Chicago ? Kevin Mench homered early and homered late.

“It felt like the game took forever,” Mench said after his solo drive in the ninth inning off Damaso Marte (2-3) gave the Texas Rangers a 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.

Mench also homered in the first inning as the Rangers won for the ninth time in 13 games and sent the White Sox to their third loss in a row, matching a season high.

“The last one was right over the plate, so I took it the best way I could and I fortunately hit it out,” Mench said. “It was just one of those nights.”

Slowed earlier this season after twice being hit on the left elbow with pitches, Mench has homered three times in the last two games and has six for the season.

“He started it and he finished it,” Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. “When he collides with the ball, it jumps. He’s a strong young man.”

Nick Regilio (1-1) earned his first major-league win despite allowing a tying home run to pinch-hitter Tadahito Iguchi in the eighth. Francisco Cordero pitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances.

“We came back and tied it and gave us a chance to win,” Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. “Iguchi’s been a good player all year long. Everything we’ve asked him to do, he does it.”

A.J. Pierzynski’s fourth career grand slam followed a single and two walks in the first inning, giving Chicago a 4-1 lead against Chan Ho Park.

But Texas drove out Orlando Hernandez after 22/3 innings. Hernandez, who has won four straight decisions, surrendered the first-inning solo homer to Mench.

Texas' Kevin Mench hits a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox. Mench hit two homers, including the game-winner, in the Rangers' 7-6 victory over the White Sox on Monday in Chicago.

“I remember facing him before in New York. He was just unhittable. We were fortunate tonight to get him out of there early,” Mench said.

Hernandez struggled with his control, giving up six runs, seven hits and four walks.

“It’s a bad day for me,” Hernandez said. “They were swinging, and everybody hit it.”

Chicago’s clubhouse was silent after the game, devoid of the familiar post-game music.

“We’ve lost three before,” Guillen said. “We’ve got to try to cut the losing streak as quickly as we can.”

Angels 3, Indians 1

Cleveland — Paul Byrd pitched seven shutout innings and remained perfect in five career decisions against Cleveland.

Byrd (4-3) had an easy time with the Indians, who came in batting a major-league worst .235. The right-hander gave up just three singles but had no problems against the team that drafted him in 1991.

Brendan Donnelly gave up a run in the eighth, and Scot Shields pitched a perfect ninth for his third save.

Garret Anderson had two RBIs off Cliff Lee (4-2) as the Angels won for the 14th time in their last 19 games at Jacobs Field.

Athletics 6, Red Sox 4

Oakland, Calif. — Newcomer Matt Watson hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, and Oakland snapped an eight-game losing streak.

Watson was called up from Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday to put some pop in the majors’ worst offense, and he came through with a bases-loaded hit off Mike Timlin.

Eric Chavez snapped a 5-for-37 skid with three hits, and Mark Kotsay had a three-run triple in the fifth for the A’s, who finally ended their longest losing streak since July 21-29, 1998, when they lost nine straight.

Chavez and Erubiel Durazo led off the eighth with singles off Mike Myers (1-1), who left the game after Durazo’s drive struck him on the forearm. Timlin walked Scott Hatteberg to load the bases with one out, and Watson’s grounder was just out of Mark Bellhorn’s reach at second base.

Yankees 6, Mariners 3

Seattle — Bernie Williams rallied New York with his 11th career grand slam, and the Yankees extended their winning streak to nine.

At 20-19, the Yankees moved over .500 for the first time since they were 3-2 after beating Baltimore on April 9.

Rookie Chien-Ming Wang (2-1) allowed three runs and six hits in 61/3 innings, striking out four and walking none. He retired 17 straight batters after Raul Ibanez’s two-run double in the first.