Oakland pounds Yanks; Chicago pummels Sasaki and Detroit and Kansas City fight

Jason Giambi and the Athletics pounded the Yankees, and Chicago pummeled Seattle's Kazuhiro Sasaki.

But the biggest hits Friday night came in Kansas City -- the pugilistic kind.

Giambi and Jermaine Dye hit three-run homers and Cory Lidle pitched Oakland to its season-high ninth straight win, 8-1 over New York.

Before Jeff Weaver even threw Mike Sweeney a pitch in the sixth inning of the Royals' 7-3 win over the Detroit Tigers, Sweeney charged the mound, and dropped Weaver to the turf.

"I wish that it never happened. But in the same breath, he (Weaver) called me out," Sweeney said. "I've always been taught to respect the game and play the game hard. I thought he crossed the line tonight."

In other AL games, it was Tampa Bay 4, Minnesota 2; Texas 7, Cleveland 2 and Anaheim 8, Toronto 7. Boston's game at Baltimore was rained out.

With two outs, Sweeney asked plate umpire Mike Fitcher to have Weaver move the rosin bag behind the mound. Weaver refused and shouted at Sweeney.

Sweeney then rushed the mound, pushing past Fitcher. He threw his helmet at Weaver, who had his back turned, and tackled him to the ground. Many punches were thrown during the 12-minute delay and Sweeney, Royals pitching coach Al Nipper and Detroit bench coach Doug Mansolino were ejected.

"It's something I've never done before and it's something I'm not proud of. But I had to do it," Sweeney said. "Weaver is a talented young pitcher, but I'd like to see him respect the game more. Tonight, what he did was uncalled for and I did what I did."

Athletics 8, Yankees 1

Lidle (7-5) struck out four and walked two as he won for the sixth time in his last seven starts. He had not allowed an earned run in 18 innings before Paul O'Neill's leadoff homer in the eighth.

White Sox 8, Mariners 6

Chicago loaded the bases against Sasaki (0-4) with one out in the ninth, and a walk to Herbert Perry made it 6-4. After Ray Durham struck out, Jose Valentin hit a tying, two-run double and Magglio Ordonez followed with a two-run double.

Rangers 7, Indians 2

Doug Davis allowed six hits over eight innings and Gabe Kapler homered as Texas beat Cleveland.

Angels 8, Blue Jays 7

Scott Schoeneweis took an eight-run lead into the eighth before Toronto rallied, and the surging Anaheim Angels held off the Blue Jays.