Cameron Sparks Mariner Outburst

Mike Cameron homered and drove in four runs, and the Seattle Mariners ended the Oakland Athletics’ eight-game winning streak with a 7-1 victory Tuesday night at Seattle.

After losing the opener of the four-game series, 13-2, Monday night, the Mariners got a strong start from James Baldwin to increase their lead to three games over the Athletics in the American League West. It was Oakland’s second loss in 18 games.

Oakland is 19-4 this month, with three of the losses coming against the Mariners.

Baldwin (6-6) pitched seven innings to win his second consecutive start and the Mariners handed Tim Hudson (5-7) his fifth loss in seven decisions.

Cameron, who had been batting .212 and had a league-high 83 strikeouts, hit a three-run homer against Mike Venafro in the seventh.

The Athletics took a 1-0 lead in the third on David Justice’s bizarre sacrifice fly that scored Randy Velarde from third.

With runners at the corners, left fielder Charles Gipson made an outstanding catch of Justice’s drive before hitting the fence hard. Miguel Tejada was thrown out rounding second on the play.

Baltimore 4, New York 3--Jerry Hairston drove in the tiebreaking run with a suicide squeeze in the seventh inning at Baltimore.

Marty Cordova had three hits and two runs batted in for Baltimore, which defeated Andy Pettitte (1-2). Alfonso Soriano and Derek Jeter hit solo homers for the Yankees.

With the score tied, 3-3, Ramiro Mendoza came in to face Hairston, whose bunt toward first base scored Brian Roberts.

Cleveland 4, Boston 2--Jim Thome hit his 20th homer to lead the Indians at Boston.

Boston’s Manny Ramirez went one for five in his first game after six weeks on the disabled list because of a broken finger. He struck out with runners on first and third to end it.

Frank Castillo (5-8), who was able to start after appealing a five-game suspension for bumping an umpire last week, gave up a three-run homer to Thome in the first inning.

Toronto 20, Tampa Bay 11--Jose Cruz Jr. went four for five with a career-high six RBIs, and Carlos Delgado homered and drove in five runs at St. Petersburg, Fla., helping the Blue Jays to their highest-scoring game in 24 years.

Vernon Wells, Felipe Lopez and Joe Lawrence also homered for the Blue Jays, who beat Baltimore, 24-10, in 1978.

Wells had a two-run double in a four-run first inning.

Kansas City 8, Detroit 6--Raul Ibanez matched his career high with four RBIs, helping the Royals rally at Kansas City, Mo., in the first game involving two Dominican managers--Detroit’s Luis Pujols and Kansas City’s Tony Pena.

Ibanez homered with Joe Randa aboard in the fifth against reliever Julio Santana (3-2) to end a 5-5 tie and make a winner of Jeff Suppan (6-6).

Kansas City’s Mike Sweeney went three for four with a home run and two doubles to raise his batting average to .358, second in the AL.

Chicago 15, Minnesota 7--Magglio Ordonez drove in five runs at Minneapolis, and Chicago pounded a season-high 23 hits to overcome a subpar outing by ace Mark Buehrle.

Josh Paul had two RBIs for Chicago, which ended a four-game losing streak and had a season high in runs.

Dustan Mohr drove in three runs and Cristian Guzman homered for Minnesota, which scored six runs in six innings against Buehrle (11-5).