Yankees’ Brown Ends His Skid

Kevin Brown’s first warmup pitch hit the backstop on a fly. He followed with his best outing since last summer.

Escaping two bases-loaded jams, the New York Yankee starter got his first win of season, defeating the Oakland Athletics, 6-0, Sunday at New York.

The Yankees (13-19) hit back-to-back home runs for the first time this season and won consecutive games for the first time since April 24 against Texas and April 26 against the Angels.

Since owner George Steinbrenner’s critical comments about pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre were published Friday, Yankee starters have given up only three runs.

Brown (1-4) had lost a career-high seven consecutive starts since beating Toronto on Aug. 28, the first Yankee starter to drop that many starts in a row since Joe Page in 1944-45, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He didn’t think he pitched that much better Sunday.

“The biggest difference is I got a jam shot to the third baseman instead of a groundball in the hole,” he said.

Chicago 5, Toronto 4 -- The White Sox improved the major leagues’ top record to 24-7, matching the 1919 club for the best start in franchise history. Chicago has led in all 31 games this season, a major league record.

Yet White Sox attention in the ninth inning at Toronto focused on the Blue Jays’ Gregg Zaun, who was knocked unconscious after being kneed in the head by Chicago second baseman Pedro Lopez while trying to break up a double play. Zaun, who ended up on the 15-day disabled list because of a concussion, was down on the field for nearly 15 minutes and was fitted with an oxygen mask and a head and neck brace. “Thank God he’s all right,” Toronto General Manager J.P. Ricciardi said.

Chicago’s Paul Konerko added: “It was scary. ... It was getting to the point where, 10, 15, 20 seconds into it, you’re wondering if this guy is going to choke to death right here.”

Boston 6-4, Seattle 3-6 -- Richie Sexson’s wind-blown grand slam fueled the Mariners’ victory in the second game of the doubleheader at Boston. In the first game, Jeremi Gonzalez of the Red Sox earned his first win since 2003.

Texas 7, Cleveland 2 -- Ranger starter Kenny Rogers (3-2), who turns 41 in November, stretched his streak to 21 scoreless innings, giving up six hits in seven innings at Arlington, Texas.

Kansas City 10, Baltimore 8 -- After wasting a seven-run lead, the Royals scored the tiebreaking run on an eighth-inning balk by Steve Kline and held on to win at Baltimore.

Minnesota 9, Tampa Bay 6 -- Justin Morneau went four for four and drove in three runs to lead the Twins at St. Petersburg, Fla.