Clemens wins 15th straight

TORONTO -- Roger Clemens set a Yankees record with his 15th straight victory, leading New York over the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 Wednesday night.

Clemens (19-1) also became just the second player in major league history to win 19 of his first 20 decisions. Rube Marquard of the New York Giants did it in 1912.

Clemens, the AL's first 19-game winner, passed Jack Chesbro and Whitey Ford for the longest winning streak in Yankee history. Chesbro won 14 straight in 1904, and Ford won 14 in 1961.

The 39-year-old right-hander, who hasn't lost since May 20 at Seattle -- a span of 19 starts -- took a five-hit shutout into the eighth before Alex Gonzalez hit a two-run homer.

Clemens struck out five and walked four. Mariano Rivera got five outs for his 44th save.

David Justice homered off Kelvim Escobar (6-6) and drove in three runs for the Yankees.

RED SOX 10, INDIANS 7

BOSTON -- Trot Nixon went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer, four RBIs and four runs scored as Boston ended its nine-game losing streak.

The skid was the longest for Boston since dropping 11 straight in June 1994 under manager Butch Hobson.

Rolando Arrojo (4-3) pitched 2 2-3 innings of hitless relief for the victory. Ugueth Urbina struck out all three batters in the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.

Boston scored four runs before starter Indians starter Steve Woodard (3-3) retired his first batter.

ATHLETICS 12, ORIOLES 6

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jason Giambi hit his 33rd homer off Calvin Maduro (3-5) to extend his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games as Oakland routed Baltimore for its fourth straight win.

Terrence Long added a solo home run and an RBI single, and Cory Lidle (10-6) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings to win for the sixth time in seven decisions.

Oakland, which has a 9 1/2-game lead in the AL wild card race, has won 10 of 11. Jermaine Dye also homered for the A's.

TWINS 12, RANGERS 2

ARLINGTON, Texas -- David Ortiz homered twice, and Cristian Guzman got four of Minnesota's 20 hits as the Twins trounced Texas.

Guzman homered and tripled, Ortiz drove in three runs and Jacque Jones also homered as the Twins tied their season high for hits.

Joe Mays (14-13) gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings. He had lost six of his previous seven decisions.

Aaron Myette (3-3) took the loss.

WHITE SOX 5, TIGERS 3

CHICAGO -- Catcher Mark Johnson threw out two baserunners and hit an RBI double to lead Chicago over Detroit.

Chicago's 13th win in its last 14 meetings with Detroit pulled the third-place White Sox within seven games of Cleveland in the AL Central.

-- From wire reports