The Associated Press

SEATTLE - Mike Mussina struck out 12 to win his career-best ninth straight start, and Hideki Matsui and Nick Johnson each hit two-run homers as the New York Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 7-2 Wednesday night to end a three-game losing skid.

Mussina (7-0) snapped Seattle's four-game winning streak and became the first Yankees pitcher since Bob Turley in 1958 to win his first seven starts in a season. Mussina beat the Mariners for the fourth straight time, including once last week in New York.

The right-hander gave up two runs and five hits in eight innings and did not walk a batter. He won his final two regular-season starts last season before getting a no-decision in the playoffs against Anaheim.

Matsui and Johnson sparked New York's potent offense, ending its first three-game losing streak this season. After Bernie Williams walked on four pitches to start the sixth, Matsui connected on a 2-1 pitch from Joel Pineiro (2-3) for his third homer of the year.

Ichiro Suzuki went back and leaped at the right-field wall, but the ball barely cleared the fence.

It must have been a thrilling moment for Japanese fans, one star trying to rob the other of a home run.

Other than a solo home run by John Olerud that put the Mariners ahead 1-0 in the second, Mussina allowed only a double and single by Bret Boone, an infield single by Carlos Guillen and an RBI single by Mike Cameron.

White Sox 8, Athletics 4

OAKLAND, Calif. - Frank Thomas had four hits to help Chicago break out of a prolonged slump, and Esteban Loaiza (6-1) pitched six strong innings against Oakland.

Miguel Olivo homered and had three hits, Tony Graffanino went 2-for-2 with four walks and Carlos Lee added two hits.

Magglio Ordonez hit a peculiar two-run triple that slipped out of left fielder Eric Byrnes' glove, rolled along the top of the fence and eventually fell onto the warning track.

Miguel Tejada homered for the A's but made two errors, giving him 10 this season.

The White Sox had lost four straight, six of seven and 11 of 15. They roughed up Ted Lilly (2-2) and won in Oakland for the first time in 11 tries.

Damaso Marte got his third save.

Angels 6, Indians 5

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Troy Glaus homered and capped a three-run seventh inning with a go-ahead RBI single as Anaheim rallied to send Cleveland to its eighth straight road loss.

Brian Anderson and John Lackey got no-decisions in a matchup of Angels No. 1 draft picks. Anderson departed with a 5-3 lead after six innings before the Cleveland bullpen recorded its sixth blown save in 11 chances.

Scot Shields (2-1) pitched a perfect seventh for the victory. Brendan Donnelly worked a scoreless eighth and has not allowed a run this season in 18 innings. Troy Percival got his fourth save.

Dave Elder (1-1) took the loss.

John McDonald and Shane Spencer homered for the Indians, who have lost 11 of 13 overall.

Tigers 9, Orioles 4

BALTIMORE - Brandon Inge broke out of a monthlong slump with the first two-homer game of his career, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-4 Wednesday for their first road sweep since 2001.

Craig Monroe homered and drove in four runs for the Tigers, who have won four straight following a 3-25 start. Detroit outscored the Orioles 22-11 in its first series sweep in Baltimore since September 1993.

The Tigers (7-25) have won more games in the last four days than in the first 34 days of the season.

Inge, who entered with a .127 batting average, homered in his first two at-bats against Omar Daal (2-4) to send Detroit to its first three-game sweep on the road since May 1-3, 2001, at Texas.

Detroit starter Gary Knotts (1-3) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings to earn his first AL win.

David Segui went 3-for-3 with a homer for the Orioles, who have lost five of six and dropped under .500 (16-17) for the first time since April 26.

Rangers 5, Blue Jays 4

ARLINGTON, Texas - Alex Rodriguez hit a tiebreaking home run and Texas snapped Toronto's five-game winning streak.

Rafael Palmeiro of the Rangers remained two short of 500 home runs after going 0-for-4, but Carlos Delgado and Juan Gonzalez each hit their 12th homers, tying for the major league lead.

Delgado leads the majors with 37 RBIs.

Rodriguez hit his 11th homer leading off the sixth against Tanyon Sturtze (3-3) to put the Rangers ahead to stay at 4-3.

Aaron Fultz (1-0) got the win, and Ugueth Urbina worked the ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances.

Twins 11, Devil Rays 6

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A.J. Pierzynski hit a grand slam and Bobby Kielty also homered as Minnesota beat Tampa Bay for the 10th straight time.

Juan Rincon (1-0) pitched 3 1-3 scoreless innings in relief of Joe Mays to earn his first major league win. The AL Central champions have won seven of eight to climb two games over .500.

Kielty and Pierzynski, who had a career-high five RBIs, homered off Joe Kennedy (2-3) during Minnesota's seven-run fifth inning. Tampa Bay scored five times in the fourth to take a 6-4 lead.

Five days after pitching the first one-hitter in Devil Rays history, Kennedy allowed 10 runs on 13 hits in four-plus innings.

Red Sox 9, Royals 6

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Johnny Damon had three RBIs against his former team, helping Boston rally from a five-run deficit.

Kansas City, which has lost two straight at Kauffman Stadium after an 11-0 start at home, built a 6-1 lead before the Red Sox scored four runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth.

Damon, booed every time he came up, hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Kyle Snyder and an RBI double in the eighth against Albie Lopez (4-1).

Steve Woodard (1-0) earned the win in relief of John Burkett. Brandon Lyon got his third save.