Yankees Stop Timid Twins

Bernie Williams led off the ninth inning with a home run, and John Wetteland picked up his 23rd save to tie for the major league lead as the New York Yankees beat the Twins, 2-1, Wednesday at Minneapolis.

Williams hit his 14th homer of the season and Wetteland received help in the bottom half of the inning when Minnesota pinch-runner Pat Meares did not try to score from third base on a fly to right field by Chuck Knoblauch.

The Yankees speculated that Meares’ passive baserunning was a carryover from Tuesday, when O’Neill gunned him out at home in a similar situation.

“What kept [Meares] at third was what Paul did Tuesday night,” New York Manager Joe Torre said. “A lot of good things happened for us to go 6-2 on this road stand after losing the first two games of this series.”

Boston 6, Cleveland 4--The Red Sox avoided the first season series sweep in their 96-year history when Tim Naehring homered in the bottom of the 15th inning to beat the Indians at Boston.

The Red Sox, who started play in 1901, had lost 14 consecutive games to Cleveland.

Kansas City 7, Milwaukee 3--Mike Macfarlane homered twice and drove in three runs at Kansas City as the Royals defeated the Brewers for only the second time in nine games this season.

Toronto 6, Seattle 5--Jacob Brumfield’s two-run double capped a three-run rally in the seventh inning, sending the Blue Jays past the Mariners at Toronto, for their eighth victory in nine games.

Texas 6, Baltimore 5--Juan Gonzalez hit a three-run double in the eighth inning to rally the Rangers past the Orioles at Arlington, Texas.