DETROIT ? Patience is paying off for the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers drew seven walks in the sixth inning against Cleveland on Friday night, and all seven runners. Brandon Inge hit a triple and grand slam as Detroit scored 11 runs in the inning, and the Tigers went on to rout the Indians, 17-3.

“From the beginning of the season, I could tell how much more patient this team has become,” Inge said. “Last year, we swung at the first pitch that was near the strike zone, but this is a better team now, and we know how to wait for something to hit.”

Eric Munson added a two-run homer and a bases-loaded walk in the Tigers’ biggest inning since scoring 13 runs in the ninth of a 19-6 win at Texas on Aug. 8, 2000.

“This is just a completely different team than last year,” Munson said. “We are taking professional at-bats.”

It was the most runs by a team at Comerica Park, which opened in 2000, topping Detroit’s 16-3 win over Toronto on June 13 of the first season.

Jeremy Bonderman (2-1) allowed three runs, five hits and five walks in five innings. Last year, he didn’t get his second win until May 4, his sixth start.

Detroit rapped out 16 hits and improved to 10-7. Last year, the Tigers didn’t get their 10th win until May 22, when they were 10-35.

“I pitched five good innings and kept us in the game for our great hitters to take over,” Bonderman said. “Right now, we know that our guys are going to get us at least four runs almost every night. That’s huge — it takes a lot of pressure off the pitching staff.”

Esteban Yan pitched four innings of one-hit relief.

Rangers 10, Mariners 8

Arlington, Texas — Hank Blalock keyed a four-run fourth with a two-run double, and Laynce Nix drove in two important insurance runs, leading Texas over Seattle. David Dellucci and Kevin Mench homered, and Alfonso Soriano had three hits for the Rangers, who are over .500 (9-8) after 17 games for the first time since 1999.

Rangers starter Ryan Drese (1-0) allowed three runs and seven hits in 52/3 innings. Drese was 0-2 with a 9.42 ERA in four previous career appearances against the Mariners.

Angels 12, Athletics 2

Oakland, Calif. — Jose Guillen hit a three-run homer, Troy Glaus added a two-run shot, and Anaheim began its longest road trip of the season with a win over Oakland. Barry Zito (2-2), the 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner, allowed a career-high nine runs and 10 hits in four innings as his ERA climbed from 3.32 to 6.26.

Vladimir Guerrero had three hits for the Angels, including a pair of doubles, and Jarrod Washburn (3-1) pitched five effective innings.

Darin Erstad had three hits, hitting a two-run double and a run-scoring single..

Red Sox 11, Yankees 2

New York — Bill Mueller hit a three-run shot for one of Boston’s four homers and the Red Sox routed New York in their first game at Yankee Stadium since last year’s thrilling AL championship series..

But the bitter rivalry has belonged to Boston since. The Red Sox have won four of five meetings this season, including three of four at Fenway Park last weekend.

It was an embarrassing night for New York — Alex Rodriguez got booed, Bubba Crosby slipped while tracking a fly ball and Gary Sheffield dropped a popup.

White Sox 3, Devil Rays 2, 10 innings

Chicago — Joe Crede hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and Chicago defeated Tampa Bay. Magglio Ordonez led off the 10th inning with a routine grounder to shortstop, but Julio Lugo bobbled the ball and Ordonez reached safely. After Kelly Dransfeldt failed to bunt Ordonez over, Danny Baez (1-1) moved the runner up with a balk.

Tampa Bay intentionally walked Carlos Lee, but during the Paul Konerko’s at-bat, Baez threw a wild pitch, moving Ordonez to third and Lee to second. Tampa Bay was forced to walk Konerko to load the bases and Crede followed with flyball to right field that scored Ordonez.

Orioles 11, Blue Jays 3

Baltimore — Eric DuBose pitched seven strong innings, and the Baltimore Orioles roughed up former teammate Josh Towers in a victory over Toronto. Jay Gibbons homered, and Brian Roberts had three hits and two RBIs for the Orioles, who had 15 hits and have won seven of eight. Four of those wins have come against the Blue Jays, who are off to the worst start in franchise history (4-12).