Yanks: Oft-injured Pavano not what they hoped for

Yankees manager Joe Torre raised the possibility that Carl Pavano would need surgery, and general manager Brian Cashman acknowledged that the oft-injured pitcher has been a bust with New York since signing a $39.95 million, 4-year contract.

"It clearly hasn't worked out. There's no doubt about that," Cashman said yesterday. "We signed a player that we expected to be a horse in our rotation and it hasn't worked out. He physically hasn't held up. Period."

Pavano hasn't pitched because of April 9 because of forearm soreness and was attempting to be examined yesterday by Dr. James Andrews, Cashman said. Pavano was 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA in two starts before getting hurt, his first two appearances for the Yankees since June 27, 2005.

Before reporting to spring training healthy, Pavano missed 1 1/2 years because of shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and rib injuries. He cut short a bullpen session Wednesday in Texas after about 14 pitches, according to Torre. Pitching coach Ron Guidry gave a report to Cashman.

"It just didn't feel right and it was bothering him. Gator confirmed that," Cashman said. "He said basically you could tell that it was not a comfortable situation. He couldn't allow the bullpen to continue as is, so the next step is, well, let's get another opinion."

Torre wasn't sure what would happen with Pavano, who is 5-6 in 19 starts with the Yankees.

"I think he's pretty much going to go along with whatever the doctor suggests," Torre said. "He certainly isn't having any fun doing what he's doing, and if surgery is the only answer to changing that, then I think he'll probably consider it."

Torre also suggested the injury might be more than forearm soreness.

"Obviously, it's elbow related," he said, "so we'll see what the doctor says."

* Orioles lefthander Adam Loewen will be sidelined for much of the season with a stress fracture in his pitching elbow, a rare injury.

Loewen was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He last pitched Tuesday in Detroit, going five innings before leaving with pain in his forearm, elbow and biceps. After an MRI exam and a bone scan, the injury was determined to be in his elbow.

* The Los Angeles Angels placed leftfielder Garret Anderson on the 15-day DL because of a tear in his right hip flexor tendon.

* The Oakland Athletics placed designated hitter Mike Piazza on the 15-day DL because of a sprained right shoulder.

* At New York, Yuniesky Betancourt hit a tiebreaking two-run double in an eight-run fifth inning, and the Seattle Mariners piled on the offense in a 15-11 victory over the Yankees.

Jose Guillen, Kenji Johjima, Betancourt and Jose Lopez - the bottom four batters in Seattle's starting lineup - combined to go 9-for-18 with 10 RBI as Seattle scored its most runs in 3 years.

* At Baltimore, Nick Markakis singled in the winning run in the 10th inning, giving the Orioles a 3-2 comeback victory over the Cleveland Indians.

* At Los Angeles, Kelvim Escobar (3-1) allowed a run on six hits in seven innings as the Angels beat the Chicago White Sox, 5-1.

* At Kansas City, Justin Verlander gave up seven hits and two runs in seven-plus innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the Royals, 6-3, for their fifth straight victory. Verlander (2-1) struck out three and walked one.

* At Minneapolis, Tim Wakefield (3-3) threw seven innings and David Ortiz homered to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 2-0 victory over the Twins.

* At St. Petersburg, Fla., Nick Swisher hit a tiebreaking three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth to lead the Oakland Athletics past the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 5-2.

* At Arlington, Texas, Hank Blalock hit a two-run homer, Brandon McCarthy (2-4) pitched six sharp innings and the Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-1. *