The New York Yankees wasted Kevin Brown's best start of the season with another anemic offensive effort.

Brown gave up only RBI singles to Vladimir Guerrero and Darin Erstad Thursday night, but that was enough to keep him winless in eight months. John Lackey and four relievers shut down the Yankees in the Los Angeles Angels' 3-1 victory.

"A couple of groundballs really beat me," Brown said. "I'm going to keep working and find a way to be a little bit better."

After opening the season on the disabled list with a bothersome back, Brown (0-3) gave up 11 runs and 20 hits in 12 innings in his first two starts. On Thursday, he had better command of his pitches and allowed three runs and eight hits in seven, retiring his final 11 batters. He hasn't won since Aug. 28, a span of six starts.

"I wouldn't say my stuff was any better," Brown said. "I wouldn't say I was much sharper or had that much more movement."

At Arlington, Texas, Ichiro Suzuki provided the power when it looked as if Gil Meche's sharp outing was going to go unrewarded.

Suzuki went to the plate intending to hit a homer - and he did just that, helping Meche and the Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 4-1.

"If I don't try to hit a home run, I don't think I can hit a ball that far," Suzuki said through a translator. "I was thinking about that. It was in the zone I was looking for."

Suzuki, known more for singles than homers, hit a 1-1 pitch off Chris Young (2-2) about 375 feet for his second blast of the season.

"He seems to be able to dial up whatever the team needs at will," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said.

Take out Alex Rodriguez's 10 RBI Tuesday night and solo homer Wednesday, and the Yankees' lineup scored just three runs in the series. New York's star-studded lineup has scored two runs or fewer in a game seven times this season - twice against the Angels.

"We couldn't come up with the big hit," Derek Jeter said. "We have spurts where we swing the bats well, just have not done it consistently."

Lackey (2-1) lasted only 5

innings because he threw 111 pitches, but was effective. He gave up only Hideki Matsui's RBI double, then turned it over to Los Angeles' outstanding bullpen.

Meche (2-1) pitched 7

innings and allowed just four hits, three for extra bases. He struck out three and walked one for Seattle.

Hank Blalock led off the Texas fourth with his fourth homer, but Meche then retired nine of the next 10 batters in an impressive duel with Young, who pitched eight innings in the longest outing of his 12 career starts and allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts.

At Kansas City, Mo., Lew Ford singled home the tiebreaking run off Mike Wood (0-2) in the 11th inning, and the Royals completed their first 0-6 homestand.Jesse Crain (1-0) allowed one hit in two innings.

At Toronto, Gregg Zaun hit a three-run homer off Casey Fossum in a five-run sixth as the Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep.Josh Towers (2-1) gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings, and Miguel Batista got an out for his sixth save.Doug Waechter (0-1) gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings.

At Cleveland, Mike Maroth (2-1) tied a career high with eight strikeouts in six innings, leading Detroit to its fourth straight win.He gave up solo homers to Casey Blake and Jhonny Peralta in the fifth inning, but allowed just four hits overall. Troy Percival worked the ninth for his second save.The Tigers scored three runs in the first off Kevin Millwood (0-3).

On a day the Milwaukee Brewers were originally scheduled to have off, Chris Capuano sure looked ready to work.The left-hander pitched into the seventh inning and also doubled and scored, helping Milwaukee beat St. Louis avoid a three-game sweep.Capuano (1-2) gave up two runs on five hits in 6innings in his first victory since Aug. 8 at Florida. His double leading off the third was only the second hit in 39 at-bats by Brewers pitchers this season.