A’s Rally, Extend Streak to 12

The Oakland Athletics found a different way to get the job done Sunday.

The Athletics won their 12th consecutive game, rallying from a five-run deficit to beat the Tigers, 10-7, at Detroit. Oakland maintained its two-game lead in the American League West.

Eric Chavez and John Mabry hit two-run doubles in a decisive five-run eighth inning. The Athletics’ winning streak is their longest since they set an Oakland record with a 14-game string in 1988.

The Tigers lost their fifth consecutive game. Randall Simon hit a grand slam that gave Detroit a 7-2 lead in the fourth and tied a career high with five runs batted in.

“It didn’t look good early,” said Chavez, whose broken-bat double down the right-field line off Jamie Walker (1-1) brought the A’s to within one run before Mabry’s pinch-hit double off Juan Acevedo put the A’s ahead.

“But we battled back and stayed in it. It was a different win but it was a good win,” he said.

The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the ninth against Billy Koch. But Koch struck out pinch-hitter Wendell Magee and Brandon Inge for his 33rd save in 38 chances.

Seattle 12, Cleveland 4--Ben Davis homered twice, including a grand slam, and Freddy Garcia pitched eight strong innings to lead the Mariners at Cleveland. Bret Boone had four hits and three RBIs for Seattle, which scored eight runs by the third inning. The Mariners lost the first two games of the series on game-winning home runs.

Garcia (14-9) settled down after a rough first inning to get his first road win since June 19. The right-hander went eight innings for the first time in 10 starts.

Texas 6, New York 2--Rookie Joaquin Benoit held the high-powered Yankee offense scoreless until the seventh to lead the Rangers at New York. Alex Rodriguez drove in his major league-leading 113th run, Michael Young had two RBIs and Herbert Perry homered for the Rangers, who won for the seventh time in 10 games.

Toronto 5, Baltimore 2--Josh Phelps homered as the Blue Jays won at Baltimore. Baltimore’s Mike Bordick broke Cal Ripken’s major league record for consecutive errorless chances by a shortstop, throwing out leadoff hitter Shannon Stewart on a grounder in the first inning to run his string to 429.

Kansas City 4, Minnesota 2--Chuck Knoblauch hit a leadoff home run and Michael Tucker and Raul Ibanez also hit solo shots as the Royals won at Kansas City, Mo., to snap a six-game home losing streak.

Chicago 8, Tampa Bay 3--Gary Glover gave up four hits through seven innings for the White Sox at Chicago. Tampa Bay has gone a club-record 16 straight series without winning one.