Red Sox Squander Opportunity

Brad Radke pitched 7 1/3 strong innings and Ron Coomer homered as the Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox, 6-3, Wednesday night.

Coomer and Matt Lawton each drove in two runs for Minnesota, which ended a three-game losing streak.

Damon Buford hit a solo homer in the ninth for Boston, which stayed tied with Oakland for the wild-card berth. The Athletics lost to Cleveland.

Radke (10-12), coming off one of his worst starts, gave up four hits and two runs. Five days earlier, he gave up six runs in 1 2/3 innings against the Yankees.

Mark Portugal (7-12) lost his fourth consecutive start, giving up eight hits and six runs in 5 2/3 innings.