Yankees Stop Indians and Thome’s Streak

Raul Mondesi and Jason Giambi homered, Jim Thome didn’t and Mike Mussina had his best start in nearly a month.

For all that went right for the New York Yankees, an injury to Derek Jeter nearly ruined a perfect Fourth of July at Yankee Stadium.

“It’s scary,” Manager Joe Torre said of seeing his star shortstop lying in pain on the field.

The fear subsided as Jeter walked off the field and the Yankees won again, ending Thome’s seven-game homer streak and beating the Cleveland Indians, 7-1.

“You like for them to last, but they don’t go on forever,” said Thome, who finished one game shy of the major league record.

The Yankees held Thome in check, including in a key moment in the seventh inning. With a 4-1 lead, reliever Mike Stanton retired him on a routine fly to center with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Thome went hitless in three at-bats with an intentional walk as he failed to match the record shared by Ken Griffey Jr., Don Mattingly and Dale Long.

Mondesi, acquired from Toronto Monday for Scott Wiggins, a double-A reliever, hit his first Yankee homer leading off the second inning against Chuck Finley (4-11) and had a run-scoring double in the sixth. New York moved a season-high 22 games over .500.

Boston 9, Toronto 5--Derek Lowe got his 12th victory as the Red Sox completed their first five-game sweep in 13 years. Lowe (12-4) yielded five runs--four earned--and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings at Fenway Park.

Nomar Garciaparra homered and drove in four runs for the Red Sox, who had not swept a five-game series since Aug. 25-28, 1989, against Detroit.

Seattle 2, Minnesota 1--John Olerud drove in both runs, hitting a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning, in a meeting of AL division leaders.

The Mariners have won nine consecutive games against the Twins, who have lost six in a row at Safeco Field.

Mark McLemore led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple to center and scored on Olerud’s sacrifice fly. Edgar Martinez pinch-hit for McLemore in the eighth and walked. Charles Gipson pinch-ran and scored on Olerud’s double.

Texas 11, Tampa Bay 8--Rafael Palmeiro hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning, helping the Rangers complete a three-game sweep at Arlington, Texas.

Palmeiro led off the eighth and hit the first pitch from Travis Harper (3-4). It was his 19th homer of the season and 466th of his career. He moved out of a tie with Dave Winfield and into sole possession of 22nd place on the career list.

Oakland 3, Kansas City 2--First baseman Raul Ibanez misplayed Scott Hatteberg’s bases-loaded grounder for an error in the bottom of the ninth inning.

With one out in the ninth, Royal closer Roberto Hernandez (1-1) gave up a single to Terrence Long, walked Greg Myers and hit pinch-hitter Olmedo Saenz with a pitch to load the bases. Ibanez, who homered in the seventh to give the Royals a 2-1 lead, allowed two runs to score with his error.

Detroit 6, Chicago 5--The Tigers scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning enabling Steve Sparks to win for the first time since May 29--a span of six starts. Sparks (4-8) gave up five runs and four hits in seven innings.