Indians Walk Off With 9-8 Victory

An unlikely home run by Omar Vizquel all but ended any chance of an improbable comeback by the Chicago White Sox.

Vizquel homered and the Cleveland Indians beat the White Sox in the ninth inning at Cleveland for the second straight day, winning, 9-8, Sunday.

The White Sox lost again despite hitting Indian pitching at a torrid pace. The defending American League Central champions scored 61 runs in their last seven games against Cleveland, but lost four of them.

Jose Canseco, Magglio Ordonez and Mark Johnson homered for Chicago. Juan Gonzalez and Kenny Lofton also connected for the Indians.

Vizquel’s walk-off shot was only his second home run of the season, connecting with one out against Keith Foulke (3-9). On Saturday night, Foulke gave up Lofton’s game-winning double with one out in the ninth.

Cleveland started the day with a seven-game lead over Minnesota. With the loss, the White Sox fell nine games behind with 19 left.

“That pushes them back pretty good,” Indian Manager Charlie Manuel said.

New York 7, Boston 2--Andy Pettitte won for the first time in nearly a month, and Tino Martinez and Nick Johnson homered as the streaking Yankees beat the reeling Red Sox for the seventh straight time, in New York.

Pettitte (15-9) was perfect through four innings and wound up allowing one run and four hits in 7 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts. He had not won since Aug. 14 against Tampa Bay and had given up 24 runs and 43 hits over 24 innings in his previous four starts.

New York has won four in a row and nine of 10. The Red Sox have lost 13 of 14.

Seattle 6, Baltimore 0--At Seattle, Jamie Moyer (17-5) allowed two hits in seven innings as the Mariners defeated the Orioles for the 12th straight time.

Seattle (103-40) swept its 13th series of the season and remained on pace to match the Chicago Cubs’ major league record of 116 wins set in 1906.

Oakland 4, Tampa Bay 3--Olmedo Saenz homered in the bottom of the 13th inning at Oakland, giving the A’s their seventh straight victory.

Saenz, hitless in his previous 14 at-bats, hit a 1-0 pitch from Jesus Colome (1-1) for his ninth homer of the season. Tampa Bay relievers combined to retire 18 in a row before Saenz’s homer.

Texas 4, Kansas City 3--Rafael Palmeiro’s second homer of the game, a one-out solo shot in the 12th inning, gave the Rangers a win at Arlington, Texas.

Palmeiro hit a full-count pitch by Roberto Hernandez (4-6) into the Texas bullpen in right-center field. It was his 41st of the season, and 441st of his career.

Toronto 6, Detroit 3--At Detroit, Homer Bush and Shannon Stewart drove in two runs apiece and Chris Carpenter (10-11) won his third straight decision for Toronto.