Red Sox Match 1927 Futility Mark

It merely keeps getting worse for the Boston Red Sox.

Julio Franco hit a solo home run in the 11th inning Sunday, giving the Cleveland Indians a 7-6 victory at Boston and dropping the Red Sox to 2-9 for the first time since 1927.

“That kind of loss takes the wind out of your sails,” Boston Manager Kevin Kennedy said. “We fought back and we have to keep doing that type of fighting if we hope to break out of this.”

On a 2-2 count Franco drove a low, outside fastball from Mike Stanton (0-1) into the right-field seats, helping Cleveland to a three-game winning streak.

Julian Tavarez (1-1) pitched 2 1/3 innings and Jose Mesa, Cleveland’s sixth pitcher, got three outs for his third save.

Oakland 10, Chicago 5--Mike Bordick went four for five, breaking an eighth-inning tie with a two-run single that led the Athletics past the White Sox at Oakland.

With the score tied, 4-4, in the eighth, Pedro Munoz singled off Bill Simas (0-2) and George Williams and Scott Brosius walked. Bordick singled to make the score 6-4, Allen Battle walked, Joe Magrane forced in a run by walking Brent Gates and Jason Giambi hit a two-run single. Bordick added a run-scoring single in the ninth.

Milwaukee 5, Kansas City 2--Ben McDonald pitched six solid innings and Mike Matheny drove in three runs with a homer and a single at Milwaukee.

McDonald (2-0) gave up two runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked three. Limited to 14 games last season due to injury, McDonald has given up only three runs in 18 innings in his three starts with the Brewers.

The Brewers scored three runs in the first with the aid of a throwing error by Royal shortstop Jose Offerman.

Minnesota 4, Baltimore 1--The Twins ended the Orioles’ five-game winning streak as Frank Rodriguez pitched 7 2/3 innings of three-hit ball in the victory at Camden Yards.

Rodriguez (1-1) came in with a 12.91 earned-run average and Baltimore led the American League with a .289 batting average.

Baltimore second baseman Roberto Alomar, a five-time Gold Glove winner, made two errors for the first time since Aug. 22, 1993.

New York 12, Texas 3--Andy Pettitte won his third consecutive start, and Mariano Duncan drove in three runs to lead the Yankees over the Rangers at New York.

Kevin Gross (2-1) was knocked out after 1 1/3 innings, matching the shortest start of his career. He gave up five runs and six hits.

Seattle 9, Toronto 4--Joey Cora and Doug Strange homered as the Mariners defeated the host Blue Jays.

Cora hit a two-run homer in a four-run eighth as Seattle took a 5-1 lead, and Strange hit a three-run homer in a four-run ninth. Seattle has 23 homers in 12 games.