A’s Enjoy Another Dramatic Ending

Mark Kotsay needed two months to hit his first home run for his new team. With Oakland home-run leader Eric Chavez sidelined for at least six weeks, the timing was perfect.

Kotsay hit Oakland’s second straight game-ending home run, a 10th-inning drive Wednesday that gave the Athletics a 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Oakland.

A day after Bobby Kielty’s 12th-inning homer beat the White Sox, 6-4, Kotsay pinch-hit for Kielty in the eighth inning.

Then in the 10th against Jon Adkins (2-2), Kotsay homered for the first time since Sept. 19 against Colorado. Kotsay had not homered in his previous 51 games and 206 at-bats.

Oakland played without Chavez, the team’s Gold Glove third baseman, who was placed on the disabled list after breaking a bone in his right hand in the 11th inning Tuesday night when he was hit by a pitch from Damaso Marte.

Arthur Rhodes (2-3) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

New York 6, Baltimore 5 -- Gary Sheffield and Derek Jeter homered, and Ruben Sierra hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly, rallying the Yankees at New York.

Baltimore burst ahead with a five-run first inning, knocking out Jose Contreras two outs into the game. Bret Prinz (1-0), recalled from triple-A Columbus before the game, pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings for his first win with the Yankees.

Tampa Bay 4, Minnesota 2 -- Rookie Doug Waechter took a no-hit bid into the sixth and threw seven strong innings, leading the Devil Rays past the Twins at Minneapolis.

Waechter (3-5) gave up three hits, two runs and two walks while striking out one.

Aubrey Huff had two RBIs for Tampa Bay.

Texas 5, Cleveland 3 -- Gary Matthews Jr. homered leading off the ninth inning and Hank Blalock hit one with two outs at Cleveland, leading the Rangers to a two-game sweep of the Indians.

Carlos Almanzar (5-0) picked up the win despite giving up a game-tying single in the eighth.

Detroit 2, Kansas City 0 -- Jason Johnson (4-6) pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning and last-minute replacement Brandon Inge homered at Detroit. Inge replaced catcher Ivan Rodriguez (inflammation in his right wrist).

Toronto 5, Seattle 3 -- Slumping Josh Phelps hit his first career grand slam at Seattle.

Phelps had one hit in his last 14 at-bats when he homered in the second inning off Joel Pineiro (1-7), who allowed a grand slam to Boston’s David Ortiz in his previous start on Friday.