Mariners Make Hit Count, Beat Yankees

Ted Lilly came close to pitching Saturday’s second no-hitter in the major leagues but lost his bid and the game, too.

Desi Relaford singled with one out in the eighth inning, driving in the game’s only run and giving the Seattle Mariners their only hit in a 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees at Seattle.

Earlier Saturday, Boston’s Derek Lowe pitched the major leagues’ first no-hitter of the season. Only once in modern major league history have two no-hitters been thrown in one day.

“I went at it today with everything I had and came up a little short,” Lilly said. “Obviously, I’m disappointed.”

Lilly (0-2), who had never pitched more than seven innings as a starter in the major leagues, walked Dan Wilson with one out in the eighth inning, and pinch-runner Luis Ugueto took second on a wild pitch.

Relaford then lined a single into right field on a 2-2 pitch to easily score Ugueto. Lilly immediately backed up home, then hung his head a little bit as he returned to the mound.

Freddy Garcia (3-2) gave up five hits in eight innings, struck out eight and walked one, and Kazuhiro Sasaki finished for his seventh save in eight chances.

Derek Jeter singled with one out in the ninth and Robin Ventura walked with two outs, but Sasaki struck out Rondell White to end the game.

Lilly struck out eight and walked one.

After hitting Jeff Cirillo with a pitch in Seattle’s second at-bat, Lilly retired 17 consecutive batters before plunking Cirillo again in the seventh.

The only day since 1900 there ever were two major league no-hitters thrown was June 29, 1990, when Oakland’s Dave Stewart accomplished the feat against Toronto and the Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela did it against St. Louis.

Oakland 16, Chicago 1--Scott Hatteberg, Terrence Long, Carlos Pena and Frank Menechino all homered in a seven-run third inning as the A’s won at Oakland. The four-homer inning matched the franchise record. The last time the A’s hit as many was Aug. 1, 1999, against Tampa Bay.

Hatteberg hit a solo home run, Long added a three-run shot to right and Pena hit another solo homer off Mark Buehrle (4-2). Menechino added a two-run home run on Michael Porzio’s first pitch in relief to give the A’s a 9-1 lead.

The A’s, who had 19 hits, have homered in 14 consecutive games and lead the majors with 40 home runs.

Texas 4, Cleveland 2--Rob Bell won his first start of the season and Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs to lead the Rangers at Arlington, Texas. Bell (1-0), recalled before the game from Triple-A Oklahoma, gave up one run and four hits in six innings.

Cleveland’s Ellis Burks, who grew up in nearby Fort Worth, hit a solo homer in the eighth off Rudy Seanez, giving him home runs in 40 ballparks, the most in major league history. Fred McGriff and Mark McGwire homered in 39 ballparks.

Tigers 5, Twins 1--Rookie Nate Cornejo pitched his first career complete game in the major leagues, giving up nine hits, striking out eight and walking one for the Tigers at Detroit. Randall Simon homered and drove in three runs and Bobby Higginson drove in two runs and scored twice for Detroit. The Tigers won for the third time in four games while Minnesota has lost four of five.

Baltimore 9, Kansas City 4--Tony Batista homered twice and drove in five runs, giving him nine RBIs in two games and 23 this season as the Orioles won at Kansas City, Mo. Melvin Mora and Geronimo Gil also homered to help Sidney Ponson (1-1) win for the first time in eight decisions. The Orioles, who have won six of eight after starting 4-11, scored their first seven runs with two outs.