A's claim 14th straight victory

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Athletics won their 14th straight game Tuesday night, matching their longest streak since moving to Oakland, as David Justice homered and drove in three runs in a 6-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

The streak is the longest in the majors since Seattle won 15 straight last season and tied the 1988 A's for the longest since the team moved to Oakland. The franchise record is a 17-game streak in 1931 when the team played in Philadelphia.

Mark Mulder (16-7) allowed four runs and seven hits in seven-plus innings to win his third straight start.

Billy Koch pitched the ninth for his 35th save in 40 opportunities.

Yankees 6, Red Sox 0

BOSTON -- David Wells took a shutout into the ninth inning to win for the eighth time in nine decisions, and New York beat Boston to pad its lead in the AL East.

The Yankees lead the Red Sox by eight games in the division, with four games left between the two teams over the next eight days.

Twins 5, Mariners 2

MINNEAPOLIS -- Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones backed Joe Mays (3-5) with solo homers in Minnesota's victory over Seattle.

Hunter was 3-for-4 for the Twins, who have won six of eight.

Cristian Guzman went 0-for-4 and had his 23-game hitting streak snapped for the Twins.

Tigers 8, Indians 5

CLEVELAND -- Mark Redman pitched eight strong innings to win for the first time in five starts and help Detroit end a six-game losing streak.

Redman (8-12) survived a three-run rally in the fourth and got some much deserved run support from Damion Easley and Bobby Higginson, who had two RBIs each. Carlos Pena homered for the Tigers.

White Sox 8, Blue Jays 4

CHICAGO -- Joe Crede tied the game with a two-run homer off Kelvim Escobar in the ninth inning and won it in the 10th against Felix Heredia with his first career grand slam. Chicago ended Toronto's four-game winning streak.

Antonio Osuna (7-2) retired the Blue Jays in order in the 10th.

Escobar has blown seven save chances this season.

Rangers 9, Orioles 4

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Alex Rodriguez and Herbert Perry homered and Carl Everett went 4-for-4. Rodriguez hit his major league-leading 47th homer in a three-run eighth.

National League

Braves 5, Pirates 4

PITTSBURGH -- Matt Franco drove in four runs with a homer and bases-loaded triple that broke a seventh-inning tie, and the Atlanta Braves withstood Pittsburgh's three-run rally in the ninth to beat the Pirates 5-4 on Tuesday night.

Kevin Millwood (14-6) won for the 12th time in 13 decisions and John Smoltz got his major league-high 46th save.

Mets 10, Marlins 5

MIAMI -- Mo Vaughn hit a three-run homer and John Thomson (8-11) earned his first victory with New York, pitching into the ninth inning to beat Florida.

New York has won three in a row since losing 12 straight.

Phillies 4, Expos 2

PHILADELPHIA -- Joe Roa pitched six strong innings and went 2-for-2 with his first two career RBIs as Philadelphia beat Montreal for its sixth straight victory.

The Phillies have won 10 of 13 to reach .500 for the first time since they were 5-5 on April 11.

Padres 11, Astros 6

HOUSTON -- Ryan Klesko hit his eighth career grand slam and matched his career high with six RBIs to lead San Diego over Houston.

Phil Nevin tied a career high with four hits and drove in two runs, including an RBI single in a seven-run seventh inning. Klesko's slam capped the big inning, giving him six RBIs in a game against Houston for the second time in his career.

Cubs 6, Brewers 2

MILWAUKEE -- Alan Benes pitched 5 1-3 shutout innings in his first major league start since last September, helping Chicago beat Milwaukee.

Benes, 30, had made just one major league start since 1997, beating Los Angeles 6-5 on Sept. 8 last year. He had been sidelined by a pair of shoulder operations.

-- From wire reports