Orioles Fight Back for a Split

The Baltimore Orioles overcame a five-run deficit in the second game of a Yankee Stadium doubleheader Thursday night, salvaging the finale of the three-game series with a 10-9 victory after getting blown out in the opener, 9-3.

The Orioles remained four games behind the first-place Yankees and prevented their wild-card lead over Seattle from dropping to half a game.

“We’re not out of this thing,” Oriole Manager Davey Johnson said. “We’re still not mathematically eliminated, far from it. [The Yankees] have got eight games with Boston this week and anything can happen.”

New York’s Kenny Rogers pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings and Wade Boggs went four for four in the opener. The Orioles’ Todd Zeile went three for four and drove in four runs in the second game, including the tiebreaker in the eighth.

“We were the ones with the three-game lead coming in, and we added to it,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said. “I think the Orioles were the ones who needed to win two out of three or sweep.”

Seattle 7, Texas 6--The Mariners completed a stunning four-game sweep that put them right back in the AL West race.

Seattle, nine games behind on Sept. 11, pulled within two games of the reeling Rangers. Ken Griffey Jr. and Dan Wilson drove in three runs each, and suddenly a second consecutive division title seems possible for the Mariners.

Last year, the Mariners overcame a 12 1/2-game deficit on Aug. 20 and beat the Angels in a one-game playoff. This year’s comeback has been even more shocking, with Seattle gaining seven games in the standings in eight days.

Cleveland 9, Kansas City 1--In another impressive audition for postseason starts, Chad Ogea gave up three hits in eight innings at Cleveland.

Ogea (9-5), a possible third or spot starter in the playoffs, lost his shutout bid in the eighth when Craig Paquette hit his 21st home run. Before the homer, Ogea had retired 10 in a row and had not given up a hit since Jon Nunnally’s double in the second.

Ogea outdueled Kevin Appier (13-11), who had a three-hitter through seven innings but got into trouble in the eighth when the Indians added seven runs in a rally led by Omar Vizquel’s three-run double off reliever Jason Jacome.

Boston 8, Detroit 3--A day after catching Roger Clemens’ 20-strikeout game, Bill Haselman homered as the Red Sox beat the Tigers at Detroit to keep alive their slim wild-card hopes.

Jeff Frye had three RBIs for Boston, which is four games behind Baltimore, the AL wild-card leader. The Red Sox have won four in a row and six of seven, while Detroit lost its 12th consecutive game.

Tom Gordon (11-9), who had lost his previous three starts, gave up three runs and nine hits in seven innings with six strikeouts. Trever Miller (0-3) was the loser.

Chicago 8, Minnesota 3--Frank Thomas hit his eighth home run in nine games to pace a crucial victory over the Twins at Chicago that broke a four-game losing streak.