Samuel gets first win as manager of Orioles

Juan Samuel walked into the interview room after his first win as a major league manager and removed his cap, revealing a head full of tightly cropped salt-and-pepper hair.

"Just in case you guys were wondering, I did not get any more gray today," Samuel said with a broad grin after the Baltimore Orioles ended their 10-game losing streak yesterday by beating the visiting Boston Red Sox, 4-3, in 11 innings.

After being promoted from third-base coach to interim manager Friday when Dave Trembley was fired, Samuel watched stoically from the dugout as the Orioles lost twice by a combined 19-2 score. This one, in contrast, was filled with drama throughout.

The Orioles broke a tie that existed since the second inning by scoring once in the eighth, then allowed Boston to pull even in the ninth. Baltimore finally won it in the 11th on an RBI single by slumping Nick Markakis, hitless in his previous 14 at-bats.

During his postgame interview, Samuel - who played for the Phillies from l983-88 - quickly backed away when he saw centerfielder Adam Jones holding a towel full of shaving cream.

"I'm still the fastest," Samuel said with a chuckle.

In other games:

* At Oakland, Gio Gonzalez (6-3) struck out four in seven innings to win his third straight decision, and the Athletics scored all of their runs with two outs in a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Jack Cust and Kevin Kouzmanoff hit back-to-back RBI singles in the first, Ryan Sweeney hit an RBI double in the second, and Mark Ellis and Cliff Pennington hit consecutive run-scoring singles in the third to chase Twins starter Nick Blackburn (6-3).

* At Toronto, Robinson Cano hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees rallied past the Blue Jays, 4-3, to avoid a three-game sweep.

* At Kansas City, Brian Bannister (6-3) won his career-high fifth straight start, Jose Guillen hit a three-run homer and the Royals beat the Detroit Tigers, 7-2.

* At Chicago, Carlos Quentin hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh inning to lead the White Sox to a 8-7 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

* At Arlington, Texas, John Jaso drove in five runs, Matt Garza (6-4) won for the first time in a month and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a weekend sweep with a 9-5 victory over the Rangers.

* At Seattle, Mike Napoli had four hits, including a two-run homer that snapped a seventh-inning tie and lifted the Los Angeles Angels over the Mariners, 9-4, for their fifth straight victory. Before the game, the Mariners placed starter Doug Fister (3-3, 2.45 ERA) on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right pitching shoulder.