Red Sox roll to 9th straight win, sweep A's

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jose Offerman and Shea Hillenbrand homered to lead the Boston Red Sox to their ninth straight win and a three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with a 5-1 victory Thursday.

Derek Lowe (5-1), two games removed from pitching a no-hitter, won his fourth straight decision after allowing one run and six hits in eight innings.

Jermaine Dye drove in the only run for the A's, who have lost seven of nine. Tim Hudson (3-4) lost for the fourth time in five decisions.

Rangers 4, White Sox 1

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Fill-in starter Joaquin Benoit pitched six innings for his first career win and Hector Ortiz homered for the first time.

Yankees 3, Devil Rays 1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Orlando Hernandez pitched one-hit ball into the eighth inning, and Derek Jeter and Jason Giambi homered.

Royals 5, Indians 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Sweeney homered twice and Joe Randa hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning as Kansas City rallied.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Giants 4, Mets 3

NEW YORK -- Barry Bonds hit career home run No. 578, Pedro Feliz hit his first since last Sept. 7 and the San Francisco Giants rallied from a three-run deficit to roll to their seventh straight win.

Marlins 1, Padres 0

MIAMI -- Three Cuban defectors helped pitch a five-hitter, including rookie Hansel Izquierdo, who went five innings for his first career victory as Florida beat San Diego.

Brewers 9, Cubs 4

CHICAGO -- Jose Hernandez hit a pair of two-run homers and Milwaukee used a six-run sixth inning to end a nine-game road losing streak at Chicago.

Phillies 3, Astros 1

PHILADELPHIA -- Randy Wolf allowed two hits in seven innings and pinch-hitter Tomas Perez hit a two-run double in the seventh to lead Philadelphia.

Braves 6, Dodgers 2

ATLANTA -- Gary Sheffield homered for the second time in three days against his former team, a three-run shot that carried Atlanta.

Expos 6, Rockies 5, 12 innings

MONTREAL -- Jose Vidro hit an RBI single off Rick White (0-4) in the 12th inning as Montreal ended its season-high six-game losing streak before the smallest Olympic Stadium crowd of the season.

-- From wire reports