Fast-Starting Yankees Don’t Look Back

Joe Torre couldn’t have scripted a better game.

Bernie Williams returned to the New York Yankee lineup, Andy Pettitte gave a weary bullpen needed rest and Tino Martinez provided a big blow early at New York.

Martinez hit a first-inning grand slam and Pettitte came within one out of a shutout as the Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox, 6-1, Friday night.

“Tino gave us an early 4-0 lead and that makes any pitcher’s life easier,” Torre said. “Once we got the lead, Pettitte pitched very aggressively and made them earn everything they got.”

The Yankees also were buoyed by the return of Williams, who missed the past 10 games to tend to his ailing father in Puerto Rico.

Williams got a standing ovation from the crowd of 54,366 before his first at-bat and made a spectacular leaping catch to rob Carl Everett of a homer in the third inning.

The early runs--aided by Hideo Nomo’s wildness--helped the Yankees too.

After striking out Chuck Knoblauch to open the game, Nomo (2-1) walked three of the next four hitters.

Martinez, in a one-for-18 slump, then hit a 2-2 pitch into the upper deck in right field to make it 4-0. That equaled the most runs the Red Sox had allowed in any of their first 16 games.

“He couldn’t locate his pitches,” Torre said. “We had four runs and one hit.”

Derek Jeter added RBI singles in the second and fourth innings to make it 6-0 and Pettitte did the rest. Pettitte, who gave up a career-high 14 hits in a 5-4 loss at Boston on Sunday, faced little trouble in the rematch.

Minnesota 4, Chicago 1--Brad Radke became the majors’ first four-game winner and Corey Koskie hit a go-ahead homer for the Twins at Chicago.

The 12-3 start is the Twins’ best through 15 games since their 1972 team ran out to the same record.

Radke (4-0) gave up seven hits and pitched his first complete game this season while beating the White Sox for the second time in less than a week.

Toronto 12, Kansas City 4--Carlos Delgado hit three home runs in a game for the second time this season, twice teaming with Raul Mondesi on back-to-back shots at Kansas City, Mo.

Delgado, who leads the American League with 10 home runs, has three multi-homer games this season and 25 in his career. The 10 home runs tied a team record for April.

His third homer was a two-run shot in the ninth and gave him four RBIs for the game.

Texas 9, Oakland 6--Darren Oliver, winless in his final 10 starts last season, won his fourth consecutive game as the Rangers won at Arlington, Texas.

Rusty Greer homered and drove in four runs for Texas. Alex Rodriguez homered for the second consecutive day, giving him six this season, all against the Athletics.

Cleveland 5, Detroit 4--Einar Diaz hit a bases-loaded single barely beyond diving shortstop Deivi Cruz in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Indians at Cleveland.

Baltimore 6, Tampa Bay 3--Willis Roberts pitched six strong innings in his first major league start and Jay Gibbons hit a three-run double in the fourth inning for the Orioles at St. Petersburg, Fla.