Royal Beginning Comes to an End

The Kansas City Royals want to remember their winning streak -- and vow not to forget Ricardo Rodriguez.

The Royals lost for the first time this season, ending baseball’s best start in 13 years as Rodriguez pitched the Cleveland Indians to a 6-1 victory Sunday at Cleveland and strained some relations along the way by making several flamboyant gestures.

“Hopefully, he’ll be around the next time we face them,” Royal outfielder Michael Tucker said.

The Royals, the first team to start 9-0 since the 1990 Cincinnati Reds, claim the rookie right-hander tried to show them up.

Either way, he kept Kansas City from becoming the seventh team in history to open at 10-0 and the first since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers started 13-0.

Rodriguez (2-0), who gave up one run and eight hits in seven innings, annoyed the Royals with his flashy attitude.

“If that’s how he wants to come into the league, fine,” Tucker said. “I’d like to see him do it when he has 20 wins. If he ever lasts that long.”

Milton Bradley, who has hit safely in all 10 games he has played this season, triggered a five-hit, three-run first inning with a single to left off Darrell May (0-1).

Bradley went to second on a single by Ellis Burks and scored on another single by Shane Spencer. The runners moved up on a groundout, and both scored on a single by Josh Bard to make it 3-0.

Boston 2, Baltimore 0 -- Derek Lowe and Tim Wakefield combined on a six-hitter, and Nomar Garciaparra homered as the Red Sox rebounded from a disappointing home opener.

A day after Pedro Martinez gave up 10 runs in the worst start of his career, Lowe (2-1) limited the Orioles to two hits over the first six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. He got out of the jam, thanks in part to an unassisted double play by first baseman Shea Hillenbrand. In all, Lowe gave up five hits and a walk. Wakefield pitched the final two innings for his first save and only the second of the season for Boston’s bullpen.

Seattle 4, Texas 3 -- Bret Boone hit his second homer of the game in the 13th inning at Seattle.

Boone, who connected on a 2-0 pitch from reliever R.A. Dickey (0-1), hit a solo shot in the seventh. John Mabry also had a solo homer in the seventh to help the Mariners take a 3-2 lead.

Alex Rodriguez drove a 2-1 pitch from Mariner starter Jamie Moyer for a 356-foot solo home run over the scoreboard in left field to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the third. He shares the AL home run lead with the Angels’ Tim Salmon.

Dickey, who flew in from Albuquerque before the game after the Rangers recalled him from triple-A Oklahoma, came in with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th. Making his first appearance in the majors since May 7, 2001, he struck out Mike Cameron and Mark McLemore.

Seattle’s Shigetoshi Hasegawa struck out Juan Gonzalez with two on to end the top of the ninth.

Minnesota 9, Toronto 3 -- Matthew LeCroy hit a three-run homer and Michael Cuddyer had a solo shot, and the Twins completed a three-game sweep at Toronto.

The Twins gained a measure of revenge against the Blue Jays, who started Minnesota’s six-game losing streak with a three-game sweep at the Metrodome last week.

Cristian Guzman had three hits and scored three times for the Twins, who had 24 runs in the series. They scored 10 runs during their six-game slide.

Chicago 3, Detroit 2 -- Bartolo Colon struck out nine in seven innings at Detroit and earned his first victory for the White Sox.

The White Sox have won seven of nine, including five victories over the Tigers, who have scored only 20 runs in starting the season 1-10. Colon gave up two runs and six hits and walked two.

Damaso Marte and Billy Koch each pitched a scoreless inning of relief, with Koch earning his second save. Koch walked Carlos Pena to start the ninth, but Craig Paquette grounded into a double play and Matt Walbeck flied out.

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Umpire Jerry Layne left a Boston hospital to be examined by doctors in Arizona, a day after he was hit in the facemask by a pitch from Pedro Martinez.

Layne was injured in the fourth inning when a rising fastball grazed the top of catcher Jason Varitek’s glove before hitting the umpire squarely in the mask in front of his forehead. His condition was diagnosed as a cervical sprain.