CHICAGO - Billy Koch was the AL's top closer last year, but with a victory over Koch's old team hanging in the balance, Chicago White Sox manager Jerry Manuel gave him the hook.

Manuel replaced his closer with Damaso Marte with two runners on and two outs in the ninth. As Koch steamed in the dugout, Marte retired Eric Chavez on a grounder to seal a 7-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday night.

"It was more of a feel thing," Manuel said. "I thought Billy was throwing the ball well, but I felt he was probably a little too hyped."

The A's and White Sox swapped closers in the offseason, Keith Foulke for Koch. But so far, the A's have gotten the better of the deal. Foulke has seven saves and a 2.03 ERA, while Koch has two blown saves and an 7.82 ERA. He's allowed allowed five home runs - and he almost gave up a couple more Thursday night.

After a leadoff walk, Scott Hatteberg hit a fly ball to deep center, sending Aaron Rowand back to the wall. Mark Ellis followed with a line drive to center.

Erubiel Durazo singled to bring up Chavez, who already had one homer, and that was enough for Manuel. Koch barely waited for the manager to get to the mound, and he didn't look at Manuel as he handed him the ball and walked off the field. He tossed his glove into the stands and kicked a bat in the dugout.

He refused to comment after the game, dressing quickly and leaving the clubhouse.

"I can understand his frustration," Manuel said. "And at some point, we'll have a conversation. I do not want him to be looking over his shoulder all the time. It was just a manager's gut at that time.

"At the same time, I want him to know, 'You've got to get the job done."'

Orioles 6-5, Tigers 4-2

A Orioles pitcher got a win without throwing a single pitch. A Tigers pitcher lost despite throwing seven no-hit innings. Two unusual feats led to an all-too-usual occurrence: two more losses for Detroit.

Jay Gibbons broke up Mike Maroth's no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the eighth and Baltimore went on to score six runs with two outs to sweep a doubleheader against Detroit with a 6-4 win.

Gibbons hit a go-ahead two-run single and Tony Batista drove in another run in the eighth as visiting Baltimore rallied to win the opener 5-2.

"It really is unbelievable," Tigers manager Alan Trammell said. "We've all said it, if you've been in this game, you've never seen it all. But my gosh, what happened is tough to swallow."

The Tigers dropped to 3-23 after losing their fourth straight game.

B.J. Ryan (3-0) earned the first win without throwing a pitch after he picked off Omar Infante on first base when he relived Pat Hentgen with two outs in the seventh.

"What a country," Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove said. "I've seen a guy get beat in a no-hitter, but I've never seen that."

Red Sox 6, Royals 5

At Boston, Todd Walker's RBI double off Jason Grimsley (1-2) in the eighth sent the Red Sox to a three-game sweep of Kansas City.

The Royals have dropped four straight and five of six after getting off to a franchise-best 17-4 start. Mike Sweeney, Carlos Beltran and Raul Ibanez homered for Kansas City.

Trot Nixon homered for the Red Sox, who won their fourth consecutive game and second in a row in their last at-bat. Boston improved to 10-1 at home after losing the opener at Fenway Park.

Yankees 2, Mariners 1

At New York, Mike Mussina matched a career high with his eighth straight win, backed by home runs from Alfonso Soriano and Jorge Posada off Joel Pineiro (2-2), and the Yankees won for the 11th time in 14 games.

Mussina (6-0) became the first Yankees pitcher to win his first six starts since Bob Turley won seven straight in 1958 in his Cy Young Award season.

Mussina leads the majors in victories and his nine strikeouts boosted his AL-leading total to 51.

Blue Jays 7, Rangers 6

At Toronto, Roy Halladay (1-2) won his first game of the season and Toronto overcame four Texas homers, including Rafael Palmeiro's 498th.

Juan Gonzalez hit two homers, giving him a major league-leading 11 on the season, and Carl Everett hit his 10th for the Rangers.

Former Ranger Frank Catalanotto homered off Colby Lewis (3-2) as a part of a six-run second inning for the Blue Jays.

Twins 6, Devil Rays 5, 13 innings

At Minneapolis, Cristian Guzman's one-out double off Travis Harper (0-2) in the 13th inning scored Jacque Jones and lifted Minnesota.

Tony Fiore (1-0) worked two innings for the win as the Twins overcame a 4-0 deficit to complete their three-game sweep.