AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : It’s Early, but Red Sox Beat A’s

Swept by Oakland in the 1988 and 1990 American League playoffs, the Boston Red Sox refused to gloat Saturday after beating the slumping Athletics a third time in a row and for the fifth time in six meetings this year.

“They’re still the defending champs in our league, and I still consider them the favorite to win this year,” second baseman Jody Reed said after the Red Sox extended Oakland’s skid on the road with a 9-5 victory.

“It’s nice to show them that you can beat them, but that’s about all it means,” Mike Greenwell said. “Sure, it would be nice to sweep them, but I don’t think it would be that big of a deal because it’s so early in the season.”

After two one-run victories, the Red Sox jumped on rookie Joe Slusarski (2-4) and Todd Burns for an early 6-0 lead and went on to hand the A’s a sixth loss in seven games and seventh in nine on the current trip.

Carlos Quintana drove in three runs, two with a double in a five-run third inning, as the Red Sox remained in a virtual tie with Toronto for the East lead.

Greg Harris (3-7) gave up three runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings in beating Oakland for the second time this month.

Harris, who has never pitched a complete game victory in 87 major league starts, was replaced by Dennis Lamp in the seventh inning. Jeff Gray finished.

“You should be able to win with what you have out there,” Oakland Manager Tony La Russa said when asked about the team’s many injuries this year. “You have to do the basics, and that’s hit the ball and catch the ball. We lost two tough games here, but today they did more than we did.”

Minnesota 4, New York 3--Kevin Tapani shut out the Yankees at New York for seven innings as Minnesota won for the 19th time in 20 games.

Tapani (5-6) gave up two runs and eight hits in 8 2/3 innings before Rick Aguilera got the last out for his 19th save.

Tapani took a five-hit shutout into the eighth inning before giving up Alvaro Espinoza’s first homer of the season.

In the ninth inning, Mel Hall singled and Matt Nokes doubled in a run before Aguilera relieved Tapani. After Jesse Barfield blooped an RBI double to left field, scoring Nokes, and Roberto Kelly was walked intentionally, Espinoza struck out to end the game.

Chicago 3, Texas 1--Alex Fernandez pitched a four-hitter and Texas pitcher John Barfield’s double error keyed a three-run White Sox eighth inning at Chicago.

Fernandez (3-7), who took a 6.40 earned-run average into the game, picked up his first victory since April 22.

Cory Snyder singled to open the eighth inning and Lance Johnson ran for him. Ozzie Guillen bunted, but Barfield (3-2) bobbled the ball for one error and then threw it into right field for another as Johnson scored and Guillen went to third.

Guillen scored on Tim Raines’ sacrifice fly, giving the White Sox a 2-1 lead. Robin Ventura then singled, went to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Craig Grebeck.

Baltimore 1, Kansas City 0--Bob Milacki and Gregg Olson combined on a three-hitter, facing only one batter over the minimum at Kansas City.

Milacki (3-2) retired the first 12 batters before giving up a single by Danny Tartabull to lead off the fifth inning. Mike Macfarlane singled in the sixth and Tartabull singled again in the eighth.

No Kansas City runner got past first base against Milacki, who struck out five without a walk, and Olson, who pitched the ninth for his 11th save.

Baltimore’s run came in the fourth inning when Cal Ripken walked, stole second base, went to third on a wild pitch and scored when David Segui singled into shallow left field in front of a diving Kirk Gibson.

Toronto 4, Cleveland 0--Juan Guzman pitched three-hit ball over seven innings at Toronto for his first major league victory and Joe Carter hit his 16th home run.

Guzman (1-2) struck out six in sending the Indians to their 14th loss in 17 games. Toronto has won three in a row.

Carter hit the first pitch from rookie Jeff Mutis (0-2) in the bottom of the third inning over the left-field fence for his fourth homer in three games. It was Carter’s 10th homer of the month, one shy of George Bell’s club record set in May and June of 1987.

Seattle 5, Milwaukee 0--In his first start since May 28, Erik Hanson held the Brewers to three hits over seven innings and Dave Cochrane and Alvin Davis homered at Milwaukee.

Hanson (4-2) walked one and struck out five before Rob Murphy pitched the final two innings.

Hanson gave up a leadoff single to Paul Molitor, a single to Dale Sveum in the second inning and another single to Darryl Hamilton in the fifth.