AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Macfarlane’s Power Keeps Red Sox Hot

Since moving into the cleanup spot three games ago to replace Jose Canseco, Mike Macfarlane has been doing what Canseco wasn’t: hitting home runs.

Macfarlane homered for the fourth time in five games Thursday to break an eighth-inning tie, and the Red Sox won their fifth in a row, 4-3, over the Cleveland Indians at Boston.

“I’ve been trying to press just a little bit, trying to show that I can drive those runs in,” Macfarlane said.

Stan Belinda (2-0) pitched 2 2/3 perfect innings, getting Albert Belle to hit into an inning-ending, bases-loaded double play in the seventh and then retiring the next six batters.

Losing pitcher Jim Poole (1-2) gave up the one-out homer to Macfarlane.

Carlos Baerga went three for four and drove in two runs for the Indians, but he botched a double-play ball in the sixth inning that allowed the Red Sox to go up, 3-2.

Kansas City 3, Seattle 2--Rookie Jon Nunnally hit a solo homer in the 14th inning to give the Royals a victory over the Mariners at Kansas City.

The homer, coming on a 1-2 pitch from Jim Converse (0-3), ended a night when the Royals left 23 runners on base. Gary Gaetti had tied the score for Kansas City with a homer in the seventh.

Billy Brewer (1-1) pitched two perfect innings for the victory.

Texas 6, Milwaukee 2--Pinch-hitter Rusty Greer hit his first grand slam with two out in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Rangers won for the fifth time in their last six home games.

Milwaukee has lost five in a row.

Greer’s blast made a winner of Ranger starter Roger Pavlik (2-1). Graeme Lloyd (0-2) was the loser.

Chicago 4, Oakland 2--Alex Fernandez and Roberto Hernandez combined on a six-hitter to lead the White Sox at Chicago.

Fernandez (2-2) struck out a season-high 10 and his no-hit bid ended in the sixth when Fautso Cruz blooped a single. He later gave up Mark McGwire’s ninth homer of the season, which extended McGwire’s hitting streak to 15 games.

Dave Stewart (2-3) lost.

Baltimore 3, Detroit 2--Mike Mussina pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, and the Orioles scored all their runs off Tiger miscues at Baltimore.

Baltimore got two runs on an error by Cecil Fielder and the go-ahead run in the sixth inning on a balk by David Wells (1-3).