Glynn Helps Texas End Skid, 2-0

In his first game as the Texas Rangers’ manager, Jerry Narron got the sort of pitching Johnny Oates rarely did.

Ryan Glynn threw eight shutout innings and Alex Rodriguez collected his 1,000th hit Saturday as the Rangers defeated the Chicago White Sox, 2-0, at Arlington, Texas, to end a five-game losing streak.

“It’s a shot in the arm,” Rodriguez said. “We needed a performance like that. Ryan pitched great and it was a clean game. Hopefully it’s the beginning of a good streak for us.”

His two-out, run-scoring single against reliever Gary Glover in the seventh inning put the shortstop at the 1,000 mark.

“Obviously it’s very satisfying when you get a milestone hit like that in a victory,” Rodriguez said. “I hope it’s the first of many victories for Jerry. I’m excited about our prospects.”

It was the Rangers’ first shutout since a 1-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in 11 innings on Aug. 25.

Narron, who took over after Oates resigned under pressure Friday, inherited a team that started the game with a 6.72 earned-run average, worst in the majors by more than one run.

But Glynn (1-3) shut down the White Sox on three hits for his first victory since Sept. 8. He struck out three with no walks and had 12 ground-ball outs.

“I wanted to get the shutout and I wanted to get the win,” Narron said. “I know we’ve got a good ballclub that’s better than we’ve played. It’s a matter of getting something started.”

Jeff Zimmerman pitched the ninth for his third save, getting Jose Valentin to fly out with runners at the corners to end the game.

Glynn, who opened the game with a 11.09 ERA, retired the first nine batters before Ray Durham’s single leading off the fourth. Durham had three of Chicago’s five hits.

Cleveland 9, Tampa Bay 4--Russell Branyan homered and had three RBIs at St. Petersburg, Fla., to help the Indians win their seventh in a row in a game with three hit batters and three Devil Rays ejected.

Tampa Bay starter Paul Wilson (1-4) hit one batter, and Cleveland starter Tim Drew plunked two--all in the first four innings. Home plate umpire Mike Dimuro then warned Wilson and both benches after the right-hander threw a high-and-tight fastball to Omar Vizquel in the fifth.

Boston 7, Oakland 1--Chris Stynes hit his first home run of the season and added an RBI double at Oakland to help the Red Sox end a three-game losing streak.

The Red Sox held a private team meeting before the game, apparently to discuss their recent slump. Boston had lost five of six before Saturday.

Starter Paxton Crawford (3-0) gave up one run on six hits over six innings.

Seattle 7, Toronto 5--Dan Wilson, in an 0-for-18 slump, hit a tiebreaking home run when he pinch hit in the seventh inning at Seattle.

Wilson’s first home run in 28 at-bats as a pinch-hitter came against Pedro Borbon (0-2) and gave the Mariners a 5-4 lead.

New York 5, Baltimore 2--Andy Pettitte extended his mastery of the Orioles and Derek Jeter stole home to cap a four-run third inning at Baltimore.

Jeter and Chuck Knoblauch both had two hits and an RBI for the Yankees, who will send former Oriole Mike Mussina to the mound today looking to complete a four-game sweep.

Pettitte (4-3) gave up six hits, all singles, and two unearned runs in seven innings. The left-hander struck out eight and walked two in improving to 12-3 against Baltimore, including 8-1 at Camden Yards.

Kansas City 12, Minnesota 10--LaTroy Hawkins blew a save for the first time in 24 career chances and Dee Brown hit a two-run home run in the 12th inning at Kansas City, Mo.

Hawkins, nine for nine previously this season, set a major league record for consecutive saves converted at the start of a career with 23.