Streaking Palmeiro Powers Rangers

Rafael Palmeiro hit his 452nd career homer and Kenny Rogers pitched seven solid innings, leading the Texas Rangers past the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2, Wednesday night at Arlington, Texas.

“It wasn’t much hitting, but just enough,” Palmeiro said.

After Rogers (2-0) gave up a homer to Raul Mondesi in the first, Palmeiro hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom half to put the Rangers ahead to stay.

Palmeiro tied Carl Yastrzemski for 25th on the career home run list. He extended his hitting streak to eight games.

Rogers gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Tampa Bay 9, Minnesota 1--Ryan Rupe (3-1) limited the Twins to one hit in seven shutout innings but didn’t get to finish the game at St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Devil Rays haven’t had a complete game from a pitcher since Albie Lopez beat Baltimore on April 13, 2001--a span of 170 games, a major league record.

Manager Hal McRae defended the move, saying the Devil Rays “are not at that stage where we’re concerned with a complete game or we’re concerned with a shutout.”

Baltimore 5, Boston 3--Rodrigo Lopez, making his first start in the majors in two years, gave up two runs and eight hits in 51/3 innings at Baltimore and Tony Batista had three hits for the Orioles, who have won four of five.

Chicago 9, Cleveland 2--Dan Wright (2-2) outpitched C.C. Sabathia, Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run homer and Paul Konerko homered, helping the White Sox improved to 5-1 against the Indians this season.

Chicago’s Frank Thomas hit his first triple since 1998 in a three-run ninth.

Kansas City 8, Detroit 2--Brent Mayne scored on a violent collision at the plate, and Neifi Perez drove in three runs at Kansas City, Mo.

Mayne scored in the sixth inning after crashing into catcher Mike Rivera and knocking the ball loose.

When Mayne, a catcher, came to bat two innings later, he and Rivera slapped each other on the back. Rivera said he had no hard feelings.

New York 8, Oakland 5--Jason Giambi, who left Oakland for the Yankees in the off-season, hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the seventh inning at Oakland.

The record crowd of 54,513 at the Coliseum loudly booed throughout Giambi’s first at-bat. He answered with a run-scoring single in the first.

Derek Jeter hit a three-run homer for the Yankees, who blew a 5-0 lead.