Disputed Run Helps Yankees Win, 7-5

The New York Yankees had just wasted a four-run lead when Alfonso Soriano used his speed to make things right again.

Soriano scored the tiebreaking run on a controversial play in the sixth inning as the Yankees overcame a grand slam by Jeff Conine to beat the Orioles, 7-5, Thursday night at Baltimore.

After Conine made the score 5-5 in the fifth inning with his fourth career slam, Soriano went to work in the sixth against Chad Paronto (1-1).

The rookie second baseman hit a one-out double and stole third before Joe Oliver hit a liner to left. Soriano tagged up and barely beat the throw from Brady Anderson, putting New York ahead to stay.

The Orioles appealed, saying Soriano left the base too early. The appeal was denied, and Baltimore Manager Mike Hargrove was ejected by plate umpire Charlie Reliford during the ensuing argument.

“I disagreed with him then, and I still do,” Hargrove said. “But it’s his call.”

Oriole third baseman Cal Ripken and shortstop Mike Bordick were also certain Soriano left early.

“The one person that needed to see it that way was the umpire, and he didn’t see it that way,” Hargrove said.

Soriano has been a good addition to the three-time defending world champions. He’s hitting .302, is tied for the team lead with eight doubles and ranks second in the AL with 10 steals.

“I am an aggressive player on the bases. If I can help the team with my legs, that is great,” he said.

Asked for his view on the key play, Soriano quickly responded, “I was sure I left the base on time. I did not leave early.”

Seattle 10, Boston 3--John Olerud and Mike Cameron homered and Jamie Moyer won his fifth straight decision as the Mariners won at Seattle.

Ichiro Suzuki went three for five with a triple and scored three runs to help his team win its ninth consecutive series.

Suzuki, a seven-time batting champion in Japan, has hit safely in 26 of his first 28 games and is batting .344 with an AL-leading 44 hits.

The Mariners (22-6) are off to baseball’s best start since the New York Yankees also opened 22-6 in 1998.

Moyer (5-0) gave up three runs and nine hits in seven innings--his longest start of the season. The left-hander is off to the best start of his career. He went 4-0 to start the 1997 season.

The Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Frank Castillo (3-2) on Suzuki’s second triple of the season, Edgar Martinez’s sacrifice fly and Olerud’s fifth homer.

They made it 4-1 in the third when Cameron hit his third homer after a single by Suzuki.

Bret Boone had an RBI single in the fifth and Dan Wilson added an RBI groundout in the sixth for Seattle.

Rookie Shea Hillenbrand of Boston hit a two-run homer in the sixth and the Red Sox got a run on four hits in the second, with Dante Bichette scoring on a double-play grounder by Jason Varitek.

The Mariners added four runs in the eighth. Boone walked with the bases loaded and pinch-hitter Mark McLemore hit a three-run double.

Castillo gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Oakland 3, Toronto 2--Frank Menechino singled in the winning run in the 15th inning as the Athletics overcame a pair of Carlos Delgado homers at Oakland.

Ramon Hernandez singled off Pedro Borbon in the 15th, was sacrificed to second by Johnny Damon and scored on Menechino’s bouncer to center, easily beating the throw.

Toronto had loaded the bases in the top half, but Chad Bradford (1-1) struck out Jeff Frye to end the inning.

Delgado homered in the second and fourth innings off Tim Hudson. Delgado, who leads the AL with 12 homers, hadn’t connected since April 20, when he hit three at Kansas City.

It was Delgado’s third multihomer game this season and 26th of his career. His next home run will tie Joe Carter for the franchise record at 203.

Cleveland 9, Kansas City 4--Juan Gonzalez had three hits and Dave Burba won his fourth straight start for a three-game sweep at Kansas City, Mo.

Kenny Lofton had a single, double and two-run triple for Cleveland, which has won five straight overall and eight of its last nine road games. The Indians outscored the Royals 30-10 in the series.

Gonzalez, who is batting .388, had six RBIs in the series and has 32 in 26 games.

Burba (4-1) won despite giving up four runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. Steve Karsay and Bob Wickman combined for one-hit, shutout relief.

Detroit 9, Texas 4--Dean Palmer and Juan Encarnacion homered in a five-run first inning as the Tigers completed a three-game sweep at Arlington, Texas.

Dave Mlicki (2-2) won his second straight start, giving up four runs and seven hits in eight innings. He struck out nine.

After giving up a solo homer to Doug Mirabelli in the fourth, Mlicki retired 13 straight batters before his only walk of the game, to Rafael Palmeiro with two out in the eighth.

It was the first Tigers’ sweep over Texas since winning three straight from Aug. 14-16, 1992, at Arlington Stadium. The Rangers have lost five in a row.