Minneapolis ? The Detroit Tigers weren’t about to relax with a nine-run lead — not with the memory of last season still fresh in their minds.

Ivan Rodriguez had four hits and the Tigers roughed up Brad Radke and hung on to beat Minnesota, 11-8, Wednesday night, ending the Twins’ six-game winning streak.

Craig Monroe had three hits and scored three runs, and Alex Sanchez returned to the lineup and drove in three runs. Detroit led 9-0 in the third inning and held on to win.

Only once last season did the Tigers score more than 11 runs. On their way to an AL-record 119 losses, they beat Kansas City, 15-6, on Sept. 23.

“Being on the team last year and having as many losses as we did, I find myself never getting comfortable,” Detroit’s Brandon Inge said. “That’s just because in this game, anything can happen.

“I wouldn’t expect it to happen with this ballclub, but at the same time, my guard is up.”

Al Levine (2-0) pitched 12/3 innings to get the win in relief. Ugueth Urbina recorded the final three outs for a save in his first chance with Detroit.

Minnesota, which trailed 11-3, chipped away and cut the lead to three on Shannon Stewart’s solo homer to open the eighth. But Levine and Urbina combined to retire six of the next seven batters.

Radke (2-1), who pitched eight shutout innings against Cleveland in his last start, lasted only two innings in his shortest start in nearly two years.

“I thought I made a few good pitches, but I made some bad ones, and they put the ball in play,” Radke said.

Sanchez, sidelined for two games because of strained groin, led off the game with a single, and Fernando Vina was hit by a pitch in the foot. Rodriguez and Rondell White followed with RBI singles, and Carlos Guillen blooped a two-run single.

Yankees 3, White Sox 1

Chicago — Alex Rodriguez homered, and Jorge Posada hit a tiebreaking shot in the seventh inning, leading New York past Chicago. Javier Vazquez (2-1) allowed five hits in eight innings — retiring his final 10 batters. After losing three of four at Fenway Park, New York has won the first two games in Chicago.

Rangers 4, Angels 1

Anaheim, Calif. — Michael Young hit a tiebreaking two-run triple, and rookie Gerald Laird threw out three baserunners trying to steal second, and Texas beat Anaheim.

Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 2

Toronto — Doug Mirabelli homered twice, Tim Wakefield had another solid outing, and Boston sent Toronto to its fifth straight loss. At 3-11, the Blue Jays are off to the worst start in club history. Toronto is also the first team to start 0-8 at home since the 1992 Detroit Tigers. Mirabelli, who hit six homers last season, had a solo shot off Ted Lilly (0-2) in the third. His two-run shot in the fourth hit off the facing of the fourth deck in left field.

Athletics 7, Mariners 4

Seattle — Jermaine Dye hit a two-run double in the ninth inning after Tim Hudson ran into trouble in the seventh, leading Oakland over Seattle. The rally spoiled a dramatic comeback by the Mariners, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Pinch-hitter Dave Hansen hit a three-run home run in the seventh to tie it at 4.

Devils Rays 7, Orioles 3

Baltimore — Tino Martinez and Rocco Baldelli homered to lead a rare Tampa Bay power surge, and the Devil Rays ended Baltimore’s five-game winning streak. Paul Abbott (2-1) allowed three runs and two hits in six innings.