Yanks rally, hand Red Sox seventh consecutive loss

BOSTON -- Bernie Williams hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning to give Orlando Hernandez his first victory in nearly a year as the New York Yankees rallied for a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

The Red Sox lost their seventh straight game, their worst skid since late in the 1997 season, and dropped eight games behind New York in the AL East.

Pedro Martinez pitched six shutout innings for the Red Sox. But for the second straight day, Boston's bullpen failed to hold a late lead.

The Red Sox stayed seven games behind Oakland in the wild card race.

Trot Nixon's leadoff homer in the first gave Boston a 1-0 lead, but Hernandez (1-6) allowed just three hits after that over eight innings.

Hernandez, in his third start since spending nearly three months on the disabled list with an injured toe that required surgery, won for the first time in nine decisions. His previous victory came Sept. 16.

Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 43rd save in 49 chances.

Ugueth Urbina (0-1) gave up Chuck Knoblauch's tying single in the eighth and Williams' homer in the ninth.

DEVIL RAYS 8, ATHLETICS 6

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Oakland's eight-game road winning streak ended when Jason Tyner hit an RBI double during a three-run rally in the eighth inning that sent the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the Athletics.

The Athletics' lead in the AL wild card race stayed at seven games over Boston.

Oakland, which had won six straight overall, was trying to win nine straight road games for the first time since 1988.

Bobby Seay (1-1) worked a scoreless eighth for his first major league win. Esteban Yan got the final three outs for his 17th save.

Jeff Tam (2-4) took the loss.

MARINERS 6, ORIOLES 4

BALTIMORE -- Ichiro Suzuki lined a bases-loaded single off reliever B.J. Ryan's leg that capped a four-run rally in the sixth inning, and the Seattle Mariners kept their record road streak intact by beating the Baltimore Orioles.

Seattle has not lost in 27 straight road series in the regular season since August 2000.

In their only trip to Camden Yards this season, the Mariners lost 3-0 Friday night in the opener of a three-game set. They need to win Sunday to extend their string.

BLUE JAYS 3, TIGERS 1

TORONTO -- Rookie Brandon Lyon won his third straight start and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers.

Lyon (4-2) allowed one run on four hits in seven innings. The 22-year-old right-hander was called up from the minors on Aug. 3.

Lyon and Dan Plesac combined on a four-hitter. Plesac pitched two innings for his first save since 1999 while with Arizona.

INDIANS 4, WHITE SOX 3

CHICAGO -- Roberto Alomar drove in two runs, and Ryan Drese won his first major league start Saturday as Cleveland beat Chicago.

Drese (1-0), called up from Triple-A Buffalo earlier in the day, allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings. Juan Gonzalez and Ellis Burks added RBIs for the Indians, who've won 13 of 19 games.

Jose Valentin hit a two-run double and Royce Clayton continued his offensive surge with three hits. But Valentin also had two errors, and the White Sox stranded seven as they dropped 8 1/2 games back in the AL Central.

ANGELS 11, TWINS 9

MINNEAPOLIS -- Troy Glaus hit a two-run homer to get Anaheim started in the first inning then hit an RBI double in the ninth.

The Angels, who scored two runs in their previous 20 innings, scored in each of the first five innings to take an 8-3 lead and had a season-high 18 hits. But Minnesota rallied to take a 9-8 lead in the seventh.

-- From wire reports