Baltimore ? Pitching in the World Series and dozens of other important games couldn’t prevent Curt Schilling from feeling jittery as he prepared for his first start with the Boston Red Sox.

“I was nervous all day. That’s just the way I am,” he said. “More so today than normal, but I expected that.”

Assigned the task of preventing Boston from falling to 0-2 for the first time since 1996, Schilling allowed one run in six innings to lead the Red Sox past the Baltimore Orioles, 4-1, Tuesday.

It was the first win with the Red Sox for manager Terry Francona, and Lee Mazzilli’s initial loss as manager of the Orioles.

Boston’s decision to pick Schilling in the 1986 amateur draft finally paid off — 18 years later. Obtained in a trade with Arizona in November, the right-hander got the Red Sox back on track following Sunday’s opening-night loss to Baltimore.

“This was different today in a lot of ways,” said Schilling, now in his 14th major league season. “It’s a different environment, there are a lot of expectations, and you want to live up to them the best you can.”

Schilling (1-0) yielded six hits, struck out seven and walked one in earning his second career victory in the AL — the first since 1990, when he was with the Orioles. He spent parts of three seasons in Baltimore after being traded from Boston with Brady Anderson in July 1988 for Mike Boddicker.

After throwing 109 pitches and staking the Red Sox to a 3-1 lead, Schilling was ordered to watch the remainder of the game from the dugout.

“He lobbied a little bit, but it wasn’t one of his stronger lobbies,” Francona said. “The whole idea is for him to feel strong in August and September, for us to win, and for him to pitch effectively.”

Boston's Curt Schilling delivers against Baltimore. Schilling allowed one run in six innings in his Red Sox debut, and Boston beat the Orioles, 4-1, Tuesday in Baltimore.

Alan Embree and Mike Timlin each worked one inning and Keith Foulke recorded three outs for his first save with Boston.

Athletics 3, Rangers 1

Oakland, Calif. — Jermaine Dye hit a two-run homer and Mark Mulder looked like his old self on the mound in leading Oakland over Texas. Both players are determined to have strong seasons after fighting injuries in 2003. A’s rookie Bobby Crosby got his first major league hit in the fifth when he lined a single to left.

Crosby, who was 0-for-16 dating to last September, punched his right fist into his left hand in a subtle display of satisfaction. The ball was retrieved by third-base coach Ron Washington for Crosby to take home later.

Oakland beat the Rangers for the ninth straight time to match its longest winning streak against Texas, which the A’s also accomplished from July 28, 2002, to April 9, 2003.

Devil Rays 9, Yankees 4

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez hit his first home run for New York, but Mike Mussina couldn’t hold an early four-run lead as Tampa Bay rallied. Victor Zambrano yielded the first-inning home run to Rodriguez and another to Gary Sheffield, then found a way to keep the rest of the Yankees’ powerful lineup quiet, beating the defending AL champions for the second time this season.

Julio Lugo hit a two-run homer and Jose Cruz, Jr. went 4-for-5 with an RBI to deny Mussina in his fourth bid to become the 100th pitcher in major league history with 200 career victories.

Mussina (0-2) lost last week’s season opener to Zambrano in Japan, where the Devil Rays and Yankees split a pair of games.

Tigers 7, Blue Jays 3

Toronto — Detroit lost slugger Dmitri Young to a broken right leg, but the Tigers beat Toronto to open 2-0 for the first time since 1986. Mike Maroth won his first start of the season in the same ballpark where he lost his 20th game last year, and Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run double. Carlos Guillen homered and drove in two runs.

Young, however, is expected to miss up to six weeks.

The designated hitter fractured a bone in his lower leg when he dropped to the field in a failed effort to avoid a tag by second baseman Orlando Hudson in the first inning.

Young appeared to be in severe pain, but was able to put weight on the leg as he was helped off.

The team initially announced he had a sprained ankle, but updated his status after he underwent X-rays. His leg was placed in a removable splint.

Twins 7, Indians 6 (15)

Minneapolis — Jacque Jones hit a tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning, and Jose Offerman’s bases-loaded single in the 15th gave Minnesota a victory over Cleveland. Cleveland’s bullpen blew another late lead, and Minnesota finally scored against losing pitcher Jake Westbrook in the 15th after wasting several earlier chances.

The Twins lost rookie catcher Joe Mauer to a mildly sprained left knee, starting pitcher Johan Santana to spasms in his left forearm and Gold Glove center fielder Torii Hunter to a strained right hamstring.

Angels 10, Mariners 5

Seattle — Bartolo Colon and Vladimir Guerrero got the Anaheim Angels off to a fast start. Colon won his Anaheim debut and Troy Glaus homered twice, leading the Angels over Seattle in their season opener.

Guerrero, also playing his first game with Anaheim, hit a two-run double off the center-field wall to put the Angels ahead 10-1 in the eighth.