New York ? One way or another, everything Byung-Hyun Kim throws at Yankee Stadium winds up clearing the fence.

Kim, pitching in the Bronx for the first time since his World Series meltdowns last year, recorded six outs to preserve the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 9-5 victory over New York on Wednesday.

Arizona's Byung Hyun Kim recorded six outs to preserve the Diamondbacks' 9-5 victory over the Yankees Wednesday.

As teammates congratulated him behind the mound, Kim took the baseball he threw to get the game’s final out and heaved it onto the netting just beyond the left-field wall. It landed not far from the spot where Scott Brosius homered to tie Game 5 last fall.

“It was just for fun,” Kim said through an interpreter. “It would have been shame or loss of face if it did not go over the fence.”

Arizona starter Miguel Batista outpitched Mike Mussina again, getting home-run support from backup catcher Rod Barajas and Steve Finley just as he did in Game 5 of last year’s Fall Classic.

Finley homered twice, his 15th career multihomer game, and drove in five runs as the Diamondbacks won at Yankee Stadium for the first time in six tries including last year’s Series.

“It was good to win at Yankee Stadium, and it was a great day for Kim,” said Arizona owner Jerry Colangelo, who watched from a box seat near the dugout.

Kim entered to start the bottom of the eighth inning and was greeted by sarcastic cheers from 50,864 Yankees fans who fondly remember the three dramatic home runs he gave up in the World Series.

But the 23-year-old South Korean sidearmer was not fazed. With a light drizzle falling, he struck out Bernie Williams, Jason Giambi and Jorge Posada on 12 pitches to quiet the crowd.

“I never had any doubts,” said Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly, who was heavily criticized for using Kim in Game 5 last season. “Hopefully, this will put all that behind him. I think he’s a much stronger pitcher mentally than he was last year. I’m ecstatic for him.”

The Yankees put two runners on in the ninth before Kim struck out Marcus Thames and got Shane Spencer to ground into a game-ending double play for his 17th save in 19 chances.

Then the reliever put an exclamation point on it all.

“Apparently some of the fans were rather hard on him while he was warming up in the bullpen,” Brenly said. “I think he just wanted to give them a souvenir to take home.”

The right-hander has bounced back nicely from his November nightmare, working 11 consecutive scoreless innings over nine appearances.

“I’m not going to forget what I experienced here,” Kim said.

Padres 2, Orioles 0

Baltimore Brian Lawrence pitched eight innings of five-hit ball, and Ray Lankford drove in two runs.

Lawrence (7-3) became the fourth pitcher this season and 36th in baseball history to strike out the side on nine pitches, retiring Brook Fordyce, Jerry Hairston and Melvin Mora in the third inning. Only one of the pitches was a called strike.

The right-hander outpitched Rodrigo Lopez (6-2), who allowed only five hits in his first complete game in the majors.

Athletics 8, Brewers 0

Oakland, Calif. Mark Mulder allowed nine hits in his first shutout of the season, and Terrence Long drove in three runs as Oakland won its season-best seventh straight.

Mark Ellis had a two-run double during Oakland’s four-run fourth as the A’s improved the majors’ best record in interleague play to 56-36 with another pounding of the Brewers, who lost their season-worst seventh straight.

Mulder (6-4) was barely challenged by the light-hitting Brewers in winning his fourth straight start. He allowed just two hits over the first six innings.

White Sox 2, Mets 1

Chicago Tony Graffanino provided all of Chicago’s offense, homering and then driving in the go-ahead run.

With its second straight victory, Chicago won the first-ever series with the Mets. It was only the third one-run win of the year for the White Sox.

Mike Piazza’s solo homer in the seventh provided New York’s only offense.

It was a pitcher’s duel for most of the night, with Al Leiter and Dan Wright stifling hitters and rarely letting balls even get out of the infield. But Leiter (6-6) finally faltered in the eighth and the White Sox took advantage.

Dodgers 4, Devil Rays 2

St. Petersburg, Fla. Andy Ashby allowed one run over 71/3 innings, and Shawn Green hit a solo homer.

Ashby (6-5) gave up seven hits, and has won four of five starts. He struck out one and walked two.

Green hit his 16th homer the second in three days in the fifth inning.

Los Angeles has taken five straight series and won 17 of 25 games. The Dodgers scored 151 runs and hit 39 homers over the stretch.

Eric Gagne got the final three outs for his 22nd save in 23 opportunities.

Braves 3, Twins 2

Minneapolis Rookie Damian Moss pitched seven shutout innings, helped by a spectacular play by center fielder Andruw Jones, and struck out a career-high eight.

Moss (3-2) gave up just two hits, allowed only one Twins runner as far as second base, and picked off two runners as the Braves won for the eighth time in nine games. The left-hander has allowed two earned runs or fewer in nine of 12 starts this year.

Rafael Furcal had three hits for Atlanta, and Gary Sheffield hit his 10th homer.

Expos 2, Tigers 1 (10)

Detroit Vladimir Guerrero hit his 16th home run and set up Andres Galarraga’s 10th-inning single.

Guerrero led off the 10th with a single against Tigers closer Juan Acevedo (1-2) and took second when Acevedo threw away a pickoff attempt.

Troy O’Leary grounded to former Expos third baseman Chris Truby, who looked Guerrero back before throwing to first. But Guerrero broke as soon as Truby released the ball, and beat the throw.

Galarraga followed with a liner to center over a drawn-in infield.

Red Sox 7, Rockies 5

Boston Nomar Garciaparra reached base three times without a solid hit as the Boston Red Sox took advantage of five Colorado errors .

Frank Castillo (5-6) allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out four in 61/3 innings for his third win in his last four starts, despite three errors by the Red Sox.

Mike Hampton (3-8) continued to struggle on the road, giving up seven runs five of them earned on 10 hits and two walks while striking out two in five innings.

Giants 6, Blue Jays 3

Toronto Barry Bonds hit his 22nd homer, and Damon Minor went 4-for-4 and homered in his third straight game.

Toronto reliever Cliff Politte threw three straight balls and then a strike before Bonds homered into the second deck in left field, giving the Giants a 6-3 lead in the ninth.

Bonds went 2-for-3 with two intentional walks.

Minor reached a career-high in hits and received an intentional walk.

Rangers 10, Reds 4

Arlington, Texas Rookie Kevin Mench hit a two-run single and Michael Young had a bases-loaded triple as Texas rallied for seven runs in the eighth inning.

John Rocker (1-1), who pitched a scoreless eighth, earned the win.

Phillies 7, Indians 3

Cleveland Vicente Padilla pitched out of jams for most of his 61/3 innings. Padilla (9-4) was in trouble throughout his 126-pitch outing, but the right-hander limited the Indians to three runs and nine hits.

Jeremy Giambi hit a two-run homer, Travis Lee added a three-run double in the ninth and Pat Burrell had three hits for the Phillies.

Mariners 5, Cardinals 0

Seattle Joel Pineiro pitched a five-hitter for his first major league shutout.

Mark McLemore and John Olerud hit home runs.

Darryl Kile lasted 41/3 innings, his shortest outing since 2000, the year he was a 20-game winner.

Angels 8, Pirates 5

Anaheim, Calif. David Eckstein hit a bases-loaded triple and Benji Gil had a pair of RBI singles.

Ben Weber (3-2) earned the victory with two innings of relief, allowing one run and four hits.

Relief pitcher Troy Percival recorded three outs for his 15th save in 17 attempts. Brian Boehringer (2-1) took the loss.