NEW YORK – Willie Randolph should be able to rest easy, at least for one night.

Oliver Perez pitched seven stellar innings and the New York Mets beat the Texas Rangers 7-1 on Friday night, giving their embattled manager a win and momentarily easing the tension in a clubhouse desperate for something good to happen. Perez also drove in two runs for the Mets, who played small ball to perfection in manufacturing all of their runs.

Blue Jays 3, Cubs 2

TORONTO – Scott Rolen and Matt Stairs hit back-to-back home runs, A.J. Burnett won for the first time in four starts and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cubs 3-2 on Friday night, snapping Chicago’s four-game winning streak.

The Cubs lost a series-opening game for the first time since May 5 at Cincinnati. Chicago had won its past 10 series-opening games.

Tigers 5, Dodgers 0

DETROIT – Armando Galarraga and Freddy Dolsi combined for a three-hitter and Marcus Thames and Magglio Ordonez homered to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 5-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.

Galarraga (6-2) allowed three hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out five. Dolsi retired six straight in the eighth and ninth for his second save in as many chances.

Rays 7, Marlins 3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Eric Hinske and Dioner Navarro drove in two runs apiece Friday night, leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a 7-3 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Orioles 9, Pirates 6

BALTIMORE – Luke Scott homered, Melvin Mora had three hits and a key RBI, and the Baltimore Orioles rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-6 on Friday night.

Pittsburgh got a three-run homer from Jason Michaels in building a 6-1 lead in the third inning against Brian Burres (5-5).

Twins 10, Brewers 2

MILWAUKEE – Kevin Slowey pitched eight effective innings and hit a two-run single for his first career RBIs, leading the Minnesota Twins over the Milwaukee Brewers 10-2 on Friday night.

Justin Morneau and Alexi Casilla had three RBIs apiece for the Twins, who are trying to salvage the final series of a miserable road trip.

Yankees 2, Astros 1

HOUSTON – Derek Jeter hit a solo homer in the eighth inning off Doug Brocail and Joba Chamberlain pitched six strong innings in his first career road start to lead the New York Yankees to a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.

Alex Rodriguez added an RBI single for the Yankees, who were playing their first regular-season game at Minute Maid Park.

Chamberlain allowed six hits with two strikeouts in his third career start.

, keeping the Yankees in the game as the offense struggled against Astros starter Shawn Chacon. Chacon, who played for the Yankees in 2005 and ’06, gave up three hits and struck out two in 6 1-3 innings.