A’s Get Offensive and Defeat White Sox, 9-2

Art Howe knew the Chicago White Sox probably weren’t throwing at Miguel Tejada. The Oakland manager also knew he’d probably get ejected if the Athletics responded.

Still, Howe was glad Jim Mecir sent a message.

“If you can’t pitch inside, don’t try,” Howe said.

Mark Ellis hit a three-run homer and Tejada drove in his 100th run as the A’s defeated the White Sox, 9-2, Saturday at Oakland. It was the A’s fourth victory in a row.

Oakland had a comfortable victory in hand by the time reliever Damaso Marte hit Tejada on the elbow in the eighth inning. In the third, Jon Garland’s 1-2 pitch accidentally glanced off Tejada’s batting helmet.

The White Sox probably weren’t going after the A’s All-Star shortstop, who drove in two runs with a single and an groundout. But Mecir still hit shortstop Royce Clayton on the leg with two outs in the ninth, leading to ejections for Mecir and Howe.

“I don’t know, you’d have to ask them,” Howe responded when asked if the White Sox were throwing at Tejada. “Miggy’s been getting hit quite a bit lately. It’s got to stop.”

Tejada moved past Chicago’s Magglio Ordonez, who has 99 runs batted in, for second place in the league behind Alex Rodriguez. It’s the third consecutive 100-RBI season for Tejada.

“I don’t think they’re scared of me or something,” Tejada said. “I don’t think they tried to hit me. I don’t show off or do anything stupid.”

After Marte hit Tejada, home plate umpire Rob Drake warned both benches--but Howe didn’t see the warning.

“We weren’t trying to hit anybody, but at the same time, it’s just baseball,” Chicago Manager Jerry Manuel said. “They had to do what they had to do to protect their guys.”

Mark Mulder (14-7) pitched eight innings of five-hit ball for his third victory in four starts. He got a wealth of run support from the A’s, who pounded Garland (8-9) and reliever Rocky Biddle for eight runs in the first four innings.

Boston 5, Minnesota 2--Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield frustrated the Twins for six innings, giving up only four hits at Minneapolis.

Wakefield (7-4), who also gave up four hits in his last outing against the Twins, walked three and struck out four to send Minnesota to its ninth loss in 12 games.

Alan Embree pitched the Red Sox out of a bases-loaded jam with the score 3-1 in the seventh to help secure the victory.

After Wakefield walked Doug Mientkiewicz, loading the bases in the seventh, reliever Bob Howry walked in a run. But Embree came in and struck out A.J. Pierzynski, Luis Rivas and Bobby Kielty.

Baltimore 7, Detroit 3--Mike Bordick celebrated his return from the disabled list by singling in the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning at Camden Yards and John Stephens earned his first major league victory.

Marty Cordova had three hits and two RBIs for the Orioles, who trailed, 3-1, before sending nine men to the plate during a four-run seventh. They got five hits in the seventh against Mark Redman (7-11) and two relievers.

Kansas City 7, Tampa Bay 3--Brent Mayne hit a tying home run with two outs in the ninth inning and Mike Sweeney hit a three-run shot in the 12th at St. Petersburg, Fla.

A game after Raul Ibanez hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth off Esteban Yan to rally the Royals to a 6-5 victory, Kansas City again victimized the Devil Ray closer.

Mayne homered on a 2-0 pitch from Yan to tie the score at 3-3. Yan has blown four of his last five save chances.