Delgado Makes Rookie Pay for a Mistake

Carlos Delgado taught Christian Parker a quick lesson about pitching in the major leagues: Don’t challenge a Triple Crown candidate unless absolutely necessary.

Delgado hit two home runs and drove in five runs as the Toronto Blue Jays wrecked Parker’s major league debut, beating the New York Yankees, 13-4, Friday night at New York.

Delgado, who hit three home runs Wednesday night at Tampa Bay, helped send the World Series champions to their first loss.

“I’ve never seen the guy before, so I stayed with my strength,” said Delgado, who homered against Parker in the first and Carlos Almanzar in the fourth. “I’m a fastball hitter and he got it out over the plate.”

After Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina pitched the Yankees to a season-opening sweep of Kansas City, Parker, 25, was given the start on a cool, misty evening for his first game above the double-A level.

But Parker, who earned a spot in the rotation during spring training, trailed 6-0 when he left with no outs in the fourth inning. He gave up seven runs and eight hits.

Cleveland 4, Baltimore 3--Juan Gonzalez and Jim Thome homered on consecutive pitches as the Indians rallied shortly after a fog delay at Cleveland.

A dense, fast-moving fog swirled in off Lake Erie in the fifth inning and stopped play for eight minutes before the Indians stormed back from a 3-0 deficit. They scored the go-ahead run in the seventh without getting a hit as Gonzalez walked with the bases loaded.

At one point, the fog was so thick and blowing in so fast that Oriole center fielder Melvin Mora was barely visible from the press box. Oriole Manager Mike Hargrove came out to complain and the umpires delayed the game in the sixth.

However, Hargrove had a clear view of the homers hit by Gonzalez and Thome off Jose Mercedes (0-1) in the bottom of the inning.

Boston 11, Tampa Bay 4--In his Fenway Park debut, Manny Ramirez lined the first pitch he saw for a three-run homer and the Red Sox won their fourth consecutive home opener.

Mike Lansing and Carl Everett hit solo homers in the fourth inning against Ryan Rupe as Boston overcame a 3-0 first-inning deficit.

Ramirez also singled in a run in a three-run eighth. Boston had 11 hits.

Minnesota 6, Kansas City 2--Corey Koskie and Tom Prince homered as the Twins remained unbeaten with a victory in the home opener for the winless Royals at Kansas City, Mo.

Jason Maxwell added a two-run double for the Twins, who opened with a two-game sweep at Detroit and are off to their first 3-0 start on the road since 1979. The Twins hadn’t won their first three games since 1997.

Detroit 10, Chicago 9--Shane Halter singled in the go-ahead run against Keith Foulke in the 10th as the Tigers overcame a four-run deficit.

The Tigers trailed, 5-1, before scoring eight runs in the sixth, getting a grand slam from Tony Clark. The Tigers then wasted a four-run lead in Chicago’s home opener.