AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Red Sox Slowed by Yankees’ Pettitte, 9-1

The Boston Red Sox aren’t used to being shut down by a left-handed starter. Yankee rookie Andy Pettitte almost shut them out.

Pettitte came within one out of becoming the first left-hander to pitch a complete game against the Red Sox this season as the Yankees cruised to a 9-1 victory Saturday at New York.

After John Valentin’s run-scoring double in the third, Pettitte (9-8) gave up only one hit until the ninth and retired 16 of 17 batters in one stretch before Tim Naehring singled with two out in the ninth.

“I wanted to finish it, but I got a bit tired at the end,” Pettitte said.

Seattle 6, Kanas City 2--Andy Benes (4-1) gave up three hits over eight innings and Tino Martinez and Jay Buhner hit consecutive homers at Seattle as the Mariners moved into sole possession of first place in the AL wild-card race.

The Mariners are half a game ahead of the New York Yankees, while the Royals, who lost their third in a row, fell one game back.

Martinez, with a three-run shot, and Buhner connected off Mark Gubicza (10-13) in a four-run third inning.

Texas 10, Milwaukee 4--Mickey Tettleton hit a grand slam and Juan Gonzalez had a three-run homer and drove in four runs at Milwaukee as the Rangers won for only the fourth time in 16 games.

Kevin Gross (8-14) ended his three-game losing streak in winning for the first time since Aug. 19. Rookie knuckleballer Steve Sparks (7-9) lasted only nine batters in the shortest start of his career.

Oakland 8, Chicago 2--Geronimo Berroa and Terry Steinbach homered at Oakland to back the strong pitching of Steve Ontiveros, who won for the first time in more than two months.

Ontiveros (9-5) hadn’t won since being named to the All-Star team, going 0-3 in six starts since June 25 and spending five weeks on the disabled list because of a sore right elbow.

Jason Bere (7-12) lasted only five outs and gave up five runs, sending his earned-run average to a season-high 7.13.

Detroit 5, Toronto 2--Sean Bergman gave up five hits in 7 2/3 innings, and Chad Curtis and Cecil Fielder homered at Toronto.

In winning his third consecutive decision, Bergman (7-8) struck out a career-high nine--including the side in the sixth--and walked three.

The Blue Jays scored twice in the eighth to pull within a run, but John Doherty got the final out of the inning and Dwayne Henry pitched the ninth for his second save.

Cleveland 2, Baltimore 1--Rookie Chad Ogea gave up two hits in seven innings and Cleveland extended its league-high home winning streak to 13 games.

Playing with a jumbled lineup after Friday night’s clinching of the Central title, the Indians won their fifth consecutive game and their 15th in the last 17.

Ogea (8-3) gave up a leadoff double to Brady Anderson in the first inning, and Anderson eventually scored on Bobby Bonilla’s sacrifice fly. But Ogea gave up only Rafael Palmeiro’s third-inning single over the next six innings.

Jose Mesa worked the ninth for his 41st save in 43 chances.

Cleveland scored both its runs against rookie Rick Krivda (2-4) in the second inning.

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Quick Work

Cleveland clinched the American League Central Division title on Friday, the earliest AL clinching since divisional play began in 1969: *--*

Year Team Date 1975 Cincinnati Sept. 7 1995 Cleveland Sept. 8 1969 Baltimore Sept. 13 1971 Oakland Sept. 15 1983 Chicago White Sox Sept. 16 1986 New York Mets Sept. 17

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