Of Losing Efforts, Athletics’ Is Most Painful

The Red Sox certainly didn’t look like a team that had a chance to clinch a tie for a wild-card berth entering Sunday.

The Red Sox made three errors leading to seven unearned runs as the Baltimore Orioles defeated them, 8-5, dropping Boston’s magic number for clinching a wild-card berth to two after Oakland lost, 10-3, to Texas.

Boston’s errors weren’t limited to their fielders. Manager Jimy Williams put Tom Gordon in to start the ninth, but Gordon was removed after throwing three warmup pitches because he was not on the roster. Gordon returned to the team Saturday from injury rehabilitation but remains on the 60-day disabled list.

Williams was unaware Gordon had not been activated until he received a phone call from Dan Duquette in the runway.

“I was under the understanding that he was to be activated today, but he wasn’t. I didn’t double-check so it is my fault,” Williams said.

Errors by Nomar Garciaparra, John Valentin, and Jose Offerman led to the unearned runs off Boston starter Tim Wakefield (6-11), who retired the first 10 batters before Garciaparra’s error in the fourth. Albert Belle followed with his 37th homer to make it 2-1.

The Red Sox self-destructed in the fifth inning. Charles Johnson led off with a single and advanced to second when Ryan Minor reached on Valentin’s throwing error from third base.

Jesus Garcia loaded the bases when Offerman, who was covering first base on Garcia’s bunt, misplayed pitcher Wakefield’s throw.

One out later, Wakefield hit Brady Anderson with the bases loaded to score Minor. Mike Bordick hit a two-run double and Calvin Pickering followed with a two-run single to make it 7-1.

“I felt like I let the team down by not getting them out of a jam,” Wakefield said. “The errors don’t matter to me. My job is to keep the team in the game as long as possible and I didn’t do that today.”

Oriole starter Jason Johnson (8-7) gave up three runs--two earned--in leading the Orioles to their 16th victory in their last 18 games. He gave up five hits in seven innings to win his fifth consecutive decision.

The Red Sox are five games behind AL East-leading New York in the division race. Both have seven games left.

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WILD CARD

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W L GB Boston 89 66 -- Oakland 84 72 5 1/2

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Games remaining

* Today, Baltimore at Boston, 4 p.m.

* Tuesday, Boston at Chicago, 5 p.m.; Oakland at Angels, 7 p.m.

* Wednesday, Boston at Chicago, 5 p.m.; Oakland at Angels, 7:30 p.m.

* Thursday, Boston at Chicago, 5 p.m.; Oakland at Angels, 7 p.m.

* Friday, Boston at Baltimore, 4 p.m.; Seattle at Oakland, 7:30 p.m.

* Saturday, Seattle at Oakland, 1 p.m.; Boston at Baltimore, 4 p.m.

* Sunday, Boston at Baltimore, 10:30 a.m.; Seattle at Oakland, 1 p.m.