AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Tinsley Finally Comes Through as Red Sox Outlast Tigers, 12-11

Lee Tinsley’s bumbling series ended with a game-winning single in Boston’s wacky 12-11 victory Sunday over the Detroit Tigers at Boston.

The Red Sox, who overcame a five-run deficit in the third inning and blew a five-run lead in the ninth, won in the bottom of the ninth on Tinsley’s first bases-loaded hit in nine opportunities this season.

“It was very satisfying,” Tinsley said. “It lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders.”

In Thursday’s series opener, the center fielder collided with left fielder Mike Greenwell as they chased a fly ball. On Friday, he missed a crucial hit-and-run sign in a 7-6 loss. On Saturday, he left the bases-loaded twice in an 11-2 loss.

“I don’t know that I’ve seen a series like that with one guy,” Red Sox Manager Kevin Kennedy said. “Hopefully, this will get him going confidence-wise.”

The game featured a 13-run, 59-minute third inning and a five-run rally by the Tigers in the ninth that tied the score, 11-11.

Tim Naehring started the winning rally with a walk off Joe Boever (4-4). Pinch-runner Juan Bell moved up on a wild pitch and pinch-hitter Reggie Jefferson was walked intentionally.

Stan Belinda (6-0) got the win despite giving up three runs in the top of the ninth in relief of Ken Ryan.

Mo Vaughn hit his 20th and 21st homers for Boston, which outscored Detroit, 8-5, in the third inning.

Baltimore 9, Toronto 7--Manny Alexander homered and hit a two-run single in the ninth inning as the Orioles, helped by a pair of two-out errors, rallied for seven runs at Toronto.

Baltimore sent 11 batters to the plate in the ninth against Toronto’s beleaguered bullpen and won a game it trailed, 7-0, in the eighth.

Right fielder Shawn Green dropped a potential game-ending fly ball that allowed two runs to score to make the score 7-6, and the next batter reached on a throwing error by shortstop Alex Gonzalez.

After Brady Anderson walked, Alexander lined a two-run single to center for an 8-7 lead. Another run scored on a wild pitch by Tom Crabtree (0-1), a rookie trying for his first major league save.

Crabtree was the last pitcher available for the Blue Jays, who pulled Woody Williams out of the bullpen for a spot start and used two other pitchers in relief. The Jays have three relievers on the disabled list.

Milwaukee 7, New York 6--The best and worst hitters in the Brewers’ lineup had big days as B.J. Surhoff had three hits and Greg Vaughn had three runs batted in at Milwaukee.

Surhoff, batting .367, scored two runs and drove in one. Vaughn raised his average from .196 to .203.

Knuckleballer Steve Sparks (4-3) gave up eight hits in 7 2/3 innings and struck out six. Mike Fetters pitched the ninth for his eighth save.

The Brewers went up, 2-0, in the first against Andy Pettitte (3-5) on a pair of run-scoring singles by Darryl Hamilton and Vaughn. Surhoff scored an unearned run in the second on second baseman Randy Velarde’s fielding error.

Milwaukee padded its lead in the third, capitalizing on Pettitte’s wildness. Kevin Seitzer walked, Joe Oliver was hit by a pitch and Vaughn doubled to the wall in left-center. Oliver scored on Surhoff’s groundout to first. Jeff Cirillo had a run-scoring single in the sixth and Vaughn had a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Chicago 6, Kansas City 5--Reliever Billy Brewer’s first pitch was wild and it allowed Tim Raines to score the deciding run in the 10th inning at Kansas City.

Raines led off the 10th with a double off Hipolito Pichardo (4-3) and went to third on a groundout. Brewer came in to face Norberto Martin and his first pitch bounced in the dirt and away from catcher Brent Mayne.

Tim Fortugno (1-1) got the win despite allowing a two-run pinch-homer to Bob Hamelin in the ninth that tied the score.

Seattle 4, Texas 3--Joey Cora singled in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth at Seattle.

Dan Wilson led off with a double off Matt Whiteside (2-2), and was replaced by pinch-runner Rich Amaral. On Felix Fermin’s sacrifice attempt, Amaral was caught in a rundown but stayed alive long enough for Fermin to advance to second. One out later, Cora lined the game-winner to center.

Bobby Ayala (2-1) earned the victory in relief.

Randy Johnson left with a 3-1 lead after giving up a leadoff single to Dave Valle in the seventh.