Yanks walk past Red Sox to open four-game lead

NEW YORK -- Jason Giambi led off the bottom of the ninth inning with an excuse-me single, right fielder Trot Nixon's error let the tying run score and Jorge Posada drew a bases-loaded walk Sunday that gave the New York Yankees a 9-8 win over the Red Sox.

Yankees starter Jeff Weaver tied a team record by giving up five home runs -- two each to Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez -- as the Red Sox rallied to take an 8-7 lead.

But Giambi began the ninth with a check-swing single toward third base against an overshifted defense. Pinch-runner Enrique Wilson then scored when Bernie Williams' ground single rolled right through Nixon.

Williams went all the way to third, and Robin Ventura and Raul Mondesi were walked intentionally to load the bases. Boston manager Grady Little played a five-man infield, but it didn't matter as Ugueth Urbina (0-5) walked Posada on a 3-2 pitch.

After Pedro Martinez won 4-2 in the series opener, the Red Sox lost a pair of 9-8 decisions. Had it won both games, Boston would've moved into first place in the AL East, percentage points ahead of New York. Instead, the Yankees have a season-high four-game lead.

Royals 13, Indians 12

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Raul Ibanez hit a tying, two-run homer in the ninth inning, then was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 10th to give Kansas City a wild victory over Cleveland.

Ibanez drove in five runs, giving him 33 RBIs in 22 games. After a two-run triple and his homer, he was plunked with two outs by Heath Murray (0-2) to end it.

Devil Rays 7, Blue Jays 5

TORONTO -- Jorge Sosa earned his first major league victory and stopped Tampa Bay's 13-game road losing streak.

Tampa Bay's road skid was the longest since Philadelphia dropped 14 in a row on the road in 1997.

White Sox 8, Orioles 7

BALTIMORE -- The Chicago White Sox took advantage of three ninth-inning errors, including two by Chris Singleton, to score two unearned runs and beat Baltimore.

The White Sox got homers from Ray Durham, Jose Valentin and Tony Graffanino, but the decisive runs came courtesy of Baltimore miscues in the ninth.

Angels 7, Mariners 5

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jarrod Washburn won his 12th consecutive decision and Garret Anderson drove in the go-ahead run with his second double as Anaheim completed a three-game sweep of Seattle.

The Angels swept the AL West-leading Mariners for the first time since June 16-18, 1998, at Edison Field. Anaheim moved within a game of first-place Seattle.

Twins 4, Tigers 2

DETROIT -- David Ortiz homered for the fourth time in three games and tMinnesota completed a three-game sweep at Comerica Park.

The AL Central-leading Twins won their fifth in a row. Detroit lost its sixth straight game.

Rangers 7, Athletics 3

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Ivan Rodriguez drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded single in the 12th inning as Texas snapped an eight-game losing streak.

Gabe Kapler had a two-run single and Alex Rodriguez hit an RBI triple in a five-run burst in the 12th as the Rangers escaped the Coliseum with just their second victory since the All-Star break.

Braves 2, Phillies 1

PHILADELPHIA -- Kevin Millwood pitched eight strong innings, Gary Sheffield homered and Atlanta completed a three-game sweep over Philadelphia.

Millwood (9-6) didn't allow a hit the sixth inning.

The NL East-leading Braves have won five straight games and 23 of 29.

Reds 9, Mets 1

CINCINNATI -- Barry Larkin and Brandon Larson hit solo homers, and Kelly Stinnett drove in three runs as Cincinnati salvaged the final game of a three-game series.

The Mets had scored 76 runs in the past 11 games, winning eight of them, to move into a tie with Cincinnati for third place in the NL wild card race.

Cubs 3, Astros 2

CHICAGO -- Mark Bellhorn and Fred McGriff homered, and Alex Gonzalez drove in the go-ahead run with a double against Tim Redding (3-6) as Chicago beat Houston.

The Cubs are 8-4 since Bruce Kimm took over as interim manager.

Lance Berkman hit his NL-leading 30th homer for Houston.

Rockies 6, Brewers 4

DENVER -- Larry Walker homered and scored twice and Brent Butler added a solo homer as Colorado completed a three-game sweep of Milwaukee.

Walker went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a walk to raise his NL-leading batting average to .358.

Jose Jimenez pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 29 opportunities.

Marlins 4, Expos 0

MIAMI -- Josh Beckett had a career-high 12 strikeouts in six innings as Florida completed a three-game sweep of slumping Montreal.

The Expos have lost eight of 11 since the break and have been shut out the last two games.

Padres 11, D-backs 9

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego finally got to Randy Johnson, getting a three-run double from Phil Nevin, a two-run double from pitcher Jake Peavy and eight runs against the four-time Cy Young winner.

Johnson (13-4) had been 8-0 against the Padres.

Giants 6, Dodgers 4

LOS ANGELES -- Tom Goodwin burned his former teammates for the second time in three games, hitting a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give San Francisco a victory over Los Angeles.

Goodwin, whose two-out RBI single gave the Giants a 3-2, 12-inning victory Friday night, hit the first pitch from Giovanni Carrara (5-3) over the right-field wall.

-- From wire reports