Daubach Helps Red Sox Get a Wild Victory, 8-7

Brian Daubach picked a perfect time to hit his first major league home run, giving Tom Gordon enough insurance to hold on for a wild 8-7 victory at Toronto on Monday night.

Trailing, 4-3, Boston scored five runs in the ninth off Graeme Lloyd (3-2). The Blue Jays answered with three runs off Gordon. But he hung on, striking out Kevin Witt with two runners on to end the game.

“Flash got three outs, he gave up some runs, but the bottom line is we got the win,” Manager Jimy Williams said.

“I think I deserve that after eight or nine years in the minors,” Daubach, 27, said of his arm-pumping trot around the bases. “If I wasn’t playing here I’d be playing back home in a softball league.”

Cleveland 13, Chicago 9--David Justice hit a three-run home run, Wil Cordero had three RBIs and the Indians shelled Jaime Navarro for nine runs in the first two innings at Chicago.

Kenny Lofton just missed hitting for the cycle, getting a single, a double and a homer.

Bartolo Colon (6-1) didn’t fare any better early, giving up six runs and four hits in the first inning.

But he settled down after consecutive homers to Paul Konerko and Greg Norton in the third.

He struck out the next two batters, and retired the White Sox in order in the fourth and fifth innings.

Colon got the victory despite giving up nine runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Tampa Bay 13, Texas 3--John Flaherty had two home runs and a career-high five runs batted in in the Devil Rays’ victory at Arlington, Texas.

Jose Canseco tied Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. for the major-league lead with his 14th homer, a towering three-run shot off a restaurant window in left field.

Fred McGriff’s home run gave him home runs in 35 ballparks, extending his own major league record.

Seattle 15, Minnesota 5--Butch Huskey hit his first career grand slam and added a two-run shot, and Edgar Martinez also homered twice and scored a club-record-tying five times to lead the Mariners at Seattle.