AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Wakefield Returns to Rotation and Athletics Knuckle Under

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield made a winning return to the starting rotation Tuesday night as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Oakland Athletics, 5-3, at Oakland and opened a four-game lead over the A’s in the American League wild-card race.

It’s the biggest lead since July 29 for Boston, which has opened a critical 12-game trip with victories in four of its first five games. The Red Sox will be going for the two-game sweep in today’s series finale before heading to New York and Cleveland to conclude the trip against division leaders.

Wakefield (5-9) gave up three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings to win as a starter for the first time since May 28.

Kansas City 6, New York 3--Jose Rosado matched his season high with eight strikeouts and Jermaine Dye passed the 100-RBI mark for the Royals at Kansas City.

Rosado (8-13) gave up one run and eight hits--all singles--in seven innings, including only three hits to the first five Yankees in the batting order.

Texas 4, Cleveland 3--Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run, go-ahead homer in the seventh inning as the Rangers rallied at Arlington, Texas, to keep the Indians’ magic number for clinching the American League Central at two.

The Indians have won the last four division titles. The Rangers, who lead the American League West, have won six of nine games against Cleveland.

Texas’ Rafael Palmeiro sat out the game because of a bone bruise on his left wrist.

Seattle 7, Toronto 4--Ken Griffey Jr. hit his league-leading 43rd homer to lead the Mariners at Seattle.

Griffey drilled David Wells’ 1-and-2 pitch over the left-center wall to score two in the fifth. Griffey has hit seven home runs against Wells (13-10), the most he’s hit against any pitcher.

Seattle starter Gil Meche (6-4) put together a solid performance on the night before his 21st birthday by giving up three runs and six hits in six innings.

Baltimore 5, Minnesota 0--Scott Erickson pitched a three-hitter at Minneapolis to win his eighth consecutive decision against his former team and Albert Belle homered for the third time in two games.