Twins Roll as Radke’s Streak Hits 11

There have been times during his 11-game winning streak when the Minnesota Twins’ Brad Radke was lucky, and times when he was good.

In an 11-1 victory over the Royals on Wednesday night at Kansas City, he was both.

Handed an 8-0 lead before throwing a pitch, the 24-year-old right-hander took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and moved within one victory of Scott Erickson’s team record for consecutive wins.

The difference between what Radke has done and the 11-game winning streak Roger Clemens had for Toronto earlier this season is that Radke (15-5) has won 11 consecutive starts.

“You never see a streak coming,� said Radke, who gave up three hits and three walks in seven innings. “When it happens, you just try to take it game-by-game. Everything’s going my way. It’s like a hitter. Sometimes he’ll hit four bloopers in a game and go four for four. That’s just the way it’s going for me.�

Manager Tom Kelly says he knows exactly how to handle a man on such a streak.

“I’m just trying to stay out of his way. I don’t say anything to him at all,� Kelly said. “I don’t talk to him. I’m not going to be the one who messes him up.�

Radke hasn’t lost since June 2 and his earned-run average during the streak is 2.03. He threw 102 pitches.

Boston 8, Seattle 7--That the Red Sox continue to stage ninth-inning rallies is a curiosity. They are in fourth place in the AL East, and even their most determined effort is unlikely to change things.

That the Mariners keep giving up late leads is a crisis. They are in first place in the AL West, clinging to a slim edge that won’t last long if they continue to blow leads like they did at Boston in 10 innings.

“You look at our numbers, and our numbers are awful,� closer Norm Charlton said after the Red Sox scored two in the eighth, three in the ninth and one in the 10th on Nomar Garciaparra’s bases-loaded single to rally from a 7-2 deficit.

“If we don’t pitch better, it’s going to cost us,� Charlton said after picking up his eighth blown save, the Mariners’ 15th. “It’s time for us to stop screwing around and get the job done.�

It was the fourth time in six games that the Red Sox scored three in the bottom of the ninth, having done it three times in a four-game series against the Angels.

“They were doing it to Anaheim last week. Now they’re doing it to us,� said shortstop Alex Rodriguez, who threw away Garciaparra’s grounder with two outs in the ninth inning to allow the tying run to score.

“I take full responsibility. Any time you have two outs in the ninth inning and a ground ball to shortstop, the game needs to be over,� Rodriguez said.

Baltimore 3, Texas 1--Scott Kamieniecki won his first start in more than a month and Geronimo Berroa drove in two runs at Baltimore as the Orioles capped a three-game sweep of the Rangers.

Jeff Reboulet, subbing for injured second baseman Roberto Alomar, went three for four with two doubles and an RBI. Alomar was placed on the 15-day disabled list before the game because of a pulled groin.

Baltimore has won five consecutive and eight of nine, including a three-game sweep of Texas last week. The Orioles won the season series from the Rangers, 10-1, after going 3-10 against them last year.

Kamieniecki (7-5) gave up one run, three hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander was 0-2 in five starts since June 22.

New York 7, Oakland 0--David Wells struck out a career-high 16 in pitching a three-hitter and Tino Martinez hit his major league-leading 36th home run at New York.

Luis Sojo also homered and went four for five as the Yankees won their third consecutive game. Wells (11-5) blew fastballs past the A’s from the start to record his second shutout in three starts.

With each Wells strikeout, a group of fans in the upper deck down the left-field line at Yankee Stadium taped pictures of beer mugs on the facade. One problem, however. They weren’t prepared for 16 strikeouts. So after Wells’ 11th, the fans resorted to hanging empty beer cups over the railing.

“That was great,� Wells said. “That was really original. . . . I could have used one myself.�

Wells had at least two strikeouts in six innings, and fanned rookie third baseman Mark Bellhorn four times. The only A’s not to strike out were Mark McGwire and Izzy Molina.

Wells’ performance matched David Cone’s 16 strikeouts against Detroit on June 23, and was the second most in a game by a Yankee pitcher.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result Luis Sojo Yankees 4 for 5, 1 homer, 1 double, 2 RBIs Win Jeff Reboulet Orioles 3 for 4, 2 doubles, 1 RBI Win Darren Bragg Red Sox 3 for 4, 1 double, 3 runs, 2 RBIs Win

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result David Wells Yankees 9 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 16 strikeouts, 3 walks Win S. Kamieniecki Orioles 6 2/3 innings, 3 hits, 1 run, 6 strikeouts Win Doug Drabek White Sox 6 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, 5 strikeouts, 4 walks Win

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