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NEW YORK (AP) -Alex Rodriguez made the New York Yankees forget Kei Igawa’s forgettable debut.
A-Rod hit a grand slam off Chris Ray with two outs in the ninth inning, giving the Yankees a memorable 10-7 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Rodriguez homered twice, doubled and drove in six runs. Two days earlier, he popped out with the bases loaded to end the eighth in a 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay, a performance reminiscent of his October flop.
Igawa left after five mediocre innings trailing 7-3.
But Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer in the eighth off Danys Baez to get the Yankees close. Ray (0-1) got the first two outs of the ninth before Robinson Cano singled, Derek Jeter walked and Bobby Abreu was hit by a pitch.
Rodriguez then connected on a 1-2 pitch, and knew it was gone as soon as he hit it. The ball landed in the black section of the bleachers in center for his 14th career slam and, after Rodriguez reached the dugout, Jeter shoved him back on the field for a curtain call.
Mariano Rivera (1-0) got the win with a one-hit ninth. Melvin Mora tied a career high with five RBIs for Baltimore.
Tigers 6, Royals 5
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Gary Sheffield, Ivan Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson homered to help Detroit beat Kansas City on a cold afternoon.
Sheffield, who had just one single in his first three games with the Tigers, homered to left with two outs in the first. Rodriguez homered into the Tigers’ bullpen to leadoff the fourth, putting the Tigers up 4-3. Granderson homered to leadoff the fifth.
All the Tigers’ home runs were off Gil Meche (1-1), who limited the Boston Red Sox to one run in 7 1-3 innings in the Royals’ season opening victory. Meche gave up six runs and eight hits in seven innings, while striking out four and walking two.
Mike Maroth (1-0), who was making his first start since May 25 and having arthroscopic elbow surgery last June, picked up the victory, allowing four runs and six hits in five innings. Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his second save of the season.
Reggie Sanders went 3-for-4, including a two-run homer in the third, and scored three runs.
White Sox 3, Twins 0
CHICAGO (AP) – Javier Vazquez allowed one hit in 6 2-3 scoreless innings and four relievers completed the frosty three-hitter to help Chicago beat Minnesota.
In winning for the first time since last Aug. 10, Vazquez walked four and struck out five on another January-like day at U.S. Cellular Field.
Vazquez gave up a leadoff single to Michael Cuddyer in the second inning. It was Minnesota’s only hit until Luis Castillo beat out an infield single with two outs in the eighth. Michael Cuddyer added a double in the ninth.
Vazquez (1-0) hit Cuddyer with a pitch to open the seventh and after walking Justin Morneau got Torii Hunter to hit into a double play. Manager Ozzie Guillen then went to the bullpen, bringing in Andrew Sisco, who struck out pinch-hitter Jeff Cirillo.
Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth for his first save of the season in as many attempts.
Twins starter Carlos Silva (0-1) allowed five hits and one run in five innings.
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