BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Red Sox Keep the Pressure On Until the Finish

The Boston Red Sox didn’t go quietly, but they went just the same.

As Toronto was clinching the American League East title by beating the Angels, the Red Sox made sure the Blue Jays had to win it themselves.

Rookie Phil Plantier drove in two runs Wednesday night at Boston and Joe Hesketh (12-4) pitched a strong seven innings in a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

The Red Sox mounted a late-season comeback and pulled to within half a game on Sept. 21. But nagging injuries to Wade Boggs, bullpen ace Jeff Reardon and outfielders Mike Greenwell and Ellis Burks stalled the drive.

Plantier, who has hit 10 home runs and batted .338 in 50 games after coming up from the minors, and Hesketh played prominent roles in the drive that failed to net the Red Sox their second division title in a row.

Hesketh pitched well after being brought out of the bullpen to become a starter in mid-July.

Hesketh left with one out in the eighth. Reliever Tony Fossas walked in a run before settling down to get his first save.

Boggs, playing despite a sore leg, had two hits and scored a run, raising his average to .332.

“Overall we did all right,” Red Sox Manager Joe Morgan said. “It’s been a funny year. We fell way behind, then came back to fight our way into contention with that long winning streak. But it took its toll. We couldn’t keep up the pace.”

Seattle 4, Texas 3--There’s no pennant for the Mariners, not even a first-division berth, but there’s rejoicing in Seattle.

For the first time for the franchise that began in 1977, the Mariners will finish at .500 or above. Seattle is 81-78 with three games to play.

Dave Valle doubled in two runs in the seventh inning at Arlington, Tex., to give the Mariners the victory.

Julio Franco of the Rangers hit his 15th home run and was one for three. His league-leading average remained at .340.

Milwaukee 11, Cleveland 4--The Indians, the worst team in baseball, set a club record in this game at Cleveland by losing their 103rd.

The Indians built a three-run lead, but the Brewers scored four in the seventh and five in the eighth to turn it into a rout.

Mike Hargrove managed the Indians for 51 of the defeats, succeeding John McNamara, who had lost 52.

New York 4, Baltimore 3--Steve Sax homered off the left-field foul pole in the eighth inning at New York to break a 3-3 tie.

Kansas City 16, Oakland 5--Danny Tartabull’s two-run triple gave him his third 100-RBI season, and the Royals rallied from a five-run deficit to win at home.

St. Louis 6, Montreal 4--Shortly after increasing his league record for saves to 47, Lee Smith received Cy Young Award backing from his manager, Joe Torre.

Smith, who struck out two in a scoreless ninth, has six victories to go with the saves.

“I’d like to see him considered for the Cy Young,” Torre said. “He has meant so much to us, having a hand in 63% of our victories.”

Felix Jose hit a three-run home run and Pedro Guerrero hit his first homer since July 6 for the Cardinals.

Houston 7, San Francisco 5--After knocking off the Giants at San Francisco, the Astros expressed eagerness to face the Braves in the last three games of the season.

New York 9, Pittsburgh 6--Kevin McReynolds hit a three-run home run in the 11th inning at Pittsburgh to give the Mets the victory.