Red Sox Have Something to Bragg About in 5-4 Win

Round one goes to the Red Sox.

The long-anticipated showdown between two of baseball’s best teams ended like so many of Boston’s other games--with a come-from-behind victory. But none of those other games were against the New York Yankees.

With Fenway Park fans roaring, Darren Bragg’s two-run, bases-loaded single capped a four-run seventh inning and gave the Red Sox a 5-4 victory Friday night.

“The crowd was going nuts,” he said. “I was pretending I’m playing Wiffle ball in my backyard and trying to get it out of my head. I got a pitch I could handle.”

By winning the first meeting between the teams, Boston closed to within four games of New York in the American League East with its fifth win in six games. The Yankees (31-10) lost for only the second time in the 23 games they led after six innings.

“They basically showed what they’ve been doing all year, coming back to win ballgames,” New York’s Darryl Strawberry said. “I think they proved that they’re going to be in the pennant race.”

It was the 17th comeback victory for the Red Sox, who are 29-16. And it gave them an early confidence boost as they face New York six more times in nine days, starting today.

“I was really nervous tonight because of the atmosphere,” said Boston’s Tom Gordon, who worked out of an eighth-inning jam and recorded his major league-leading 18th save in 19 opportunities. “The Yankees are a tough team and there aren’t going to be too many games when they allow teams to come back on them.”

Tim Wakefield (6-1) got his sixth win in his last six starts, sending New York to only its sixth loss in its last 36 games.

“Early in the year we came back to win some big ballgames. That builds a lot of confidence,” he said. “I understand the rivalry between Boston and New York, but I can’t get caught up in all that hype.”

“We had our chances,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said. “This ballpark is usually up for the Yankees. It doesn’t matter what place they [the Red Sox] are in.”

The Yankees threatened in the eighth, putting runners at second and third on walks to Chuck Knoblauch and Derek Jeter and a double steal, but failed to score as Ron Mahay struck out Paul O’Neill and got Tino Martinez to pop out before Gordon got Bernie Williams to fly out.

“I got a hanging changeup, up and in, a good ball to hit,” Martinez said. “I just didn’t hit it.”

Williams’ three-run homer in the fourth and Martinez’s RBI triple in the sixth gave New York a 4-0 lead. Meanwhile, Ramiro Mendoza had given up only two earned runs in his last 29 innings.

That changed in the bottom of the sixth when Boston cut the lead to 4-1 on a double by Lou Merloni, a single by Darren Lewis and an RBI groundout by Bragg.

Troy O’Leary began the seventh with his 12th homer. John Valentin singled and took second when Mike Benjamin grounded out. Valentin reached third on a wild pitch and scored on Jason Varitek’s double, making the score 4-3.

Jeff Nelson (1-1) relieved Mendoza and Merloni singled, sending Varitek to third. After Lewis walked, Mike Stanton came in and gave up a two-run single to Bragg that made it 5-4.

“These kids haven’t quit all year,” Boston Manager Jimy Williams said. “We’re just playing the schedule. We’re playing a tough team, a tough team that’s above us.”

Cleveland 9, Toronto 7--Travis Fryman homered and drove in three runs and the Indians ended Jose Canseco’s three-game homer streak in a game played at Cleveland.

Fryman questioned the leadership in the Cleveland clubhouse a week ago, and is batting .421 with four homers and 13 RBIs in his last nine games. The Indians have won seven of them, bolstered by a rejuvenated offense that is averaging 9.2 runs in the past six.

The crowd of 43,269, Cleveland’s 233rd consecutive sellout, was the largest regular-season crowd at Jacobs Field since it opened in 1994.

Canseco, who had four homers in his past three games, including two Thursday against Tampa Bay, was one for five with three strikeouts.

Erik Hanson (0-2) walked six in two-plus innings, his shortest outing of the season. He gave up four hits and six earned runs, and threw only 38 of 77 pitches for strikes. Four of the six batters Hanson walked eventually scored.

Detroit 9, Chicago 5--Tony Clark drove in three runs and Bobby Higginson had four hits to power an 18-hit attack at Chicago.

Joe Oliver homered and Bip Roberts went three for five as the Tigers won their eighth game in 10 games to move ahead of the White Sox in the AL Central.

Justin Thompson (3-5) won his first game in four career starts against Chicago, giving up four runs and seven hits with two walks in eight innings.

Scott Eyre (1-5) took the loss in his shortest start of the season, giving up five runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Tampa Bay 5, Seattle 2--Rookies Jason Johnson and Miguel Cairo helped the Devil Rays end a three-game losing streak with a victory in Seattle.

Johnson (2-1) gave up four hits in six innings as the Devil Rays sent the Mariners to their fourth loss in a row.

Cairo, Tampa Bay’s No. 9 batter, hit his second homer in the second inning off Jamie Moyer (2-5). Fred McGriff went three for five for the Devil Rays.

Roberto Hernandez got four outs for his eighth save.

Oakland 9, Baltimore 5--The Orioles lost their ninth game in a row as Mike Blowers drove in three runs and rookie Ben Grieve homered at Oakland.

It is the longest losing streak for the Orioles since the 1988 team got off to a major league-worst 0-21 start. Baltimore is 10-25 since starting 10-2.