DaVanon hits for cycle as Angels rout Royals

Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004 | 7:19 a.m.

Jeff DaVanon walked to the plate in the seventh inning, fully aware that he was a home run away from history.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't know," the Anaheim Angels outfielder said.

DaVanon sent a pitch from Scott Sullivan over the right-field wall, becoming the first Angels player in 13 years to hit for the cycle in a 21-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

DaVanon hit a two-run double in the third inning against Mike Wood (2-6), a triple in the fourth, an RBI single in the fifth and a leadoff homer in the seventh to become the fourth player in club history to hit for the cycle.

"This is a very special night," said DaVanon, who kept the lineup card that was taped to the dugout wall. "This was definitely one thing I've tried to achieve in my career. I know that was very hard to do. I had one in A-ball, but it doesn't really count, I guess."

It was the first by an Angels player since Dave Winfield at Kansas City on June 24, 1991. Jim Fregosi did it twice, and Dan Ford also accomplished the feat.

"(Teammate) Robb Quinlan told me, `You've got to go for it,'" DaVanon said. "So I swung as hard as I could and it worked out. It's kind of like a no-hitter, so other than that, nobody really said anything."

DaVanon, who drove in four runs, is the sixth player to hit for the cycle this season, joining Milwaukee's Chad Moeller, Pittsburgh's Daryle Ward, Philadelphia's David Bell, the New York Mets' Eric Valent and Texas' Mark Teixeira.

In other American League games, it was: Boston 11, Toronto 5; Cleveland 4, New York 3; Oakland 3, Baltimore 0; Detroit 5, Chicago 4; Minnesota 8, Texas 5; and Tampa Bay 6, Seattle 5.

DaVanon wasn't the Angels' only offensive star in the rout at Anaheim, Calif., that completed a seven-game season sweep of the Royals.

Jose Molina hit his first career grand slam, and Garret Anderson had five RBIs and three hits, including a three-run homer. Darin Erstad and Vladimir Guerrero had three hits each, and Erstad scored four runs.

"This is the first time we've been beaten like that this year," Royals manager Tony Pena said. "I think if we bounced the ball up there, they still would have hit it. It's why they're in first place and we're in last place."

Anaheim tied a season high with 22 hits and set a franchise record for runs in a home game. It was the first time the Angels have swept an AL opponent in a season series during their 44-year history.

"This was something special and it was fun to watch," manager Mike Scioscia said.

Ramon Ortiz (5-7), who recorded back-to-back victories for the first time in 13 starts this season, allowed six runs and 12 hits in six innings.

Wood gave up eight runs, six hits and three walks in 3 1-3 innings.

Red Sox 11, Blue Jays 5

At Toronto, David Ortiz homered twice and drove in four runs, and Curt Schilling earned his 16th win.

Manny Ramirez hit his AL-leading 34th homer, and Orlando Cabrera also went deep as the Red Sox cut the New York Yankees' AL East lead to 5 1/2 games.

Schilling (16-6) joined Oakland's Mark Mulder (17-4) as the only AL pitchers with 16 or more wins, allowing one run and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings with nine strikeouts.

Indians 4, Yankees 3

At Cleveland, Coco Crisp caused more commotion than a runaway squirrel, diving headfirst for a go-ahead bunt single in the eighth that helped end the Indians' nine-game losing streak.

A small brown squirrel ran onto the field in the third inning, later darted between Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, and eventually settled down in center field. Play was held up several times.

Athletics 3, Orioles 0

At Oakland, Calif., Marco Scutaro hit a three-run homer off B.J. Ryan (3-4) with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, sending the A's to their third straight win and handing Baltimore its season-high ninth loss in a row.

Tigers 5, White Sox 4

At Detroit, Marcus Thames drove in three runs, Nate Robertson (11-7) allowed one run and eight hits in eight innings and the Tigers sent Chicago to its sixth loss in seven games.

Twins 8, Rangers 5

At Arlington, Texas, No. 9 hitter Luis Rivas had a double and triple off Ryan Drese (11-7), then homered against Carlos Almanzar leading off the eighth.

Devil Rays 6, Mariners 5

At Seattle, Aubrey Huff drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI groundout in the ninth, and Tampa Bay completed its first series sweep of the Mariners.

Seattle (46-79) fell a season-low 33 games under .500 and was swept for the 10th time.