The Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas - Texas and Detroit combined for 18 runs in the fifth inning - one short of the major-league record for an inning, and Alfonso Soriano went 6-for-6 in the Rangers' 16-15, 10-inning win Saturday night.

There were 100 pitches in the fifth inning, which lasted 1 hour, 8 minutes. Detroit scored eight runs in the top half for a 14-4 lead. The Tigers' half of the inning lasted 32 minutes.

The record for runs in a fifth inning was 16, last set Aug. 3, 1986, by the New York Yankees (10) and the Cleveland Indians (6). The major-league record for runs in any inning is 19, by Cleveland (13) and Boston (6) in the eighth inning April 10, 1977.

The Tigers and Rangers combined for 13 hits (eight by Texas) and nine walks (five by Texas batters). There were 28 batters in the inning (15 Rangers). Detroit's pitchers threw 46 pitches, and Rangers' pitchers threw 54.

The teams used seven pitchers, one short of the major-league record for pitchers used in any inning.

ANGELS: Anaheim placed first baseman Darin Erstad on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring, an injury that limited him to 67 games last season.

To fill the roster spot, the Angels called up first baseman Casey Kotchman, the Angels' No. 1 draft pick in 2001, from Double-A Arkansas early Sunday and he made his major-league debut.

Erstad's injury occurred in the third inning of Saturday night's 7-2 victory over Tampa Bay when he was trying to score from second on a single to left by Troy Glaus. Erstad grabbed his hamstring about 25 feet past third base and labored the rest of the way to home plate before he was tagged out.

"I knew it was serious. I've had so much experience with them," said Erstad, who is on the DL for the fifth time in his nine-year career and fourth time because of hamstring injuries.

ATHLETICS: Oakland second baseman Mark Ellis will not have surgery on his injured right shoulder after all.

Ellis, who has been rehabilitating in Phoenix, visited the Bay Area over the weekend to be seen by several team doctors. Still, Ellis isn't expected to return in 2004.

While the A's haven't "totally ruled out the surgery," according to trainer Larry Davis, most operations to repair labrum tears are done within a month after the injury happens - and Ellis is well past that window.

SHORT HOPS: The Mets recalled right-hander James Baldwin from Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday and optioned rookie right-hander Tyler Yates to New York's top minor-league team.

Baldwin, who has pitched in 236 major-league games, was 3-2 with a 2.90 ERA in five starts for Norfolk and is expected to start for the Mets today in Arizona.

• Sunday, the Devil Rays played their 1,000th game since joining the AL in 1998. They are 390-610.

• Rockies pitcher Tim Harikkala pitched two hitless innings Sunday and hasn't allowed a hit or a run in 10 innings.

• The A's and Tampa Bay are the only two teams in the AL without a winning streak of three games this season.

• The Red Sox had their 14th sellout of the season Sunday and 78th in a row overall.