May’s Night Ruined by One Bad Pitch

Darrell May was one pitch away from a complete game. Unfortunately, that pitch was in a very bad location.

Erubiel Durazo hit a score-tying home run with two out in the ninth inning, and Mark Ellis hit a bases-loaded single in the 10th and the Oakland Athletics defeated the Kansas City Royals, 4-3, Sunday at Oakland.

Durazo’s two-run homer spoiled a brilliant start by May, who came close to a five-hitter and his third career complete game. With a 3-1 lead and a 1-and-2 count on Durazo, May threw a sinker that didn’t sink -- and Durazo ruined his afternoon.

“The only thing I can tell myself is to look at the positive,” May said. “I threw nine innings, and I threw the ball well. It just goes to show you how important all 27 outs are.”

May, in his second season with Kansas City after pitching in Japan for four years, didn’t walk a batter and retired nine in a row at one point as the A’s struggled with his assortment of off-speed pitches.

His sinker began to fade in the late innings, but he kept getting outs -- until a two-out double by Miguel Tejada in the ninth.

Durazo then hit a belt-high pitch which May at first thought was a game-ending fly ball. But it carried, clearing the right-field scoreboard by inches.

In the 10th, shortstop Angel Berroa’s throwing error on a routine grounder allowed Terrence Long to reach second base. After two walks by D.J. Carrasco (3-3), Ellis punched a single over the drawn-in infield.

Cleveland 6, Boston 4 -- Jason Davis (4-4) pitched into the eighth inning at Fenway Park and Milton Bradley drove in three runs with two doubles as the Indians kept the Red Sox’s East lead at 1 1/2 games.

Nomar Garciaparra extended his hitting streak to 25 games -- longest in the majors this season -- with a two-run double against Davis in the eighth. The rookie retired 17 consecutive batters before Johnny Damon’s two-out single.

Toronto 5, New York 3 -- The Blue Jays completed their first four-game sweep of the Yankees and in so doing, sent them to their seventh consecutive home loss.

The Yankees dropped their season-high fourth in a row overall, a skid that has dropped them out of the East lead.

And their slump at Yankee Stadium is their worst since they lost 10 in a row in 1986. New York has lost 11 of its last 12 at home.

Chicago 8, Detroit 5 -- Joe Crede hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the 12th inning and the White Sox ended the Tigers’ three-game winning streak. Carlos Lee hit his seventh career grand slam for the White Sox.

Baltimore 13, Texas 10 -- Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Carl Everett and Mark Teixeira homered for the Rangers, but their power display wasn’t enough at Arlington, Texas.

The Rangers have lost two in a row after a seven-game winning streak. They lead the majors with 82 home runs.

Minnesota 3, Seattle 1 -- The Central-leading Twins won their third series in a row, while the West-leading Mariners lost a series for the first time in five series.

Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth for his 13th save this season and 20th in a row.

He had help from Dustan Mohr, who leaped to the top of the right-field wall to rob Edgar Martinez of a possible home run with Bret Boone on second and one out in the bottom of the ninth.