By The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Emil Brown hit a two-run homer and the Kansas City Royals beat Randy Johnson for the first time in 12 years, handing the New York Yankees their fourth straight loss with a 3-1 victory Wednesday night.

D. J. Carrasco (1-1) threw six shutout innings for his first major league win as a starter and Buddy Bell improved to 2-0 as Royals manager, with both wins coming against the Yankees. The Royals had not won a series against the Yankees since Aug. 11-13, 2003.

Johnson (5-4), who has 251 major league wins, had been 9-0 with one save and a 3.03 ERA in 14 games – all wins by his teams – since he last lost to the Royals on May 21, 1993.

His lifetime record against the Royals dropped to 12-7 as the Yankees lost their second straight to the worst team in the majors, and their fourth in a row for the third time this year.

Carrasco was replaced starting the seventh by rookie Steve Stemle, who pitched two shutout innings.

Mike MacDougal allowed Bernie Williams’ homer and Robinson Cano’s double in the ninth before striking out Derek Jeter to record his fourth save in six opportunities.

It’s the first time the Royals have won three in a row against the Yankees since Aug. 18-19 and Sept. 7, 1999. On Thursday night, Bell’s seemingly re-energized team will go for its first home sweep of New York in 15 years.

Astros 4, Reds 1

HOUSTON – Roy Oswalt took the major league lead for victories against a team without a defeat, improving to 14-0 against the Cincinnati Reds by leading the Houston Astros to a 4-1 victory Wednesday night.

Oswalt (6-6) had lost four of his last five decisions but he was masterful against the Reds. He was tied for the lead in victories against one team without a loss with Pedro Martinez of the New York Mets, who has a 13-0 record against Seattle. Randy Johnson of the New York Yankees is 12-0 against the Cubs.

Lance Berkman put the Astros ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning with a homer off Ramon Ortiz (1-4).

Pirates 9, Marlins 1

PITTSBURGH – Rob Mackowiak hit his second career grand slam and drove in five runs and the Pirates won their ninth in a row against the Marlins in Pittsburgh, roughing up Florida starter Brian Moehler in a 9-1 victory.

Florida dropped its seventh in eight games overall and extended its longest losing streak in an opposing NL city since losing nine in a row in Philadelphia in 2000-01.

Jack Wilson went 4-for-4 and scored twice and his aggressive base running led to the final run against Moehler (2-3), who came into the game with a 1.97 ERA – the fourth lowest in the NL – before giving up five runs and 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Phillies 10, Giants 6

PHILADELPHIA – Pinch-hitter Chase Utley’s two-out grand slam in the eighth inning to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the slumping San Francisco Giants 10-6 on Wednesday night.

Jimmy Rollins had four hits, Bobby Abreu and Mike Lieberthal had three apiece and the Phillies finished with a season-high 19.

Angels 10, White Sox 7

CHICAGO – Dallas McPherson hit a go-ahead RBI double in a four-run seventh inning Wednesday night, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Chicago White Sox 10-7 to avoid a three-game sweep.

McPherson also homered for the Angels, who rebounded from tough ninth-inning losses Monday and Tuesday.

Braves 5, Nationals 4

WASHINGTON – Late lineup addition Wilson Betemit hit a tying two-run homer and Marcus Giles capped an eighth-inning rally with an RBI single, lifting the Atlanta Braves past the Washington Nationals 5-4.

The Nationals led 4-2 heading into the eighth, but they paid for having to juggle their usual late-inning relief corps after using closer Chad Cordero on each of the previous four days.

Tigers 6, Rangers 4

DETROIT – The hottest team in baseball got cooled off by the Detroit Tigers.

Brandon Inge’s tiebreaking, two-run single in a five-run seventh inning lifted Detroit to a 6-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.

Twins 6, Indians 2

MINNEAPOLIS – Torii Hunter had a career-high five hits and matched his career-best with six RBIs to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 6-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Hunter put the Twins ahead 4-2 in the third inning with a grand slam to left off Cliff Lee, the fourth of his career. Hunter just missed a home run in his next at-bat when he doubled high off the wall in right field.

Mets 2, Diamondbacks 1

NEW YORK – Victor Zambrano took a shutout into the ninth inning, and Jose Reyes’ speed sent the New York Mets to a 2-1 victory Wednesday night over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mike Piazza had an RBI double and Carlos Beltran drove in the first run with a groundout, helping the Mets (27-26) bounce back from consecutive defeats. Reyes got three hits, stole three bases and created a run with his legs.

Brandon Webb (6-2) took the loss despite allowing just one run in seven innings. He has lost two outings in a row following a 6-0 start.

Zambrano (3-5) gave up five hits, walked three and struck out five in perhaps his best outing since joining the Mets last July.

Acquired from Tampa Bay in a heavily criticized trade that cost New York top pitching prospect Scott Kazmir, Zambrano did not last longer than six innings in any of his first nine starts this year.

The right-hander was lifted after Troy Glaus’ leadoff single in the ninth, and Braden Looper allowed an RBI single to Shawn Green.

But Looper got Chad Tracy to ground into a double play, then struck out pinch-hitter Matt Kata with two on for his 12th save in 14 chances, his 11th in a row.

Reyes led off the first inning by faking a bunt and slapping a grounder past a drawn-in Glaus at third base. Royce Clayton fielded the ball deep in the hole at shortstop but had no play.

Reyes stole second before Miguel Cairo hit a grounder wide of third. Reyes waited for Glaus to throw across the infield, then dashed to third with a headfirst dive.

Beltran’s grounder to shortstop scored Reyes easily.

The score stayed 1-0 until Cliff Floyd opened the eighth with a double off Lance Cormier and scored on Piazza’s bloop double down the right-field line.

Notes: Arizona CF Jose Cruz Jr. made a diving catch to rob Floyd of a hit in the first. … Reyes has 14 steals. He also swiped three bases last Oct. 3 against Montreal. … Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon threw out the first pitch. … Cairo left in the seventh with tightness in his left hamstring. … Mets RF Mike Cameron robbed Luis Gonzalez of extra bases with a leaping catch at the right-field fence to end the third.

AP-ES-06-01-05 2138EDT