Tejada Hits Three Homers in A’s Rout

Miguel Tejada hit three home runs and drove in a career-high eight runs and Erik Hiljus earned his first major league victory Saturday night as the Oakland Athletics routed the Texas Rangers, 15-4, at Arlington, Texas.

Tejada hit a first-inning grand slam, a three-run shot in the second and a solo homer in the ninth to spark the slumping Oakland offense. He has 16 home runs.

Backed by 12 runs in the first four innings, Hiljus (1-0) cruised, giving up three runs and six hits over seven innings in his first major league start.

Hiljus walked two and struck out 10, including four in the seventh to tie a major league record. Michael Young struck out in the inning but reached first on a wild pitch.

Hiljus was called up from triple-A Sacramento before the game and made his first appearance for the A’s. Hiljus’s previous 10 major league outings were in relief for the Detroit Tigers.

Minnesota 3, Detroit 2--Joe Mays gave up four hits in eight innings at Minneapolis to become the American League’s second 10-game winner and the Twins handed the Tigers their seventh consecutive loss.

Doug Mientkiewicz had two hits and scored two runs for Minnesota, which is 9-2 against Detroit and 27-13 in games against American League Central teams.

Mays (10-5) gave up two runs, walked two and struck out four. After going 13-26 in his first two major league seasons, he is third in the American League with a 2.96 earned-run average and trails only the New York Yankees’ Roger Clemens (11-1) in victories.

Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his third save in four chances.

New York 5, Tampa Bay 4--Bernie Williams hit two two-run home runs and Tino Martinez also connected as the Yankees rallied from four runs down at New York.

Gerald Williams, signed by the Yankees on Thursday night, made the first appearance of his second tour with the Yankees when he pinch-hit for Paul O’Neill in the eighth inning with Tampa Bay clinging to a 4-3 lead.

Gerald Williams walked against left-hander Doug Creek (2-2) and Bernie Williams, batting right-handed, followed with a drive to left for the 12th multihomer game of his career, the first since May 17 of last year.

Boston 7, Toronto 5--David Cone pitched six effective innings to win his fourth consecutive decision to power the American League East-leading Red Sox past the Blue Jays at Toronto.

Staked to a 6-0 lead in the second inning, Cone (4-1) gave up one earned run and eight hits in six innings.

Chicago 4, Baltimore 1--Paul Konerko and Herbert Perry each hit home runs and James Baldwin pitched five scoreless innings for the White Sox at Chicago.

Kansas City 11, Cleveland 7--Mike Sweeney and Carlos Beltran each hit two of Kansas City’s five home runs and the Royals won at Cleveland for their fifth consecutive victory.

The Indians’ Juan Gonzalez hit two homers in his 42nd multihomer game.