Mariners Win Again as Boone Leads Way

Bret Boone went three for three with a home run and Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 20 games Tuesday night as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Chicago White Sox, 4-3, at Seattle for their sixth consecutive victory.

Boone singled in the second, doubled in the fourth, hit a solo homer in the sixth and broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh with a sacrifice fly against Bobby Howry (2-1).

The Mariners (29-9) won for the third time in four games this season against the White Sox after sweeping the White Sox in the first round of the playoffs last year.

Jeff Nelson (2-0) came on with runners on first and second and two outs in the eighth and struck out Carlos Lee to end the inning.

Suzuki, a seven-time batting champion in Japan, went two for five with a run-scoring single to extend the longest hitting streak in the majors this season and raise his average to .362.

He also helped save the Mariners with his arm. Josh Paul led off the ninth with a drive into the right-field corner. Suzuki fired to Boone, who relayed the ball to third baseman Mark McLemore to get Paul at third base.

The White Sox then put runners on second and third with two outs, but Jose Paniagua came on and struck out Lee for his first save.

Oakland 3, New York 2--Adam Piatt, recalled from the minors earlier in the day, got a bases-loaded hit in the 12th inning at Oakland to lift the Athletics.

Frank Menechino opened the inning with a single off Ramiro Mendoza (2-1). Jason Giambi and Terrence Long walked before Piatt lined the ball past third baseman Scott Brosius.

Boston 5, Minnesota 2--Frank Castillo pitched six shutout innings and Shea Hillenbrand drove in three runs for the Red Sox in a meeting of division leaders at Minneapolis.

Castillo (4-2) gave up two hits and four walks, making the longest of his eight starts this season, as the American League East leader won its third in a row.

Kansas City 6, Tampa Bay 2--Mike Sweeney hit his major league-leading 22nd double in a four-run seventh inning for the Royals at Kansas City, Mo.

With the score tied at 2-2, Luis Ordaz doubled leading off the seventh, Carlos Beltran singled to chase Paul Wilson (1-5) and Rey Sanchez singled in a run against Dan Wheeler.

After a balk, Sweeney doubled to make it the score 5-2. Eight of Sweeney’s last nine hits are doubles, and he leads the American League with 29 extra-base hits.

Cleveland 8, Texas 6--Jolbert Cabrera drove in a career-high four runs at Arlington, Texas, to lead the Indians to their 10th consecutive road victory.

The Indians, who haven’t lost away from Jacobs Field since April 17 at Baltimore, are on their longest road winning streak in 63 years. They won 11 in a row on the road from Aug. 30-Sept. 23, 1938.

Baltimore 11, Detroit 3--David Segui, sidelined since April 22 because of a hand injury, drove in three runs at Baltimore in his return from the disabled list and Sidney Ponson got his first victory of the season.

Melvin Mora had three hits and three runs batted in for the Orioles, who set a season high for runs. The Orioles have scored in double figures in their last two games after doing it only once in their first 37.

“It’s a juggernaut, isn’t it?” Oriole Manager Mike Hargrove said, smiling broadly at his little joke.