Yankees Power Past the Devil Rays, 12-2

The New York Yankees played long ball Friday night, hitting five homers to defeat the host Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 12-2, for their fourth consecutive victory.

Robin Ventura, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Alfonso Soriano and Jason Giambi each homered for the Yankees, who are 4-0 for the first time since 1992 and have won their first four road games for the first time since 1928.

They’ve done it for the most part without shortstop Derek Jeter, who dislocated his left shoulder in a violent collision in the third inning of the season opener at Toronto. Yet there was encouraging news on Jeter before the game. Team doctors don’t believe he will need surgery. He will get second opinion from Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday.

Seattle 6, Texas 4 -- Four games into a new season with new Manager Buck Showalter and the Rangers are right back where they finished the last three seasons -- alone in last place in the AL West. Ruben Sierra and Hank Blalock each hit two-run homers, but Texas relievers gave up two runs in the seven and one in the eighth to spoil their home opener.

Chicago 5, Detroit 2 -- After losing their first three games in Kansas City, the White Sox waited out a two-hour rain delay to win their home opener and send the winless Tigers to their fourth consecutive loss under new Manager Alan Trammell. The game-time temperature was 37 degrees -- tying a record set in 1974 for the coldest home opener in White Sox history.

Boston 8, Baltimore 7 -- Nomar Garciaparra threw out Deivi Cruz at the plate for the final out as the Red Sox nearly blew a seven-run lead at Baltimore.

The Orioles rallied against Ramiro Mendoza in the ninth, cutting a five-run deficit to 8-6 before Geronimo Gil stepped to the plate with two outs and runners at the corners.

Gil doubled off the left-field wall, but the relay from Manny Ramirez to shortstop Garciaparra to catcher Jason Varitek cut down Cruz and preserved Boston’s fourth consecutive victory.

Kansas City 5, Cleveland 1 -- Michael Tucker’s two-run single capped a four-run second inning at Kansas City and the Royals won for the fourth consecutive time to match the best start in franchise history. The 1977 Royals were the only other Kansas City club to win its first four games.

Toronto 7, Minnesota 2 -- Vernon Wells homered twice and drove in four runs to help spoil the Twins’ home opener. Doug Mientkiewicz homered and doubled for the Twins, who had only five hits.