CHICAGO (AP) -Mark Buehrle pitched the first no-hitter of the season Wednesday night – and he was nearly perfect, too.
The Chicago White Sox left-hander faced the minimum 27 batters in a 6-0 victory over the Texas Rangers, picking off the only runner he walked and throwing his team’s first no-hitter since 1991.
Working quickly and efficiently in a dominant performance, Buehrle allowed only one baserunner. He walked Sammy Sosa with one out in the fifth inning, then promptly picked him off first base.
“I can’t believe I did it,” Buehrle said. “Perfect game would have been nice, too.”
With the crowd on its feet in the ninth, Buehrle struck out Matt Kata and Nelson Cruz, then got Gerald Laird to hit a slow grounder to third base that Joe Crede picked up and threw to first. As Paul Konerko caught the ball, he pumped his fist, setting off a wild celebration.
On a chilly, 40-degree night, Buehrle threw 105 pitches. His previous low-hit game was a one-hitter against Tampa Bay on Aug. 3, 2001. It was the 16th no-hitter in White Sox history and first since Wilson Alvarez threw one at Baltimore on Aug. 11, 1991.
It was the first no-hitter pitched against the Rangers since June 17, 1995, when Toronto’s David Cone threw one in a 4-0 win.
Jim Thome homered twice – giving him 477 for his career – and Jermaine Dye hit a two-out grand slam in the fifth off Rangers starter Kevin Millwood (2-2).
Yankees 9, Indians 2
NEW YORK (AP) – Alex Rodriguez hit his major league-leading ninth homer and Kei Igawa limited the Indians to a pair of runs over six innings.
Jason Giambi also homered for the Yankees.
A-Rod hit a two-run drive in the sixth off reliever Tom Mastny, connecting for the second straight night. Rodriguez, who leads the majors with 23 RBIs, matched Albert Pujols and Chris Shelton (both last year) for the fourth-fastest to nine homers, trailing only Mike Schmidt (10 games in 1976), Luis Gonzalez (10 in 2001) and Larry Walker (12 in 1997).
A night after Chase Wright won 10-3 in his big league debut after getting an 8-1 lead in the second, Igawa (1-0) was handed a 6-2 lead in the third.
Jeremy Sowers (0-1) allowed six runs and nine hits in 2 2-3 innings for the Indians.
Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 1
TORONTO (AP) – David Ortiz homered and Tim Wakefield allowed four hits in seven innings to lead the Red Sox to the victory.
Mike Lowell and Doug Mirabelli also homered for Boston. Wakefield (2-1) struck out four, walked three and lowered his ERA to 1.35. The 40-year-old knuckleballer has allowed only three earned runs in 20 innings.
Brendan Donnelly worked a perfect eighth and Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his third save, striking out pinch-hitter Adam Lind with two on to end it.
Toronto starter Tomo Ohka (0-2) didn’t allow a hit until Lowell homered to left with two outs in the fifth, his first of the season. Mirabelli led off the sixth with his second home run, and Ortiz opened the seventh with his fifth.
Athletics 3, Angels 0
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Dan Haren outpitched John Lackey for his first win of the season and Eric Chavez drove in two runs to help Oakland hand Los Angeles its sixth straight loss.
Nick Swisher also drove in a run for the A’s, who have won three in a row for the first time this year.
The Angels’ offensive woes continued without their top two hitters. Vladimir Guerrero and Howie Kendrick were both out of the lineup after getting hit by pitches this week. They flew back to Los Angeles to see a hand specialist.
Haren (1-2) allowed four hits in seven sharp innings. Huston Street earned his fourth save, completing the five-hitter.
Lackey (2-2) lost to the A’s for only the third time in 20 career starts. He allowed three runs over seven innings.
Royals 4, Tigers 3, 10 innings
DETROIT (AP) – John Buck hit a leadoff homer in the 10th inning and Kansas City rallied past Detroit to end its six-game losing streak.
Gil Meche did not allow an earned run in eight innings for the Royals, who fell behind 3-0 in the sixth. But Mike Sweeney hit an RBI single in the seventh and Kansas City tied it with two runs in the ninth against closer Todd Jones.
It was the first blown save in eight chances this year for Jones, who gave up his first runs of the season.
One inning later, Buck hit a 2-0 pitch from Fernando Rodney (1-3) into the left-field seats. Joakim Soria (1-0) struck out four in two scoreless innings for his first major league win.
Jeremy Bonderman allowed one run in seven innings for the Tigers.
Orioles 6, Devil Rays 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Erik Bedard won his third straight start, Kevin Millar hit a tiebreaking double and Baltimore beat Tampa Bay.
Millar’s fifth-inning double off Gary Glover (0-1) gave Baltimore a 4-3 lead. Millar then scored to make it 5-3 when Jon Knott, who singled, was tagged out in a rundown between first and second.
Nick Markakis homered for the Orioles, who won twice in the three-game series. Baltimore is 8-4 since being swept in a season-opening three-game series at Minnesota.
Bedard (3-1) gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out eight. Chris Ray fanned all three batters in the ninth for his fifth save.
Tampa Bay starter Scott Kazmir departed after throwing 100 pitches through four innings. Rocco Baldelli hit a leadoff homer for the Devil Rays.
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