For Starters, a 7-0 Record for Baldwin

James Baldwin has never won more than 13 games in a season. On Saturday, he became baseball’s only 7-0 pitcher.

Baldwin pitched a complete-game seven-hitter for his eighth consecutive victory dating to last season as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-2, at Toronto.

It’s an amazing start for Baldwin, who has always started slowly before flourishing at the end of the season. He went 8-4 with a 3.56 earned-run average in the second half of last season after starting 4-9 with a 6.62 ERA. In 1998, Baldwin went 10-3 in the second half after going 3-3 with a 7.24 ERA before the All-Star break.

“A lot of people said I was a second-half pitcher, so I wanted to come out focused and start off the year good,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin, who won his final decision last season, is tied for the major league lead in victories and has won 15 of his previous 17 decisions.

“He’s undefeated because he pitches quickly and he keeps his defense involved,” Chicago Manager Jerry Manuel said.

The right-hander struck out three and walked none--he went to three balls on only two batters--for his second complete game of the season.

Shannon Stewart spoiled Baldwin’s shutout bid with a home run in the eighth inning, and Carlos Delgado added a solo shot to lead off the ninth.

“Baldwin has had it going on all year,” Toronto’s Darrin Fletcher said. “He’s beat us twice. He looks real sharp.”

Craig Wilson went three for four with three runs scored and Frank Thomas was three for three for the White Sox, who have won five of six.

Cleveland 3, New York 2--Jeff Nelson walked four batters in the ninth inning at Cleveland, forcing home the winning run with a two-out pass to Roberto Alomar.

Pinch-runner Jolbert Cabrera scored the winning run when Nelson (6-1) lost his control in the ninth, throwing 12 balls among his final 14 pitches, including a wild pitch.

Richie Sexson hit a home run in the seventh for the Indians, who came back from a 2-0 deficit to end a losing streak at four games against New York this season.

Enrique Wilson, who scored the tying run in the seventh on Kenny Lofton’s sacrifice fly, drew a one-out walk in the ninth against Nelson, whose last loss came on April 17 last season.

Lofton then walked on four pitches with two outs, and Cabrera ran for Wilson. Nelson’s wild pitch put the runners at second and third and Omar Vizquel also walked on four pitches.

Nelson got ahead of Alomar 1-2 before throwing three consecutive balls, the final one high and tight that just missed hitting Alomar.

Texas 2, Baltimore 1--Esteban Loaiza pitched seven strong innings at Arlington, Texas, and the Rangers defeated Mike Mussina and the slumping Orioles for their fifth consecutive victory.

The Rangers have won eight of 10. Baltimore has lost 14 of 16.

Loaiza gave up one run and six hits before walking Brady Anderson leading off the eighth. Mike Venafro relieved and finished the inning.

John Wetteland pitched the ninth for his ninth save and 305th of his career, moving him past Jeff Montgomery into ninth place.

Minnesota 3, Oakland 0--Eric Milton gave up three hits in eight innings as the Twins won at Oakland for their third consecutive victory.

Minnesota’s Brian Buchanan had three hits in his second major league game. The Athletics lost their fifth in a row.

Denny Hocking went three for three with a double. He is nine for 13 in the first three games of the four-game series.

Detroit 2, Boston 1--Juan Gonzalez hit a tiebreaking home run in the sixth inning for the Tigers at Detroit.

Boston had defeated the Tigers in five of six games this year, pitching shutouts in three of them.

Gonzalez, the first batter reliever Tim Wakefield faced, hit his eighth home run. The shot cleared the screen above the left-field wall.

Gonzalez also doubled as Detroit ended a three-game losing streak. Boston lost for the third time in 13 games.