Wells Does Not Run Dry This Time, 3-1

It didn’t take long for the Oakland Athletics to realize that David Wells wasn’t the same pitcher they saw nine days earlier.

Wells earned his first victory in five starts and Bobby Bonilla hit a two-run double that broke a sixth-inning tie as the Orioles defeated the slumping A’s, 3-1, Tuesday night at Baltimore.

Nine days earlier, Wells lasted only one inning against Oakland after giving up seven runs and eight hits. This time, Wells (10-12) gave up only one run and six hits in 7 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one.

“Velocity-wise in Oakland I had nothing,” Wells said. “My back was really bothering me and I was throwing with all arm. Tonight I went out there, challenged everyone and had command of all my pitches.”

Randy Myers worked a perfect ninth for his 26th save.

Seattle 7, New York 4--The Mariners rallied on pinch-hitter Jeff Manto’s homer in the sixth inning to defeat the Yankees at Seattle.

The Yankees led, 4-0, before the Mariners rallied for five runs in the sixth, capped by Manto’s three-run home run.

New York lost its third in a row overall, and dropped to 1-4 in Seattle this season.

Kansas City 4, Texas 3--Michael Tucker beat out a two-out infield hit with a headfirst slide in the 10th inning, driving in the winning run to give the Royals the victory at Kansas City.

David Howard and Jose Offerman walked to begin the 10th for the Royals, then Johnny Damon sacrificed before Joe Randa was walked intentionally. After Tom Goodwin struck out trying to bunt with two strikes, Tucker hit a grounder toward first baseman Rene Gonzalez, who replaced Will Clark at first in the 10th.

Gonzalez fielded the ball, but reliever Ed Vosberg dropped the toss while covering the bag as the winning run scored.

Jeff Montgomery (4-6) pitched a hitless 10th for the victory.

Cleveland 12, Detroit 2--Jim Thome had four hits as the Indians remained unbeaten in 11 games against the Tigers with a victory at Detroit.

“As a hitter, you always want to get to the point where you’re feeling confident, and that’s how I am right now,” said Thome, who is hitting .457 with five home runs and 12 RBIs against Detroit this year. “There’s that old saying, ‘See it and hit it,’ and that’s what I’m doing right now.”

Thome homered for the sixth time in 10 games and Albert Belle hit his 42nd homer, a three-run shot, for the Indians.

Milwaukee 4, Chicago 2--Marc Newfield had three hits, homered and scored three runs at Chicago as the White Sox lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Fernando Vina’s single in the seventh scored the go-ahead run for Milwaukee, and dropped the White Sox 1 1/2 games behind Baltimore in the wild-card race.

Minnesota 6, Toronto 4--Paul Molitor had five hits and the Twins scored the go-ahead run in the 11th inning on an error by Blue Jay shortstop Alex Gonzalez at Toronto.

Molitor had five singles and now needs 24 hits to reach 3,000. Jeff Reboulet scored the winning run on Gonzalez’ throwing error. Mike Trombley (4-1) pitched two shutout innings for the Twins.