Damon collects 10th straight hit to lead off game

Johnny Damon is batting 1.000 as a leadoff hitter the last 10 games.

Damon's achievement is over a much shorter span, but appears to be much rarer as well. Damon led off Kansas City's 12-8 win over the Chicago White Sox with a single -- the 10th straight game he's opened with a hit.

It's the longest such streak since 1975 -- the Elias Sports Bureau was unable to research the obscure stat before then.

''I'm sure somebody has done it in the past, probably by Ty Cobb or somebody,'' Damon said. ''But knowing that I've done something for the first time in a long time is really neat.''

Damon goes for 11 straight tonight in Detroit against Jeff Weaver, a pitcher he has never faced in his career.

Royals 12, White Sox 8

Carlos Beltran's three-run double keyed a five-run eighth inning as Kansas City completed a three-game sweep.

Jermaine Dye hit his 13th homer as the Royals finished an 8-3 homestand.

Indians 10, Blue Jays 8,

12 innings

Travis Fryman hit an RBI single off Eric Gunderson (0-1) in the 12th inning as Cleveland overcame a six-run deficit at Toronto.

Jose Cruz Jr. hit his 13th homer for Toronto.

Orioles 7, Yankees 6

At New York, Albert Belle hit a two-out, two-run single in a three-run ninth inning off Mariano Rivera (2-1) as Baltimore overcame Scott Brosius' eighth-inning grand slam to snap New York's six-game winning streak.

Red Sox 9, Devil Rays 7

Troy O'Leary and Trot Nixon homered in the third inning off Bryan Rekar (0-1) to give Boston the win at Fenway Park.

Jeff Fassero (4-1) allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings in his longest start of the season. Derek Lowe got his seventh save.

Marlines 3, Mets 0

Ryan Dempster threw a one-hitter, blemished only by Mike Piazza's double in the sixth inning, and the Florida Marlins beat the New York Mets 3-0 Sunday at Pro Player Stadium.

''He just pitched fantastic,'' Marlins manager John Boles said. ''He was awfully, awfully good today. We think that he's going to be around for a while. We're looking at a future 20-game winner. It's just a matter of experience.''

Dempster, who turned 23 last Wednesday, earned his first career shutout. He's 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA after seven starts, and has struck out 51 in 49 innings.

Astros 14, Dodgers 8,

10 innings

Jeff Shaw hit Richard Hidalgo with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run and Roger Cedeno added a three-run homer in a seven-run 10th inning in Houston's victory in Los Angeles.

Pirates 11, Cubs 3

Kevin Young and Brian Giles hit three-run homers off Kerry Wood that led Pittsburgh over the Chicago.

Wood struck out six, reaching 97 mph with his fastball. He also walked five, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.

Reds 9, Cardinals 7

Ken Griffey Jr. hit another go-ahead home run as Cincinnati beat visiting St. Louis.

Griffey's two-run shot in the sixth inning broke a 7-7 tie. Three of the Reds' last four wins have featured decisive homers by Griffey.

Phillies 7, Braves 4

Philadelphia became the first visiting team to win a series at Turner Field this season behind Mike Lieberthal's four hits.

Lieberthal hit a two-run homer and pitcher Andy Ashby had a two-run single as the Phillies won two of three at Atlanta.

Diamondbacks 8, Padres 1

Todd Stottlemyre pitched Arizona to its fourth straight win, completing a three-game sweep of visiting San Diego.

Stottlemyre (6-1) became the NL's third six-game winner. Teammate Randy Johnson leads the league with seven victories and St. Louis' Darryl Kile has six.

Brewers 9, Expos 4

Jose Hernandez homered and hit a two-run single as Milwaukee broke loose and ended a three-game losing streak.