Orioles Roll Into Anaheim

After completing their most successful homestand in 35 years, the Baltimore Orioles headed west trying to extend their longest winning streak in five seasons.

“We’re going to ride the wave,” Manager Lee Mazzilli said Monday after Baltimore won its seventh in a row, beating the Texas Rangers, 7-3, to complete a four-game sweep.

After stumbling through the first four months of the season, the Orioles open a three-game series against the Angels in Anaheim tonight with designs of making some noise in the American League wild-card race.

“The guys are feeling good about themselves, and they should be,” Mazzilli said.

“They feel like they’ve got something going, no question.”

Melvin Mora homered twice and drove in three runs, and Larry Bigbie also connected for the Orioles, who enjoyed their first 7-0 homestand since September 1969. Baltimore, which began the run with three wins over Seattle, is within four games of .500 (53-57) for the first time since June 13.

Toronto 5, New York 4 -- Only two starts into his career with the Yankees, Esteban Loaiza’s spot in the rotation is in jeopardy.

Gabe Gross connected against Loaiza for his first major league home run, Josh Towers took a shutout into the seventh inning and the Blue Jays won at New York in John Gibbons’ first game as manager.

“Everybody says the pressure, the pressure,” said Loaiza, acquired from the Chicago White Sox for Jose Contreras on July 31. “Wearing the Yankee uniform and the pinstripes I think is a little bit more heavy than just when you get traded from Pittsburgh to another team.”

Loaiza (9-6) gave up his 26th homer this season, third in the AL behind Jamie Moyer (31) and Bartolo Colon (29).

As soon as Gross’ two-run drive down the right-field line hit the top of the wall and bounced over in the sixth inning, the crowd of 49,853 began booing Loaiza.

“He’s going to start Saturday and we’ll see what we see,” Manager Joe Torre said.

“There are no guarantees. We’re going to do what we think is going to work for us to start with, and then if something changes our mind, we’ll make adjustments.”

Cleveland 13, Chicago 11 -- Ben Broussard hit the second grand slam of his career and Omar Vizquel, Travis Hafner and Casey Blake hit solo home runs for the Indians at Chicago.

Jose Valentin homered twice for the White Sox, who trailed, 8-0, in the sixth inning.

But after Chicago rallied for three runs in the ninth, Valentin popped up with a runner on for the final out.

Tampa Bay 8, Boston 3 -- Aubrey Huff hit one of Tampa Bay’s four homers and the Devil Rays handed Curt Schilling his first home loss this season.

Schilling was 7-0 with a 3.32 earned-run average in 11 previous starts for Boston at Fenway Park.

Toby Hall hit a two-run homer, and Tino Martinez and Julio Lugo each hit a solo shot for Tampa Bay, which had been 0-3 and had scored only three runs in 23 1/3 innings against Schilling this season.

Oakland 8, Minnesota 2 -- Mark Kotsay and Scott Hatteberg each drove in two runs and Rich Harden gave the Oakland bullpen a rest at Minneapolis.

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

Colorado 4, Philadelphia 2 -- Vinny Castilla’s tiebreaking, two-run double with two out in the eighth inning led the Rockies at Philadelphia.