Alomar’s Base Hit Knocks Off Blue Jays

American League

Roberto Alomar singled home the tie-breaking run in the seventh inning Sunday as the Baltimore Orioles maintained their lead in the wild-card race with a 5-4 win over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.

Scott Erickson won his fifth straight decision as the Orioles stayed on course to make the playoffs for the first time since 1983.

Erickson (13-11) allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings, improving to 5-0 since Aug. 25.

With the score 4-4, Pete Incaviglia hit a pinch-single off Huck Flener (2-2) with one out in the Baltimore seventh. Pinch-hitter Chris Hoiles walked and Brady Anderson struck out before Alomar lined a single.

Rangers 4, Angels 1 Anaheim, Calif.

Texas, having watched its American League West lead quickly shrink, won its second straight over California.

Ken Hill pitched an eight-hitter and Juan Gonzalez hit his club-record 47th homer for the Rangers.

California has lost 12 of its last 15.

Hill (16-10) followed a strong outing by John Burkett on Saturday with his seventh complete game.

Gonzalez and Dean Palmer each hit solo homers in the fourth inning off Angels rookie Jason Dickson (1-4).

Indians 6, Royals 5 Cleveland

Kenny Lofton had three hits and scored two runs, and Cleveland scored three times in an error-filled seventh when Kansas City threw the ball around.

Jack McDowell (13-9) won his third straight start, but he was not sharp. He gave up five runs and seven hits in seven innings, walking three and striking out five. Jose Mesa worked the ninth for his 36th save.

Jose Offerman had three hits, scored three runs and stole two bases for the Royals.

Yankees 4, Red Sox 3 New York

Paul O’Neill hit a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the seventh inning, and New York overcame more rain and Boston, rallying for a win that cut their magic number to four.

The Yankees and Red Sox were supposed to play a day-night doubleheader, but a forecast of heavy rain caused the second game to be postponed before the first game even started.

Mariano Rivera (8-3) pitched two innings for the victory, and John Wetteland worked the ninth for his 42nd save.

The teams will complete their four-game series with a make-up game tonight, with Boston’s Roger Clemens pitching against Yankees ace Andy Pettitte.

White Sox 5, Twins 1 Chicago

Robin Ventura hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the sixth inning and Alex Fernandez pitched a five-hitter in Chicago’s win over Minnesota.

The White Sox, who trail Baltimore by three games in the wild-card race, have only five games left this season.

Fernandez (15-10) walked none and struck out seven for his sixth complete game. The only run he allowed was Chuck Knoblauch’s windaided two-out homer in the top of the sixth.

Fernandez is 6-0 with a 0.88 ERA in his last seven starts against Minnesota at Comiskey Park.

Tigers 7, Brewers 5 Milwaukee

Detroit rallied to beat Milwaukee, scoring four runs in the ninth inning against Brewers closer Mike Fetters.

Fetters, seeking his 31st save, entered the game with a 5-3 lead to start the ninth. After a leadoff walk, he gave up four consecutive singles, including RBI hits by pinch-hitter Ruben Sierra, Travis Fryman and Bobby Higginson. Phil Nevin added a sacrifice fly.

With the rally, manager Buddy Bell’s Tigers (53-103) avoided tying the club record for losses in a season. The 1952 club went 50-104 under managers Red Rolfe and Fred Hutchinson.

Clearing the bases

Minnesota’s Paul Molitor hit his 542nd career double, tying Harry Heilmann for 14th place on the all-time list. … Only two third basemen in A.L. history have hit more home runs in a season than Dean Palmer of Texas - Minnesota’s Harmon Killebrew and Cleveland’s Al Rosen. Current Indians third-sacker Jim Thome, like Palmer, has 37 homers.