Mondesi Triple Trips Boston

The New York Yankees needed only one inning to break out of their slump.

Raul Mondesi hit a bases-loaded triple and the Yankees scored five times in the top of the first inning in a 7-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night, ending a three-game skid.

The Yankees regained sole possession of first place in the American League East, where they had been all season before losing six of seven to let Boston climb into a tie.

A day before his 40th birthday, David Wells (6-1) gave up nine hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings, giving up one run and striking out four. Seven of the hits came with two out, but each time Wells got in trouble he pitched out of it.

“That’s David Wells right there. He’s tough,” Red Sox Manager Grady Little said. “He’s got the ability to stop anything before it gets started.”

Jorge Posada reached base five times -- two hits, two walks and an error -- for the Yankees, who followed an 18-3 start by going 9-13. The early outburst quieted the sellout crowd of 35,099 -- the biggest at Fenway Park since 1990 -- before it began the traditional derogatory chants about the Yankees.

Casey Fossum (4-2) gave up five runs, six hits and two walks. After the first inning, he retired 16 of the next 18 batters.

Nomar Garciaparra singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 20 games, tying Tim Salmon for the longest in the majors this season. It’s his fourth career streak of at least 20 games, tying Tris Speaker’s Red Sox record.

Cleveland 10, Detroit 9 -- Casey Blake’s two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning helped the Indians overcome three home runs by Carlos Pena.

The first of 19 games between the American League’s two worst teams looked more like a softball game, with the teams combining 24 hits and three errors.

Pena, who had a career-high seven runs batted in, hit a leadoff homer in the second, a grand slam in the third and a two-run drive in the seventh.

“I guess it was fun for the fans,” Pena said. “But I wanted the win. Then this would have been a perfect night.”

The Tigers, who lost their fifth in a row, blew leads of 6-0 and 9-7. With a chance to become the 15th player in history to hit four homers, Pena flied out to shallow center for the last out.

Jody Gerut hit a three-run homer for the Indians, who scored three runs in the seventh inning against Jamie Walker (1-1).

It was first baseman Blake’s error that helped the Tigers score five runs in the third inning.

“The five-run inning was on my shoulders,” he said. “I messed up that play. All I could ask for was a chance to redeem myself.”

Toronto 12, Chicago 2 -- Orlando Hudson drove in four runs and Cory Lidle pitched a seven-hitter at Chicago to give the Blue Jays their fourth consecutive victory.

Shannon Stewart, Eric Hinske and Frank Catalanotto homered for the Blue Jays, who finished with 15 hits and won for the 13th time in 17 games. Lidle has won six consecutive decisions, including his last four starts.

The White Sox have lost four in a row to fall a season-worst four games below .500. Manager Jerry Manuel was ejected in the fifth inning for arguing a call by third base umpire Angel Hernandez. It was Manuel’s fourth ejection this season after only seven in his first five years with the White Sox.

Lidle (7-2) struck out one and walked one.

Dan Wright (0-2) gave up five hits and five runs in three innings