Indians Keep Rolling, Trip Sliding Red Sox

American League

When the Red Sox left Boston on a five-game winning streak 10 days ago, they seemed certain to clinch the American League East on the road.

Red Sox fans were expecting them to return to Boston as champions.

They’ll still be waiting to see a champion Monday, when the Red Sox start a three-game series at home with the Milwaukee Brewers.

With another loss to the Indians Saturday, the Red Sox cannot clinch on this trip, on which they are 2-7. Their magic number remains four.

“There are still 14 ballgames left and the magic number is down to four,” Mike Greenwell said after a 6-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field. “We’re going to win this division.”

Greenwell sounds convincing. But the Red Sox aren’t doing much convincing on the field.

They appeared to climb out of their funk Friday, when they came away with a late-inning, 6-3 victory. That was the game, it seemed, that would put the season back in focus.

Saturday, they were back where the trip started - sloppy defense, mediocre pitching, sporadic hitting.

The Red Sox scored four runs in the third off Mark Clark (9-6, 5.34) and got one in the eighth on a single by Vaughn. But in the ninth, Jose Mesa retired them in order for his franchise-record 44th save.

Mesa is 44 of 46 in save opportunities.

Royals 7, Angels 6

Anaheim, Calif.

Keith Lockhart’s three-run homer keyed a six-run first inning as Kansas City beat California to cut the Angels’ lead in the A.L. West to three games.

Lockhart’s fifth homer gave the Royals a 5-0 lead and they held on to win for the fourth time in five games to remain two games behind Seattle in the A.L. wild card race.

Rangers 7, Tigers 3

Detroit

Texas collected 17 hits, including three apiece by Will Clark, Juan Gonzalez and Otis Nixon, and left-hander Kenny Rogers gained his 14th victory in a win against Detroit.

Rogers (14-7) faced the minimum 15 batters through the first five innings. Chad Curtis led off the fourth with a single, but was erased attempting to steal.

Danny Bautista led off the sixth with his fifth homer, spoiling the shutout bid of Rogers, who allowed six hits and struck out nine while walking none in eight-plus innings.

Blue Jays 5, Brewers 4, (11)

Toronto

Lance Parrish singled over Milwaukee’s drawn-in outfield in the 11th inning and Toronto ended a seven-game losing streak.

The Blue Jays stopped another streak of seven straight losses in extra-inning games.

Milwaukee, which began the day 5-1/2 games behind Seattle in the wild-card race, has won only four of its last 18.

Giovanni Cararra (2-4) pitched three innings of scoreless relief for the victory. Bill Wegman (5-7) was the loser.

Athletics 6, Twins 1

Oakland, Calif.

Mark McGwire hit a three-run homer and John Wasdin won his first major-league start as Oakland beat Minnesota.

Wasdin (1-0) went six innings, giving up four hits and one run with no walks and one strikeout. The Twins lost their fourth in a row.

Wasdin, who pitched most of this season with Triple-A Edmonton, had pitched twice in relief for the A’s. McGwire’s 32nd homer capped a five-run third against Brad Radke (10-13).

Yankees 6, Orioles 5

Baltimore

Mike Stanley’s two-run double in the fifth keyed a five-run inning as New York defeated Baltimore in a six-inning rain-shortened game.

New York’s Bernie Williams went 3 for 3, including a solo home run that gave the Yankees their eventual winning run. He has now reached base eight straight times.

Clearing the bases

Boston’s Jose Canseco went 0 for 3, ending his career-high 17-game hitting streak… . Cleveland’s Eddie Murray played in his 2,808th game, tying him with Frank Robinson for 14th place on the career list.