Boston ? Curt Schilling swung his arm in the air, angry when his manager came to the mound to give him the hook.

Alex Rodriguez had more reason to be upset, slamming his helmet to the ground when he ended a late New York threat by grounding into a double play.

Schilling dominated, and A-Rod disappeared once again as the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees, 5-2, Saturday, improving to 2-0 in the big four-game April series.

Schilling had looked forward eagerly to the game since he was acquired from Arizona in late November. Did it match his expectations?

“All things aside, we won,” he said calmly. “We took the first two games of the series against a good team.”

The Yankees (5-6) haven’t looked like one. They have four runs and 12 hits in the first two games of the four-game series, Rodriguez, nearly acquired by Boston from Texas last November, is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts. Derek Jeter is 2-for-10 with three strikeouts and two errors.

“I’m just trying to find a groove where I feel comfortable,” said Rodriguez, whose batting average dropped to .171. “Ups and downs are a part of it.”

Boston took a 3-0 lead in the first three innings and went up 4-1 in the fifth on Manny Ramirez’s second homer of the series and 350th of his career. Tony Clark’s fifth-inning homer was New York’s only run until Jeter’s RBI single in the ninth.

Schilling struck out eight and allowed six hits and four walks in 61/3 innings. After retiring Jeter on a called third strike on his 121st pitch, Schilling watched manager Terry Francona walk from the dugout.

When Francona pointed to the bullpen from around the first-base line, Schilling punched the air.

“I was less than pleased,” said Schilling, who understood why Francona made the early signal. “Conversation is not the smartest thing when I’m in the game.”

Mike Mussina (1-3) struggled, forcing in Boston’s first two runs with a bases-loaded walk and hit batter.

Mussina, who had been 10-5 in Fenway Park, allowed four runs — three earned — seven hits and four walks in just five innings.

“I’m not injured, so you just have to keep going out there and fighting,” he said. “When you play the Red Sox, with all the hype and expectations there, you have to come out and play your best game. We haven’t.”

Angels 6, Athletics 3

Anaheim, Calif. — Vladimir Guerrero and Troy Glaus each hit two-run homers to lead Anaheim over Oakland. Guerrero drove Mark Mulder’s 3-2 pitch over the center-field wall for a 4-1 lead in the third. It was the first home run allowed this season by Mulder.

Mariners 4, Rangers 1

Seattle — Jamie Moyer pitched three-hit ball for eight innings, and Dan Wilson hit a three-run double, leading Seattle over Texas. Moyer (1-1) returned to the form he showed as a first-time All-Star and 21-game winner last year.

White Sox 4, Devil Rays 1

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Scott Schoeneweis allowed an unearned run and five hits in 62/3 innings to lead Chicago over Tampa Bay. Schoeneweis (1-1) made his second start of the season. The left-hander had made 98 consecutive relief appearances since June 25, 2002, before his start for the White Sox April 8. Damaso Marte threw two scoreless innings for his first save.

Tampa Bay had just one runner reach second through six innings against Schoeneweis.

Tigers 6, Indians 1

Cleveland — Just like the Tigers, Mike Maroth has turned around in 2004. A 21-game loser a year ago, Maroth won his fourth straight decision, leading the Detroit over Cleveland. Detroit, which lost an AL-record 119 games last year, improved to 7-4, The Tigers didn’t get their seventh win last year until May 7, when they were 7-25.

Orioles 5, Blue Jays 3

Toronto — Larry Bigbie hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning, leading Baltimore over Toronto for its third straight win. Bigbie homered off Justin Speier (1-1) leading off the inning. Brian Roberts followed with a double and scored on a single by Miguel Tejada. B.J. Ryan (1-0) pitched the eighth, and Jorge Julio completed the six-hitter for his first save.