Indians slide past Mariners

Crisp's rare homer sparks Cleveland to 10-6 win

? Coco Crisp got the Cleveland Indians’ offense off to a good start.

Crisp hit a leadoff homer, and Travis Hafner homered and drove in a career-high four runs as Cleveland had 15 hits and snapped Joel Pineiro’s eight-game winning streak with a 10-6 victory over the Seattle Mariners Wednesday night.

Crisp, who had just one career home run coming in and none this season, opened the game by hitting a 3-1 pitch from Pineiro into the Mariners’ bullpen in right field to snap the right-hander’s scoreless streak at 19 2/3 innings.

“Maybe it gave the guys coming up confidence to see a guy with zero homers hit one out,” Crisp said.

“It was bound to happen,” Pineiro said. “I had a good streak. I’ll come out Monday and start another one.”

The Indians ended a five-game losing streak by pounding Pineiro (13-6) for seven runs and 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings — his shortest outing of the season. The 24-year-old Pineiro lost for the first time in 10 starts since June 11 against Montreal.

“They hit everything,” Pineiro said. “I have no excuses.”

Jake Westbrook (5-6) won for the first time in four starts since July 12. The right-hander allowed six runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings.

“The overall numbers won’t show it, but Jake was outstanding,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said. “They got a couple of big hits on good pitches.”

Cleveland's Jody Gerut slides into home plate ahead of the tag by Seattle catcher Ben Davis in the second inning of the Indians' 10-6 victory. Gerut scored Wednesday on a double by Milton Bradley in Cleveland.

The Mariners, who had won six of their previous seven, were a bit short-handed in the bullpen. Seattle traded Jeff Nelson back to the New York Yankees for Armando Benitez a few hours before game time and still didn’t have Kazuhiro Sasaki available. The closer, sidelined since June 6 because of broken ribs, rejoined the team at about the time Nelson left the clubhouse — but was not activated.

“We held two pitchers back, but went one deeper than I would have liked,” manager Bob Melvin said after using three relievers.

Blue Jays 7, Devil Rays 3

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Roy Halladay became the first 16-game winner in the majors, pitching his third complete game of the season as Toronto beat Tampa Bay. Halladay (16-3) gave up nine hits, struck out six and walked none. The right-hander lost his previous start 5-0 to Anaheim Friday, snapping a personal 15-game winning streak that tied the team record set by Roger Clemens in 1998 and was one short of the AL mark.

Red Sox 4, Angels 2

Boston — Pedro Martinez extended his unbeaten streak to nearly three months with his second complete game of the season as Boston beat Anaheim. Martinez treated Fenway Park’s second-biggest crowd of the season — 35,040 — to an outstanding performance in which he struck out 11, walked one and allowed 10 hits.

Rangers 5, Yankees 4

New York — Reliever Mariano Rivera threw away a bunt that set up pinch-hitter Hank Blalock’s two-run single in the ninth inning, and Texas rallied past New York. Texas had been 0-59 this season when trailing going into the ninth. But Rivera (5-2), who has blown five saves in 26 attempts, walked pinch-hitter Rafael Palmeiro to start the inning. Donnie Sadler followed with a sacrifice bunt and Rivera’s high throw sailed into foul territory, with the error putting runners at second and third. Blalock batted for Todd Greene and followed with a single that scored pinch-runner Laynce Nix and Sadler.

Athletics 9, Tigers 3

Detroit — Eric Chavez homered twice, doubled and drove in five runs as Oakland beat Detroit. Tim Hudson pitched the Athletics to their 10th win in 13 games. Detroit has lost eight of nine and dropped to 29-82, clinching its 10th straight losing season. Hudson (10-4) gave up three runs and seven hits in eight innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.

Twins 7, Orioles 3

Baltimore — Torii Hunter hit a three-run homer, and Shannon Stewart had a solo shot in a five-run fourth inning that powered Minnesota past Baltimore. Kyle Lohse (8-9) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings for the Twins, who won the season series from the Orioles for the first time since 1995.