Sierra Boosts Mariners

Hobbled by a strained muscle in his left thigh, Ruben Sierra is determined to make a difference as the Seattle Mariners try to make a playoff push.

Sierra came off the bench as a pinch-hitter and hit a tiebreaking two-run single with two out in the eighth inning as the Mariners handed the American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins their fifth consecutive defeat, 5-2 on Monday at Seattle.

“It was a big hit,” he said. “Thank God that I came through in the condition I’m in right now.”

The Mariners stayed six games behind Oakland in the AL West and closed within two games of the Angels in the wild-card race.

Sierra singled to right off LaTroy Hawkins after Bret Boone singled and Edgar Martinez walked to open the inning against Johan Santana (8-6).

After John Olerud’s groundout moved Boone to third and pinch-runner Luis Ugueto to second, Sierra singled.

Desi Relaford followed with a double to score pinch-runner Charles Gipson from first.

Sierra batted for the first time since coming out of last Tuesday night’s game in Minnesota when he aggravated the injury he sustained Aug. 19 in Detroit.

“I’m just trying to get healthy as fast as I can,” said Sierra, who was a key player for the Mariners when Martinez was out from April 12-June 14 with a ruptured tendon his left leg.

Sierra thinks he can be a factor for the Mariners in their last 24 games. He is hitting .281 with 12 home runs and 58 runs batted in.

“It’s getting better, much better,” he said. “I think I’m going to be soon in the lineup. I’m going to be playing somewhere.”

The Twins, who are on their longest losing streak of the season, still lead the division by 12 games over Chicago.

Arthur Rhodes (8-3) got the victory and Kazuhiro Sasaki earned his 34th save.

Boston 8, New York 4--Nomar Garciaparra drove in three runs, and Casey Fossum (3-3) won for the first time in seven starts this season as the Red Sox won at New York.

Shea Hillenbrand had three hits and scored twice for the Red Sox, who trimmed New York’s AL East lead to 6 1/2 games on a rainy day at Yankee Stadium.

Rey Sanchez and Jason Varitek had two-run singles. Boston, which had lost four in a row to its longtime rival, is 4 1/2 games behind the Angels in the wild-card race.

Alfonso Soriano hit his 35th homer, stole his 38th base and drove in two runs as New York lost for the fourth time in five games. Mike Mussina (16-8) took the loss.

Chicago 5, Toronto 3--Joe Borchard homered for his first career hit and the visiting White Sox won their season-high sixth consecutive game.

Borchard, whose contract was purchased from triple-A Charlotte before the game, hit a two-run homer off Corey Thurman (2-3) in the fourth inning for a 4-1 lead.

Cleveland 11, Detroit 1--Karim Garcia homered twice and had a career-high six RBIs at Detroit as the Indians handed the Tigers their ninth consecutive home loss.

Garcia hit three-run homers in the first and sixth innings. Detroit has lost five in a row overall and 11 of 12.

INTERLEAGUE

Texas 7, Houston 2--Kevin Mench drove in three runs and Chan Ho Park won his third consecutive start as the Rangers defeated the Astros at Arlington, Texas.

The game, the last interleague game until the World Series, was the makeup of a June 30 rainout.