AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Red Sox Overcome Mariners, 5-4

The Boston fans, remembering the past and seeing a run of bad fortune, are expecting the worst. They think the Red Sox will find a way to lose the American League East.

Earlier Friday, the Red Sox learned that Roger Clemens, their best pitcher, has tendinitis in his shoulder and and will miss at least his next two starts.

Then, they fell three runs behind the Seattle Mariners in the first two innings at Boston. But the Red Sox tied the game in the ninth and won, 5-4, on Carlos Quintana’s one-out, run-scoring single in the 11th.

Quintana’s sacrifice fly in the ninth brought the Red Sox even.

It was a big night for Ken Griffey Sr., recently added to the Mariners so he could end his career with his son, Ken Jr. Dad was four for five, including a home run and a run-scoring single. He is 12 for 24 since joining the Mariners.

Jeff Gray gave up two two-out singles in the top of the 11th but was the winning pitcher in the game that kept the Red Sox 5 1/2 in front of Toronto.

Clemens (20-6) has fluid in his right shoulder. He vowed to return for at least three more starts.

“I’m not going to let the guys down,” he said. “They have done too much for me.”

Toronto 3, Chicago 1--Mookie Wilson’s two-out, two-run double in the seventh inning at Toronto broke a tie and enabled the Blue Jays to keep pace with the Red Sox.

Todd Stottlemyre (13-14) gave up four hits in eight innings, and Tom Henke retired the White Sox in the ninth for his 27th save.

The White Sox, who had won three in a row, fell 7 1/2 games behind the Athletics in the West.

Oakland 7, New York 1--The Athletics are only two victories from becoming the only team to sweep a season series from the Yankees.

Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, after a couple nights off, hit home runs, and newcomer Willie McGee singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning at New York.

The Athletics won their fifth in a row and improved their record over the Yankees to 10-0. The A’s have outscored New York, 50-7.

McGwire’s home run was his 35th and Canseco hit his 36th. It was only the second home run in 25 games for Canseco.

Curt Young (8-5), starting because Mike Moore has a groin injury, gave up four hits in five innings and Todd Burns gave up only two in the last four. The Yankee run was a 461-foot home run by Jesse Barfield in the fourth inning.

Minnesota 2, Cleveland 0--Allan Anderson (7-17) held the Indians to three hits until he faltered with one out in the ninth at Cleveland. Rick Aguilera struck out Sandy Alomar and Brook Jacoby for his 28th save.

Texas 9, Kansas City 4--Charlie Hough (11-10) won for the first time since Aug. 11 and Pete Incaviglia hit two 400-foot home runs at Arlington, Tex. Bo Jackson hit his 23rd homer for the Royals.

Milwaukee 6, Detroit 5--Robin Yount hit a three-run home run to climax a four-run first inning at Milwaukee.

Teddy Higuera had a two-hit shutout until the sixth inning when Cecil Fielder hit a 445-foot home run to center. It was his 45th of the season.