AL roundup: Younger Weaver baffles Rays, improves to 3-0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Mike Napoli and Kendry Morales homered to back the pitching of rookie Jered Weaver, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Wednesday.

Weaver (3-0) remained unbeaten in three major league starts, allowing two runs and four hits in six innings, including solo home runs to Carl Crawford and Julio Lugo. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out four and walked none.

Napoli hit a three-run homer off Seth McClung (2-8) in the fourth inning and Morales added a solo drive for a 5-1 lead in the sixth. Orlando Cabrera and Garret Anderson also drove in runs for the Angels.

Weaver pitched seven scoreless innings and beat Baltimore 10-1 in his major league debut on May 27, then limited Cleveland to two runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 10-3 victory six days later.

He was every bit as tough on the Devil Rays, who were hitless until Crawford led off the fourth with his sixth homer. Lugo homered in the sixth, and Jorge Cantu (fifth-inning single) and Jonny Gomes (sixth-inning double) had the other hits off Weaver. Full story

Mariners 10, Twins 9 (11 innings)

SEATTLE -- Slumping Carl Everett lined a home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the surging Seattle Mariners a victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Everett jumped on a 2-0 pitch from Jesse Crain (0-4) and immediately flipped his bat to the ground, turned both shoulders to his dugout and skipped to first base to celebrate his second game-ending homer of the season. The first was on April 19 against Texas.

The 35-year-old designated hitter was 2-for-20 on Seattle's homestand before his winning hit. The switch-hitter has fallen into a platoon, sitting against left-handed starters.

The Mariners' fifth home run of the night sent them to their sixth win in seven games. This, after a six-game losing streak had them a season-low nine games under .500. Ichiro Suzuki had four hits, including a home run on the first pitch of the first inning.

Indians 11, Athletics 2

CLEVELAND -- Paul Byrd won for the first time in more than a month, Victor Martinez had four RBI and Aaron Boone hit a three-run homer, sending the Cleveland Indians to a win over the Oakland Athletics.

Byrd (5-4) allowed two runs and eight hits in seven innings while picking up his first victory since beating the A's on May 3. Since then, the right-hander had gone 0-2 with three no-decisions, although Byrd probably deserved a better fate in two of those starts.

Boone connected for his three-run homer off Joe Blanton (5-6) in the second, and Grady Sizemore hit a solo shot two pitches later for the yo-yoing Indians, who have gotten to .500 seven times in the past 17 games only to fall back on five occasions.

Martinez and Casey Blake hit solo homers and Ben Broussard drove in two runs for Cleveland.

Rangers 4, Royals 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Gary Matthews' two-run double capped a four-run ninth inning and lifted the Texas Rangers to a victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Rookie Bobby Keppel, looking for his first major league win, carried a six-hit shutout into the ninth for Kansas City but was relieved by Ambiorix Burgos (1-3) after Hank Blalock's leadoff single.

The Rangers then loaded the bases on a single and a hit batsman. Ian Kinsler made it 2-1 with a sacrifice fly before Rod Barajas hit a 1-2 pitch into center for an RBI single.

Matthews' hit was off Elmer Dessens as the Royals lost their ninth in a row at home and dropped to 14-43, the majors' worst record and a pace that would rank them among the worst teams in modern history.

Red Sox at Yankees, ppd.

NEW YORK -- The scheduled game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees was postponed because of rain.

No makeup date was announced, though the game will likely be rescheduled as part of a doubleheader during Boston's final trip to Yankee Stadium from Sept. 15-17.

Both starting pitchers were pushed back one day. Curt Schilling (8-2) is now slated to start the series finale for the Red Sox on Thursday night against New York right-hander Jaret Wright (3-3).