Streaking Tigers Sweep Twins, 5-3

The Detroit Tigers haven’t had a winning streak like this in more than 12 years.

Brandon Inge and Placido Polanco homered and the Tigers won their seventh consecutive game, beating the Minnesota Twins, 5-3, Thursday at Detroit for their longest winning streak since 1993.

“It’s pretty good, but nobody will care about that tomorrow,” said Detroit Manager Jim Leyland, who has made all the right moves in his first season back in the dugout in seven years.

Kenny Rogers (7-2) yielded two unearned runs, five hits and two walks while striking out four in 5 2/3 innings for his fourth consecutive victory.

Rogers, who wasn’t feeling his best, became baseball’s first seven-game winner, providing an early return on the $16-million, two-year contract the Tigers gave the free agent during the off-season.

“A lot of guys probably wouldn’t have pitched, he’s sick,” Leyland said. “I give him a lot of credit for going out there and giving us that performance. It says a lot about Kenny Rogers, and that’s why we signed him.”

Jason Grilli gave up a bases-loaded walk in the sixth, making it 5-2, and pitched the seventh. Fernando Rodney struck out two in the eighth, then Todd Jones closed for his 12th save in 13 opportunities. It was Jones’ 154th save with the Tigers, matching Mike Henneman’s team record.

Detroit swept the three-game series against the Twins and has beaten them seven games in a row at home, dating to last season, for its longest winning streak against the Central Division opponent since 1981-82.

Oakland 6, Seattle 3 -- Frank Thomas and Bobby Crosby hit two-run singles and the Athletics completed a three-game sweep at Oakland. Kirk Saarloos (2-1) gave up eight hits but only one earned run while pitching into the seventh inning for the A’s, who won their fourth in a row.

Saarloos yielded a hit in every inning, but showed the resourcefulness that got him back in the starting rotation when injuries sidelined Rich Harden and Esteban Loaiza.

Saarloos won 10 games as Oakland’s fifth starter last season before getting bumped to the bullpen this spring.

Cleveland 6, Kansas City 5 -- Casey Blake drove in two runs and extended his career-high hitting streak to 15 games to help the Indians win their third in a row after a six-game losing streak while handing the Royals their sixth consecutive loss.

The Royals, who have lost seven in a row on the road, are 2-20 away from home. They also fell to 0-9 in day road games and 0-10 overall against left-handed starters.

Texas 6, New York 2 -- Vicente Padilla pitched into the seventh inning and Brad Wilkerson hit a two-run homer to lead the Rangers, who salvaged a split of the four-game series at Yankee Stadium.

Padilla (4-3) gave up two runs and three hits in 6 2/3 innings. Yankees starter Jaret Wright (2-2) was strong in the first six innings but ran into trouble in the seventh when the Rangers broke through for four runs.

Tampa Bay 5, Chicago 4 -- Damon Hollins and Russell Branyan homered to back the solid pitching of Mark Hendrickson at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Hollins’ two-run homer off Javier Vazquez (4-3) erased a 3-2 deficit in the seventh inning and Carl Crawford’s RBI triple made the score 5-3.

Hendrickson (3-3) limited the White Sox to six hits over the first seven innings. In all, he yielded four runs and seven hits in seven-plus innings.

Vazquez gave up five runs and eight hits in seven innings. Entering Thursday’s start, he had yielded only two homers in 46 1/3 innings.