The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS - This is why the Minnesota Twins picked up Kenny Rogers this spring.

Rogers, brought on board to fill in for the injured Eric Milton, pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out nine batters Thursday night to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 6-0 win over the struggling Detroit Tigers.

"Kenny Rogers was fantastic," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Just mowed 'em down. He was getting stronger as we went along there."

Rogers used a variety of pitches to frustrate the Tigers, whose starters came into the game hitting a combined .167 this season. His nine strikeouts were one short of his career high. Rogers gave up seven hits and no walks.

"The first three or four innings, I felt I was a little out of my comfort zone," Rogers said. "I felt good, but I think the last three innings were more indicative of how I can pitch."

Bobby Kielty hit two solo home runs for the Twins and Corey Koskie also had a solo shot. Torii Hunter went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI for Minnesota, which won its sixth in a row after losing six straight.

Michael Cuddyer went 2-for-3 and scored two runs for the Twins, who open a four-game homestand against the New York Yankees on Friday.

Detroit, meanwhile, lost its fourth in a row and fell to 1-13, the worst start in the majors since the Chicago Cubs opened 1997 with an 0-14 record, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Tigers have dropped 15 straight to Minnesota - the most games the Tigers have lost to one opponent in the franchise's history.

"We need to get some wins," Detroit manager Alan Trammell said.

Minnesota's hitters beat up Bonderman for 10 hits in six innings. He walked one, had one strikeout and threw a wild pitch.

Bonderman (0-3), who hadn't pitched above Single-A until this season, struggled in his third major league start. Opposing batters are hitting .411 against the 20-year-old, who has given up 15 runs - 14 earned - this season and owns a miserable 10.22 ERA.

Still, Trammell was encouraged when Bonderman started settling down in the fifth and sixth innings.

"He got better as the game went on," Trammell said.

Bonderman said: "I figured out, as you go, to relax out there and I took a little off my pitches and let the movement come. ... Sometimes, though, it's easier said than done."

Detroit had seven hits off Rogers (2-0), but stranded seven baserunners. Rogers is the only Twins starter without a loss. Tony Fiore pitched a scoreless ninth in relief.

"I was curious to see how we'd do against a guy that throws 60 percent change-ups and he abused us," Trammell said.

Red Sox 6, Devil Rays 4

On a freezing night at Fenway Park, Pedro Martinez bounced right back from the worst start of his career, allowing just two singles in seven innings.

Several players wore hoods under their caps that left only their eyes and noses exposed to temperatures that dropped down to 31 degrees by the ninth inning, with a wind chill of 21.

"I pulled off every pitch today because I was afraid of getting jammed," Tampa Bay outfielder Al Martin said. "Once he gets you in that frame of mind, you've got no chance."

Martinez allowed just one runner to reach second base. He struck out three and walked three, five days after he was roughed up by Baltimore for 10 runs in 4 1-3 innings in Boston's home opener - the worst start of his career.

He was booed as he left the field after that outing. Perhaps irked by the reaction, Martinez declined to speak to reporters after Thursday's game.

"The guy's one of the best pitchers in baseball, year after year after year after year," Boston catcher Jason Varitek said. "The guy has one bad outing and it's turned into something it's not."

Yankees 4, Blue Jays 0

At New York, Raul Mondesi and Alfonso Soriano homered to back a sharp outing by Jeff Weaver (1-0) as Yankees starters improved to 10-0 for the first time in franchise history.

Hideki Matsui added a two-run double. Toronto, which has lost seven of eight, is 1-6 against the Yankees this year.

Rangers 9, Angels 7

At Arlington, Texas, Carl Everett homered and scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by reliever Scott Schoeneweis as the Rangers rallied past Anaheim.

David Eckstein hit a leadoff home run and Troy Glaus added a two-run shot in the Angels' four-run first. But that was all they managed against Ryan Drese (1-1), who recovered with six shutout innings to help Texas take three of four from the World Series champions.

White Sox 8, Royals 2

At Chicago, Esteban Loaiza (3-0) matched a career high with 11 strikeouts and Carlos Lee's grand slam was one of four White Sox homers off Chris George (2-1).

Miguel Olivo, Tony Graffanino and Paul Konerko also homered for Chicago. After a fan attacked an umpire Tuesday night, there was no trouble the rest of the series.

Mariners 4, Athletics 3, 10 innings

At Seattle, Mark McLemore atoned for his tying error in the ninth inning with a two-out RBI single in the 10th.

The Mariners took three of four from the A's, who have lost seven of eight following a 7-1 start.

Oakland rallied from a 3-1 deficit against closer Kazuhiro Sasaki in the ninth. Eric Chavez led off the inning with his third homer in three days.

Orioles 6, Indians 4, 12 innings

At Cleveland, Jeff Conine hit a two-out, two-run single in the 12th inning for Baltimore.

Conine, who homered in the second inning, fouled off four pitches with two strikes before completing a 10-pitch at-bat by lining a single off Carl Sadler to score pinch-runner Jose Morban and Melvin Mora.

Travis Hafner hit a three-run homer and Karim Garcia added a solo shot for the Indians.