New York — So much for all those worries about David Wells being distracted.
Looking as sharp as ever, Wells pitched a three-hitter and Hideki Matsui delivered a two-run double, sending the New York Yankees over the Minnesota Twins 2-0 Thursday for their fourth straight victory.
"I'm not really thinking too much out there right now," Wells said. "I'm just throwing the ball."
The Yankees improved to 8-1, their best start since posting the same record to open the 1988 season. New York sent the defending AL Central champions to their sixth loss in a row.
Wells pitched for the first time at Yankee Stadium this season, and the first time since he was fined $100,000 by the Yankees for writing his autobiography, "Perfect I'm Not! Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches & Baseball."
"There were so many things swirling around him this spring," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "When he gets challenged, he's pretty darn good."
Wells (2-0) was in control the whole way, never permitting a runner past second base in his 12th career shutout and first since last May 16 against Tampa Bay. He walked none, struck out six and twice hit A.J. Pierzynski with pitches.
Wells did not stir much reaction from the crowd of 29,255 until the final inning. He's always been a fan favorite in New York, but the chilly conditions kept down the cheers.
"I had some pretty good butterflies working," he said. "I wanted to get the first one at Yankee Stadium out of the way."
Minnesota's Dustan Mohr, right, reacts after striking out as New York Yankees catcher John Flaherty fires the ball back to the mound. The Yankees beat the Twins, 2-0, Thursday in New York.
Wells worked in short sleeves on the 45-degree afternoon, quickly and efficiently throwing just 96 pitches in shutting down the low-scoring Twins. He also was fast off the mound, making a nice play on Dustan Mohr's tapper to open the sixth.
"We've seen him before. We've seen him when we get no hits, so at least we got a couple," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Minnesota has scored only 24 runs in nine games overall this season, and New York pitching is partly the reason. Yankees starters are 8-0 with a 2.12 ERA so far.
Matsui and Bernie Williams each had three hits as New York completed a three-game sweep and beat the Twins for the ninth consecutive time. Matsui continued to show he's much more than just a power hitter.
Rick Reed (0-2) was in trouble all four innings before leaving because of a strained right groin. He was listed as day-to-day.
Orioles 4, Devil Rays 3
St. Petersburg, Fla. -- David Segui delivered a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning, and Sidney Ponson (1-1) allowed three runs over seven innings.
Segui's two-out single to center off Jesus Colome (0-1) put the Orioles in front after Baltimore had blown a lead of three runs or more for the third straight game.
Rangers 5, Athletics 4
Arlington, Texas -- Carl Everett hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning off Chad Bradford (1-1), and Mark Teixeira hit his first major-league home run as Texas rallied.
Francisco Cordero (1-1) threw a hitless eighth inning to pick up the victory.
Former Kansas City Royal Jermaine Dye homered for the Athletics, who had their nine-game winning streak against the Rangers snapped.
Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 7
Toronto -- Former Royal Johnny Damon homered twice, and Trot Nixon drove in four runs, helping Boston snap Toronto's five-game win streak.
Nixon's tiebreaking two-run shot in the eighth inning off Cliff Politte (0-1) gave Boston a 6-4 lead.
Carlos Delgado hit a two-run shot off Mike Timlin (1-0) in the ninth to cut it to 8-7. Delgado has three homers and 13 RBIs in the last four games.
White Sox 7, Indians 2
Cleveland -- Mark Buehrle wasted little time while shutting down Cleveland hitters for seven innings, and Magglio Ordonez homered for Chicago.
Working quickly on another chilly night at Jacobs Field, Buehrle (2-1) allowed one run and five hits. The left-hander extended his scoreless streak to 18 innings before allowing a run with two outs in the sixth.
Chicago scored five runs in the first off rookie Jason Davis (0-2), who lasted just four innings.
Angels 3, Mariners 0
Seattle -- Jarrod Washburn threw eight sharp innings and Brad Fullmer hit a two-run homer. Washburn (1-1) held Seattle to five hits.
Troy Percival worked a hitless ninth for Anaheim's first save of the season.
Ryan Franklin (1-1) went six innings before giving way to Shigetoshi Hasegawa to start the seventh.
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