Twins Win and Pull Even With White Sox

Brad Radke pitched a complete game to win his most important start of the season Thursday and the Minnesota Twins beat Esteban Loaiza and the Chicago White Sox, 5-2, at Chicago to move into a tie for the AL Central lead.

Shannon Stewart and Denny Hocking each drove in two runs as the Twins salvaged a split of the four-game series. The teams meet for three games next week at the Metrodome.

Radke (12-10) gave up nine hits, walked none and struck out five in his third complete game of the season. It was his fourth straight victory.

The Twins spoiled Loaiza’s bid for his 20th victory. The All-Star pitcher lost for only the second time since the break, ending his four-game winning streak. His record fell to 19-7.

The win was a big one for the Twins, who have an edge over the White Sox in the schedule. While Chicago has 13 games left against Boston, New York and Kansas City, Minnesota gets 13 against Cleveland and Detroit.

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New York 5, Detroit 2 -- Roger Clemens got his 307th victory, and Jorge Posada hit a go-ahead, two-run single to lead the Yankees at New York. Detroit (37-108) has lost the most games in the major leagues since the 1998 Florida Marlins went 54-108.

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Cleveland 6, Kansas City 5 -- Alex Escobar had his second straight three-hit game, driving in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning single at Kansas City, Mo.

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Seattle 8, Texas 2 -- Gil Meche pitched eight steady innings at Seattle for his 15th win.

Meche (15-10) spent last season in the minors and missed the 2001 season because of two shoulder operations. The last major league pitcher to win more than 14 games after a two-year absence was Whitey Ford, who went 18-6 in 1953 for the New York Yankees.