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Red Sox Rally Past Yankees in Ninth

Posted on: Saturday, 18 September 2004, 06:00 CDT

After coming back against Mariano Rivera for the second time this season, the Boston Red Sox think they'll overtake the New York Yankees in the AL East. Orlando Cabrera and Johnny Damon hit RBI singles in the ninth inning Friday night in Boston's 3-2 victory that cut the Yankees' lead to 2 1/2 games.

"Without question, it was definitely a blow to their ego," pitcher Bronson Arroyo said. "We start getting a little closer, they start doubting themselves a little bit more."

Boston is 25-5 since trailing their longtime rivals by 10 1/2 games before play on Aug. 16. Boston has two more games at Yankee Stadium, highlighted by Pedro Martinez vs. Mike Mussina on Sunday, and three against New York next weekend at Fenway Park.

"If I made my pitches, I wouldn't have had a problem," Rivera said. "The guys gave me a tremendous opportunity, but I blew it.

In other American League games, it was" Anaheim 9, Texas 5; Seattle 6, Oakland 3; Baltimore 11, Minnesota 2; Detroit 11, Chicago 10 in 10 innings; Kansas City 6, Cleveland 4; and Tampa Bay 11, Toronto 4.

At New York, Rivera (4-2) took over in the ninth with a 2-1 lead, poised to earn his career high-tying 50th save.

Trot Nixon drew a leadoff walk, and pinch-runner Dave Roberts stole second as Jason Varitek struck out. Rivera hit Kevin Millar with a pitch and then Cabrera, playing in his first Red Sox-Yankees game, grounded a tying single to right.

Rivera struck out Kevin Youkilis, but Damon blooped a soft single to center field that dropped in front of Kenny Lofton, who pulled up.

Keith Foulke pitched the ninth for his 30th save, completing a four-hitter. Mike Timlin (5-4) pitched one inning.

Angels 9, Rangers 5

At Anaheim, Calif., Vladimir Guerrero homered twice, including a tiebreaking drive in the fifth off Chan Ho Park (3-6), and Troy Glaus and Jose Guillen also connected to help Anaheim close within a game of AL West-leading Oakland.

Bartolo Colon (16-11) won for the 11th time in 14 starts despite allowing first-inning homers by Hank Blalock and Mark Teixeira.

Frank Francisco allowed Guerrero's second homer of the game in the eighth. Francisco was suspended for the rest of the season - a minimum of 16 games - for throwing a chair that hit a woman and broke her nose in Monday's bullpen brawl with fans in Oakland but is pitching whole the penalty is under appeal.

Mariners 6, Athletics 3

At Seattle, Greg Dobbs' three-run, pinch-hit double started a five-run seventh, and Ichiro Suzuki broke the major league season record with his 199th single.

Suzuki went 2-for-4 and has 235 hits this season, 22 shy of the season record. Edgar Martinez got his 1,000th RBI as a designated hitter, a record at the position.

Ron Villone (6-5) threw two scoreless innings, and J.J. Putz pitched the ninth for his eighth save. Chad Bradford (5-6) was the loser.

Orioles 11, Twins 2

At Minneapolis, Rafael Palmeiro hit his 548th homer to tie Mike Schmidt for 10th on the career list, and Larry Bigbie had a career-high seven RBIs as Baltimore stopped Minnesota's longest winning streak of the season at nine. The Twins' magic number to clinch their third straight AL Central title is three.

Sidney Ponson (11-14) won for the eighth time in 10 decisions, giving up two runs and five hits in seven innings. Palmeiro's two-run homer off Terry Mulholland (5-9) put Baltimore ahead 3-2 in the sixth.

Tigers 11, White Sox 10

At Chicago, Carlos Pena homered off Shingo Takatsu (6-4) leading off the 10th.

Omar Infante led off the game with a homer and hit a two-run drive in the seventh. Craig Monroe, Bobby Higginson and Dmitri Young also homered for Detroit.

Paul Konerko had four hits, including a pair of two-run homers, and Sandy Alomar Jr. and Willie Harris added solo homers for the White Sox.

Esteban Yan (3-4) threw a tying wild pitch in the ninth, and John Ennis pitched the 10th for his first career save.

Royals 6, Indians 4

At Cleveland, Abraham Nunez hit an inside-the-park homer when Cleveland right fielder Jody Gerut hurt his right knee chasing his seventh-inning line drive. The Indian have lost 10 of 14.

Mike Wood (3-7) won for the first time since Aug. 13, and Jeremy Affeldt worked the ninth for his 11th save. Jake Westbrook (12-9) gave up four runs - three earned - and seven hits in five innings.

Devil Rays 11, Blue Jays 4

At Toronto, Aubrey Huff homered off Josh Towers (9-6) and drove in three runs, and B.J. Upton hit a three-run homer. Doug Waechter (4-7) allowed four runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings.

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