Yankees Take the Solo Route to 3-0 Victory

The Yankees can do it with pitching, defense and three solo homers, too.

After New York slugged the Red Sox into submission in the series opener, Andy Pettitte outpitched Pedro Martinez and Shane Spencer threw out a runner at the plate to preserve the Yankees’ 3-0 win over Boston on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

“To win a game like we did last night, and then beat Pedro tonight,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said, “if that doesn’t do something for our confidence, I don’t know what will.”

One night after New York beat Boston, 22-1, to snap a four-game losing streak, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams and Paul O’Neill homered off Martinez to give New York a 1 1/2-game lead in the AL East.

Martinez (9-3) gave up only five hits and struck out nine in eight innings, but Pettitte (7-3) came away with the win.

“You can’t keep riding Pedro’s shoulders,” Boston catcher Jason Varitek said. “He’s only human.”

Yankee second baseman Chuck Knoblauch, who has had trouble making the seemingly simple throw to first base, played the field flawlessly. But he was ejected after arguing about his second baserunning mistake.

After being picked off first base after singling to start the fourth inning, Knoblauch was called out for running inside the basepath in the sixth after hitting a slow roller back to the mound.

Replays showed Knoblauch was barely on the inside edge of the baseline when Martinez hit him in the back with a throw to first. As Knoblauch returned to the dugout, he threw his helmet back onto the field and was immediately ejected by home-plate umpire Larry Young.

Cleveland 4, Chicago 1--Travis Fryman hit a two-run double in a four-run sixth inning at Chicago to lead the Indians over the White Sox, ending Chicago’s eight-game win streak.

The victory pulled the Indians within 7 1/2 games of the White Sox in the Central and was Cleveland’s second win in nine games.

Jim Brower (2-1) gave up one run and six hits in 7 1-3 innings.

Mike Sirotka (6-6) gave up four runs and nine hits in eight innings, striking out six.

But Sirotka committed a critical throwing error in the sixth that led to the four runs. Second baseman Ray Durham also made a throwing error that inning, the 66th error by the White Sox (45-25), who have the best record in the majors and the worst fielding percentage in the American League.

Texas 5, Minnesota 2--Kenny Rogers gave up only five hits over eight-plus innings as the Rangers returned home and won after their worst road trip in 14 years.

Rogers (6-5), who had two no-decisions in games the Rangers lost during their 1-8 trip, retired 13 in a row before walking Matt Lawton to start the ninth and then giving up a double to Butch Huskey.

John Wetteland, who had gone three appearances since his last save June 5, came on for his 17th save in 21 opportunities.

Detroit 18, Toronto 6--Tony Clark hit two of Detroit’s club-record eight home runs at Toronto.

Juan Gonzalez, Juan Encarnacion, Bobby Higginson, Robert Fick, Rich Becker and Deivi Cruz also homered for the Tigers, whose previous best was seven homers on May 28, 1995 against the White Sox. The major league record is 10, which is held by Toronto.

The Tigers began the game 28th in the majors in home runs with 67 in 64 games.

Seattle 4, Tampa Bay 3--Paul Abbott pitched seven strong innings and Rickey Henderson had a two-run single for the Mariners at Seattle.

Abbott (4-2) gave up a two-run homer to Gerald Williams in the fifth inning after the Mariners took a 4-1 lead with an unearned run in the third on shortstop Felix Martinez’s throwing error.

The Mariners scored three runs in the second inning to beat Steve Trachsel (5-7) for the third time this season.

Oakland 8, Baltimore 5--Ramon Hernandez’s three-run homer, the A’s fourth of the game, capped a four-run eighth as the A’s rallied to win at Oakland.

It was Oakland’s seventh consecutive win--the most by an A’s team since 1994.

After Matt Stairs’ solo shot with two out in the eighth tied the score at 5, Oriole starter Sidney Ponson (4-4) walked Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez. Calvin Maduro, just off the disabled list, relieved Ponson and gave up Hernandez’s homer.