Red Sox skid hits nine games

BOSTON -- Jim Thome homered twice and Juan Gonzalez drove in three runs as the Cleveland Indians sent the Boston Red Sox to their ninth straight loss, 8-5 Tuesday.

Boston, on its longest skid since June 1994, remained a season-high 9 1/2 behind the Yankees in the AL East.

Thome's 44th homer gave Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the second against Hideo Nomo (11-7), winless in seven starts since July 26.

Bartolo Colon (12-10) allowed four runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings, and Bob Wickman got his 29th save.

BLUE JAYS 14, YANKEES 0

TORONTO -- Chris Carpenter (9-11) pitched a six-hitter for his second shutout of the season and rookie Felipe Lopez homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs. Toronto matched a season high with 17 hits, including Jose Cruz Jr.'s ninth homer against the Yankees this year.

New York lost by its largest margin since a 15-1 defeat at Boston on Sept. 1, 1990. Still, the Yankees maintained a 9 1/2-game lead over the Red Sox, their largest in the AL East since 1998.

Andy Pettitte (14-9) allowed seven runs -- six earned -- and 10 hits in three innings, his shortest outing of the season. He is 0-3 in his last four starts.

WHITE SOX 10-4, TIGERS 1-0

CHICAGO -- Sean Lowe (7-4) and four relievers combined on a four-hitter, and Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run homer as Chicago completed a doubleheader sweep.

Mark Buehrle (13-7) allowed four hits in eight innings in the opener, and Royce Clayton, Jose Valentin, Paul Konerko and Jeff Liefer hit solo homers.

RANGERS 6, TWINS 5

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Gabe Kapler hit a two-run double in the ninth off LaTroy Hawkins (1-5), who has blown eight of 36 save chances.

Mike Venafro (5-4) allowed one run and one hit over two innings, and

Minnesota dropped a season-high seven games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland.

-- From wire reports