AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Boston Beats Toronto, Takes East Lead, 10-8

The Boston Red Sox ended Toronto’s 15-game winning streak at Fenway Park, beating the Blue Jays, 10-8, Monday night behind Jody Reed’s tie-breaking home run. The Red Sox moved into the American League East lead, one-half game ahead of the Blue Jays.

“Breaking the losing streak is nice,” Reed said. “It gets the monkey off our backs.”

Boston shelled Dave Stieb for six runs in the first inning, but John Olerud’s two-run homer lifted Toronto into a 7-7 tie in the third. Reed hit a solo home run in the sixth and the Red Sox scored twice in the seventh.

The Red Sox beat Toronto at home for the first time since Aug. 10, 1987. The Blue Jays fell three games shy of the major league record of 18 consecutive victories on an opponent’s home field.

Dennis Lamp (1-2), who relieved Dana Kiecker in the second, was the winner.

Jeff Reardon, making his first appearance in 10 days because of back problems, pitched the ninth for his 11th save. He gave up a solo home run to Kelly Gruber, his 19th, with two out.

Stieb threw 36 pitches without retiring a batter. His 10-2 record and five-game winning streak stayed intact as Willie Blair (0-5) took the loss.

Oakland 4, Detroit 3--Bob Welch reached a career high by winning his ninth consecutive decision and Rickey Henderson homered, tripled and stole two bases as the Athletics ended a three-game losing streak by beating the Tigers at Oakland.

Welch (12-2) became the top winner in the major leagues. He gave up five hits in eight innings, struck out four and walked four. Dennis Eckersley pitched the ninth for his 23rd save.

Detroit has lost five of six. Welch beat Dan Petry (5-5) for the second time in six days.

Henderson’s two steals gave him 36 this season and 907 for his career.

Minnesota 9, Texas 1--Scott Erickson, just called up from double A, gave up four hits over six innings in his major league debut and Kirby Puckett hit a three-run homer as the Twins routed the Rangers at Minneapolis.

Puckett has 10 home runs, one more than last season. He averaged 28 from 1986-88.

Erickson, 8-3 with a 3.03 earned-run average at Orlando, became the first starter to go directly from double A to the Twins since Brad Havens in 1982. Minnesota needed the 22-year-old right-hander to bolster a pitching staff that had a 4.36 ERA.

Erickson struck out four and walked two before being relieved by John Candelaria, who pitched three scoreless innings for his third save.

Cleveland 10, Milwaukee 5--Brook Jacoby homered and drove in five runs as the Indians won at Milwaukee.

Jacoby hit his ninth homer, a two-run shot in the fourth, had a run-scoring single in the sixth and hit a two-run single in the seventh. Tom Candiotti (8-3) overcame two home runs by Rob Deer.