Twins Sweep Aside White Sox

The size of the Metrodome crowd Sunday was the only hint of Minnesota’s recent baseball past. Everything else seemed brand new.

Eric Milton struck out eight of the first 10 batters he faced, and the 9,141 fans roared with each pitch, as the Twins defeated the Chicago White Sox, 4-3, for their sixth victory in a row and best start ever.

“Winning just makes everything easier,” Milton said. “We’ve lost enough games the last few years. It’s time to win some games.”

Corey Koskie had four hits for the Twins, who had never started a season 9-2. It is also the first time Minnesota has won six in a row at home to open a season.

“It feels pretty good and our pitchers deserve all the credit,” Koskie said. “I think we have a pretty good team here.”

Milton (2-0) finished with 10 strikeouts and gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings for Minnesota. Frank Thomas homered for the White Sox, who have lost three in a row for the second time this season.

The Twins swept Chicago at the Metrodome for the first time in 20 years and swept back-to-back series for the first time since 1994.

Before Sunday’s low turnout, Minnesota’s home attendance was up 32,118 compared to the same number of dates last season. The Twins are averaging 6,424 more fans at home this season.

Boston 5, New York 4--Carl Everett had three of Boston’s 15 hits and the Red Sox rallied for three runs in the seventh inning to beat the Yankees at Boston.

Andy Pettitte (2-1) gave up a career-high 14 hits. Seven of the last eight batters he faced got hits.

With Boston trailing, 3-2, Everett led off the seventh with a triple and scored on Manny Ramirez’s double. Ramirez took third on Dante Bichette’s single and scored the go-ahead run on a single by Jason Varitek. Todd Williams relieved Pettitte and gave up Lou Merloni’s sacrifice fly.

Every Boston starter had at least one hit. Pettitte’s previous high for hits given up was 13 against Minnesota on Aug. 1, 1997.

Kansas City 4, Toronto 2--Mike Sweeney homered in his third consecutive game to help the Royals end their five-game losing streak with a victory at Toronto.

Blake Stein (1-2) won despite walking six in six innings. He allowed two runs and two hits as the Royals won for the first time in six road games.

Carlos Delgado hit his league-leading seventh home run for the Blue Jays.

Texas 10, Oakland 8--Alex Rodriguez hit two of the Rangers’ five home runs and drove in five at Oakland as the Rangers handed the Athletics their seventh consecutive loss.

The 16th multihomer game of Rodriguez’s career helped the Rangers sweep a three-game series at the Network Associates Coliseum for the first time since May 17-19, 1994. In the series against the A’s, Rodriguez was six for 10 with four home runs and 13 RBIs.

Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 4--Greg Vaughn went for four for five with two home runs, and Fred McGriff and John Flaherty also hit homers at Baltimore as the Devil Rays won for only the third time since opening day.