Red Sox Rally Without Francona

The Boston Red Sox pulled off another comeback against Mariano Rivera, then turned their thoughts to Terry Francona.

Playing without their ailing manager, the Red Sox rallied for five runs off Rivera in the ninth inning -- helped by Alex Rodriguez’s costly error -- and beat the New York Yankees, 7-3, Wednesday to avoid a season-opening sweep at New York.

Francona was taken by ambulance to New York Weill-Cornell Medical Center after experiencing chest tightness in the morning. Red Sox spokesman Glenn Geffner said Francona, who turns 46 on April 22, was scheduled to be transferred Wednesday night to Boston, where he will remain under the supervision of team doctor Thomas Gill.

“He’s still undergoing some tests, we understand he has not had a heart attack,” team President and Chief Executive Larry Lucchino said.

Bench coach Brad Mills replaced Francona.

Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter left the game after he was hit in the helmet by a Mike Timlin pitch and was taken to a hospital for a precautionary CT scan. The results were normal and Jeter was expected to play Friday night against Baltimore.

Rivera started the ninth inning with a 3-2 lead for the second consecutive day and blew it again. He issued a leadoff walk to Bill Mueller before consecutive singles by Mark Bellhorn and Johnny Damon loaded the bases with none out.

After Trot Nixon struck out, Manny Ramirez hit a routine grounder to Rodriguez at third, but he bobbled the ball and the tying run scored.

David Ortiz drove in the go-ahead run with a dribbler to the right side, and Edgar Renteria made it 6-3 with a two-run single. After walking Doug Mirabelli, Rivera was lifted. He walked off the mound to a healthy dose of boos.

“I think it’s inexcusable if the boos were from Yankee fans because they wouldn’t be crawling all over themselves to get into this ballpark if it weren’t for him,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said.

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Oakland 9, Baltimore 0 -- Substitute starter Kirk Saarloos pitched six innings of one-hit ball and rookie Nick Swisher hit two of Oakland’s four home runs at Baltimore.

Eric Chavez and Keith Ginter also homered for the Athletics. Saarloos was pitching in place of Rich Harden, who was sidelined with a blister on his right middle finger.

Minnesota 4, Seattle 1 -- Carlos Silva gave up one run in seven innings and Matthew LeCroy hit a three-run homer at Seattle.

The Twins had a scare in the eighth when first baseman Justin Morneau was hit in the right temple by a pitch from reliever Ron Villone. Morneau was helped to his feet and walked off on his own, then taken for a precautionary CT scan. There was no immediate word on the result.

Tampa Bay 8, Toronto 5 -- Jorge Cantu capped a six-run, eighth-inning rally with a tie-breaking, three-run homer at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Chicago 4, Cleveland 3 -- Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye hit home runs off Bob Wickman as the White Sox rallied with four runs in the ninth inning at Chicago.

Kevin Millwood pitched six scoreless innings in his debut for the Indians but was done in by Wickman, who inherited a 3-0 lead from Arthur Rhodes and was trying to complete a five-hit shutout.

Kansas City 7, Detroit 2 -- Runelvys Hernandez won his first start in more than a year and Tony Graffanino had four hits for the Royals at Detroit. Hernandez had not started since Aug. 16, 2003, because of an elbow injury. He had surgery that Sept. 5 and missed all of last season.

Tiger right fielder Magglio Ordonez left after the fourth inning because of a reported case of dizziness.