Yankees Have Reason to Celebrate

Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill and the New York Yankees picked up their World Series rings Sunday, then went out and played like champions.

Martinez and O’Neill homered into the upper deck in the fourth inning and the Yankees ended a four-game losing streak, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium.

Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada also homered as the Yankees avoided a season-high fifth consecutive loss.

“I think seeing that we were oh-for-our-last-four did more to stimulate us” than the rings, Manager Joe Torre said.

Hall of Famer Yogi Berra presented the three-carat diamond rings in a pregame ceremony. The jewelry includes the words “Tradition” and “Pride” and features three subway cars--representing the Yankees’ victory over the Mets in the Subway Series for their third title in a row.

“It’s been so long ago, it’s almost an afterthought. Right now we’re in another pennant race,” O’Neill said. “Hopefully, it won’t be the last one we receive.”

Mike Mussina (10-8), who hopes to earn his first ring this season, walked in from the left-center field bullpen while his teammates gathered on the field to get their rings.

“I haven’t seen the rings yet,” he said. “Hopefully, a year from now, I get to stand out there and get one.”

The Yankees moved back into first place in the AL East, taking a one-game lead over Boston, which lost to Chicago.

Torre got his fourth World Series ring with the Yankees, but did not get to enjoy the entire afternoon.

He was ejected in the eighth for arguing after home plate umpire Rob Drake issued a warning following a high-and-tight pitch from Yankee reliever Jay Witasick to Jose Cruz Jr.

In the bottom half, Blue Jay reliever Chris Michalak was ejected after hitting Chuck Knoblauch in the lower leg.

Toronto Manager Buck Martinez was automatically ejected too, and third base coach Terry Bevington was thrown out when he joined the animated, finger-pointing argument.

“This is a farce. This is an absolute farce,” Torre said. “This is a joke. Baseball can’t go on like this.

“The umpire behind the plate sort of overreacted. It got out of hand,” he said. “He said he was going according to a note he got. You’d like to believe the people who officiate this game have a better feel.”

Drake, who began the season as a triple-A umpire, crew chief Charlie Reliford and the other umpires refused to talk to reporters after the game.

Seattle 6, Minnesota 3--Lou Piniella described all-purpose Mark McLemore as the unsung hero in the Mariners’ amazing season. Paul Abbott can’t be too far behind.

McLemore had four runs batted in and Abbott (9-2) took a two-hit shutout into the ninth inning as the Mariners defeated the Twins for the third time in a row at Minneapolis.

“He plays right, center, left, third base and shortstop,” Piniella said. “I’d hate to think where we’d be without the versatility he provides.”

Abbott improved to 7-0 in 11 starts since May 28. He was bidding for his first shutout in 113 career starts before David Ortiz’s two-run single in the ninth.

Cleveland 6, Detroit 3--Bartolo Colon, pitching while appealing a seven-game suspension, behaved for five innings and Jim Thome hit a three-run homer at Jacobs Field.

Colon (9-7) learned Friday that baseball executive Frank Robinson didn’t approve of him throwing over the head of Houston catcher Scott Servais in his last start.

But Colon, who will continue to pitch before his appeal can be heard, didn’t come close to hitting any of the Tigers. He yielded two runs and seven singles, walked three and struck out five.

Chicago 13, Boston 8--Paul Konerko homered for the third game in a row and Carlos Lee hit a three-run homer to lead the White Sox at Chicago.

Dante Bichette hit a three-run homer for the Red Sox, who lost for the third time in four games and dropped out of a first-place tie with the Yankees in the AL East.

Tampa Bay 7, Texas 4--Greg Vaughn hit a grand slam with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning to help the Devil Rays win only their second series this season against an American League team.

Trailing, 4-2, in the seventh, Ben Grieve took a close 3-and-2 pitch against Juan Moreno (1-1) to load the bases. Vaughn then hit a 1-and-1 pitch off Pat Mahomes for his sixth career slam and second this season.

Kansas City 5, Oakland 4--Rey Sanchez had four hits and three RBIs and singled in the winning run with two out in the ninth inning as the Royals won for only the second time in their last eight home games.