this year right from the start,” Fregosi said. “He’s been spectacular.”

Wells said he’s over the trade.

“I wanted to retire as a Yankee,” he said, “but stuff happens and I’m going to retire as a Blue Jay, and be just as happy.”

Billy Koch relieved with two on in the ninth, gave up a two-out run-scoring single to Midre Cummings, then retired Denny Hocking on a grounder with two on for his 11th save in 14 chances.

“Billy gave me the ball and I told him to keep it,” Wells said.

Brad Radke (3-6) pitched a six-hitter in his second complete game. Radke didn’t walk anybody, either.

Comparing himself to Wells, he said: “I’m skinny, he’s fat. Everybody goes about it differently.”

Chicago 4, Seattle 3--Herbert Perry’s tiebreaking double in the ninth inning lifted the White Sox at Seattle.

Carlos Lee reached second with one out in the ninth when third baseman John Mabry allowed the ball to go under his glove for a two-base error.

Perry then hit a ground-rule double to right against Kazuhiro Sazaki.

Bob Howry (1-1) pitched 1 2/3 hitless innings and Keith Foulke, Chicago’s fifth pitcher, got three outs for his 10th save.

Tampa Bay 4, Baltimore 3--The Devil Rays finished off the Orioles not once, but twice at St. Petersburg, Fla.

B.J. Surhoff’s grounder off reliever Roberto Hernandez’s glove went to shortstop Felix Martinez, who threw the ball to first for what seemed to be the final out.

After first-base umpire Brian Runge called Surhoff out, the Devil Rays came on the field to shake hands in celebration of the victory.

Meanwhile, Surhoff, Oriole Manager Mike Hargrove and first-base coach Eddie Murray argued the call. That’s when third-base umpire John Shulock overruled Runge, saying Fred McGriff’s foot came off first base.

So after a nine-minute delay, which included Tampa Bay Manager Larry Rothschild saying he would play in protest, the game resumed.

Charles Johnson singled before Hernandez struck out Brady Anderson to end it with the tying run on third.

“I know they wanted to get the call right. But what I don’t understand is my team is off the field . . . I had guys in the clubhouse already,” Rothschild fumed.

“Yeah, get the call right. But do it right away and don’t let us get off the field. I’ve never seen it before. Never ever seen it anywhere. Little League, American Legion, girls softball, anywhere.”

McGriff led Tampa Bay with his 399th home run, a two-run shot against Buddy Groom with one out in the eighth inning.

Kansas City 9, Boston 7--Mike Sweeney had four hits and Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye each had three for the Royals at Boston.

Mac Suzuki (2-0) scattered seven hits and four walks in seven innings, striking out seven and giving up two runs. Pete Schourek (2-5) gave up six runs on six hits and two walks, striking out one in 4 1/3 innings.

Jerry Spradlin earned his fifth save, getting four outs after Boston scored five runs against Ricky Bottalico in the eighth, coming back from a 9-2 deficit.

Oakland 8, New York 7--Matt Stairs hit a three-run homer in the first inning as the Athletics scored seven runs against David Cone at New York.

Gil Heredia (7-3) struggled after Oakland gave him a 4-0 lead, but three relievers held off the Yankees, who had the tying run in scoring position in two of the last three innings.

Jason Isringhausen got five outs for his 11th save.

Heredia, who gave up three-run homers to Chuck Knoblauch and Ricky Ledee, gave up six runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Cone (1-5), winless in six starts since April 28, gave up six earned runs, six hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings.

His earned-run average jumped from 5.68 to 6.24.

“It was a poor effort, but I feel good and I’m going to be back,” said the normally loquacious Cone, cutting off additional questions.

Texas 13, Detroit 5--Rafael Palmeiro homered and drove in four runs at Detroit as the Rangers tied the club record for victories in May.

“I don’t know if it had anything to do with the ballpark. When I feel good, I hit anywhere,” said Palmeiro, who was three for six and is batting .336 against the Tigers in his career. “It has nothing to do with their pitching, either. I give credit when it’s due, and I have to credit myself sometimes too.

“It has nothing to do with the ballpark or the pitchers I’m facing. Sometimes I’m just seeing the ball well and I’m able to hit it.”

Rusty Greer also had four RBIs as Texas pounded five pitchers for 16 hits, seven for extra bases, as the Rangers finished May with an 18-10 record to tie the 1991 and ’96 clubs for most victories in the month.

Former Ranger star Juan Gonzalez sat out again because of a strained left foot. He was sidelined for the entire three-game series.