Tigers Can’t Seem to Stop Winning

The Detroit Tigers can’t wait for their home opener, especially after getting off to their best start in 19 years.

Eric Munson hit a three-run homer, and the Tigers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-3, on Wednesday night at Toronto to open the season with a three-game winning streak for the first time since 1985.

The Tigers play their first home game against Minnesota this afternoon.

“I think there will be a real buzz,” Detroit Manager Alan Trammell said. “The fans are waiting for something like this to happen. If they can rally behind us and pump us up, we’ll take everything we can get.”

Detroit started last season 0-9 en route to an AL-record 119 losses.

Rondell White also homered for the Tigers, who swept the Blue Jays in a three-game series for the first time since 1987. Detroit swept two opponents last year, home versus Baltimore from May 5-7 and at the Chicago White Sox July 8-11. Both were three-game sweeps.

Texas 2, Oakland 1 -- Colby Lewis and the Ranger bullpen outpitched Barry Zito at Oakland as Texas ended a nine-game losing streak against the Athletics.

Zito lost to Texas for the first time in 18 career starts, giving up seven hits and four walks over eight innings. The 2002 AL Cy Young winner had been 11-0 with a 2.40 earned-run average against the Rangers.

Zito was one of only three active pitchers who were unbeaten against one team with a minimum of 10 wins. Pedro Martinez is 12-0 against Seattle, and Randy Johnson is 11-0 against the Cubs.

Boston 10, Baltimore 3 -- Johnny Damon went five for five with two RBIs, and the Red Sox used a seven-run second inning to cruise past the Orioles at Baltimore.

The second-inning outburst featured six hits, three walks and three defensive lapses by the Orioles. The seven runs were more than Boston had in its first two games combined.

New York 3, Tampa Bay 2 -- Kevin Brown beat the Devil Rays, and Alex Rodriguez started a game-ending double play at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Brown (2-0) pitched seven sharp innings for his 199th victory, and Jason Giambi broke a sixth-inning tie with an RBI single.

Cleveland 11, Minnesota 4 -- Matt Lawton and Victor Martinez homered, and the Indians avoided a season-opening sweep by defeating the Twins at Minneapolis.

Chicago 4, Kansas City 3 -- Miguel Olivo, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Lee homered at Kansas City, Mo., and White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen got his first major league victory.