Minnesota Twins lefthander Johan Santana was a unanimous selection of the Baseball Writers' Association of America as the American League Cy Young Award winner.

Santana, 25, received all 28 first-place votes cast by two writers from each AL city for a perfect score of 140 points, based on a 5-3-1 tabulation system. The only other pitcher named to every ballot was Boston Red Sox righthander Curt Schilling, who was second on 27 ballots and third on one for 82 points.

Santana, the first native of Venezuela honored, led the league in ERA (2.61), strikeouts (265) and lowest opponents' batting average (.192) while compiling a 20-6 record. He had a major-league-high 13-game winning streak from July 17 through Sept. 24. Santana was the AL Pitcher of the Month for July, August and September and over that period was 14-2 with a 1.39 ERA in 129 1/3 innings.

Schilling, 38 later this week, led the majors in victories with a 21-6 record and had a 3.26 ERA. New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera (4-2, 1.94 ERA), who led the majors in saves with 53, finished third with 27 points. In all, six pitchers received votes.

It was the seventh unanimous election in AL voting, including two each for Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez. There have been 11 unanimous choices in National League balloting, including three for Sandy Koufax and two for Greg Maddux. Santana became the third Twins pitcher honored, joining Jim Perry (1970) and Frank Viola (1988).

Schilling ran second for the third time, equaling the most runner-up finishes in Cy Young balloting of Warren Spahn and Randy Johnson. Schilling was also second in the NL in 2001 and '02 to Johnson, then his Arizona teammate. Spahn, the 1957 winner for the Milwaukee Braves, was second in 1958, '60 and '61 when only one award was given annually. Johnson, a five-time winner, was second in the AL with Seattle in 1993 and '97 and in this year's NL election, which was announced Tuesday.

The vote:

Previous winners (*—Unanimous):
2003 ROY HALLADAY, Toronto Blue Jays; 2002 BARRY ZITO, Oakland Athletics; 2001 ROGER CLEMENS, New York Yankees; 2000 *PEDRO MARTINEZ, Boston Red Sox; 1999 *PEDRO MARTINEZ, Boston Red Sox; 1998 *ROGER CLEMENS, Toronto Blue Jays; 1997 ROGER CLEMENS, Toronto Blue Jays; 1996 PAT HENTGEN, Toronto Blue Jays; 1995 RANDY JOHNSON, Seattle Mariners; 1994 DAVID CONE, Kansas City Royals; 1993 JACK McDOWELL, Chicago White Sox; 1992 DENNIS ECKERSLEY, Oakland Athletics; 1991 ROGER CLEMENS, Boston Red Sox; 1990 BOB WELCH, Oakland Athletics; 1989 BRET SABERHAGEN, Kansas City Royals; 1988 FRANK VIOLA, Minnesota Twins; 1987 ROGER CLEMENS, Boston Red Sox; 1986 *ROGER CLEMENS, Boston Red Sox; 1985 BRET SABERHAGEN, Kansas City Royals; 1984 GUILLERMO (WILLIE) HERNANDEZ, Detroit Tigers; 1983 LaMARR HOYT, Chicago White Sox; 1982 PETE VUCKOVICH, Milwaukee Brewers; 1981 ROLLIE FINGERS, Milwaukee Brewers; 1980 STEVE STONE, Baltimore Orioles; 1979 MIKE FLANAGAN, Baltimore Orioles; 1978 *RON GUIDRY, New York Yankees; 1977 SPARKY LYLE, New York Yankees; 1976 JIM PALMER, Baltimore Orioles; 1975 JIM PALMER, Baltimore Orioles; 1974 JIM (CATFISH) HUNTER, Oakland Athletics; 1973 JIM PALMER, Baltimore Orioles; 1972 GAYLORD PERRY, Cleveland Indians; 1971 VIDA BLUE, Oakland Athletics; 1970 JIM PERRY, Minnesota Twins; 1969 (Tie) MIKE CUELLAR, Baltimore Orioles, and DENNY McLAIN, Detroit Tigers; 1968 *DENNY McLAIN, Detroit Tigers; 1967 JIM LONBORG, Boston Red Sox; 1964 DEAN CHANCE, Los Angeles Angels; 1961 WHITEY FORD, New York Yankees; 1959 EARLY WYNN, Chicago White Sox; 1958 BOB TURLEY, New York Yankees

Note: One award given from 1956-66; NL pitchers won in 1956-57, '60, '62-63 and '65-66.