Orioles' Key blanks Rangers

Jimmy Key pitched a six-hitter for his first shutout in nearlyfour years, and Jeffrey Hammonds hit two bases-empty home runs as theBaltimore Orioles walloped the visiting Texas Rangers 9-0 on Sunday.

Cal Ripken and Chris Hoiles also homered and Rafael Palmeirowent 4-for-5 as the Orioles improved to 4-1 this season against theRangers. They were 3-10 against them last season.

Key (2-0) walked one and struck out seven in lowering his ERA to1.29. Key, who was signed as a free agent during the offseason,permitted only one runner past first base in pitching his firstshutout since May 28, 1993, for the New York Yankees against theWhite Sox. The Orioles' only shutout last season came in their 141stgame.The punchless Rangers, who played without injured starters WillClark and Juan Gonzalez and entered the game with a .218 battingaverage, have gone three consecutive games without an extra-base hitfor the first time since June, 1995.Angels 8, Indians 3: Mark Langston cooled off host Cleveland'shot bats, and Anaheim roughed up Jack McDowell again en route to thevictory.Langston (1-1) neutralized the Indians' left-handed hitters andpitched out of jams in the fourth and fifth innings. He allowed tworuns and seven hits, walked four and struck out five in five innings.The Indians, who lead the league in hitting, couldn't mount anyserious offense beyond Sandy Alomar, who went 3-for-3 with a walk toraise his league-leading average to .618. Alomar has hit in alleight games he has played.McDowell (0-1) was rocked for six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3innings. He has given up 21 hits in 9 2/3 innings and has a 12.10ERA in two starts, both against the Angels.Yankees 3-4, Athletics 2-7: Scott Brosius' two-run singlehighlighted a four-run third inning that enabled visiting Oakland toearn a split of its doubleheader against New York. The Yankees wonthe first game behind the pitching of Andy Pettitte (3-0) and homeruns by Bernie Williams and Derek Jeter.Red Sox 7, Mariners 1: Tim Naehring hit a grand slam in thesecond inning to fuel host Boston past Seattle, which had itsfour-game winning streak snapped.Royals 6, Twins 1: Johnny Damon and David Howard each drove inthree runs in support of Kevin Appier (1-0) as Kansas City throttledvisiting Minnesota.Brewers 3, Blue Jays 2: Fernando Vina's ninth-inning singlescored Gerald Williams and lifted Milwaukee, which lost shortstopJose Valentin to a fractured finger, past Toronto.