Mariners Win and Keep Pace With the Red Sox

John Olerud hit a two-run homer to help the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics, 6-1, Friday night at Oakland and stay 2 1/2 games behind Boston in the wild-card race.

Oakland’s magic number to win the AL West remained at five. Any combination of Oakland wins and Seattle losses that equals five would give the A’s their second straight division title.

Minnesota 6, Detroit 2 -- The Central Division-leading Twins reduced their magic number to six over Chicago by winning at Detroit. The White Sox beat Kansas City and stayed 3 1/2 games behind.

Chicago 8, Kansas City 5 -- Magglio Ordonez hit a two-run homer -- his 28th -- to cap a four-run seventh inning for the White Sox at Chicago.

New York 2, Tampa Bay 1 -- At St. Petersburg, Fla., Alfonso Soriano tied a major league record with his 12th leadoff homer of the season, sending the Yankees to their 11th win in 13 games. Soriano’s 33rd homer tied the record set by Baltimore’s Brady Anderson in 1996.

Boston 2, Cleveland 0 -- At Cleveland, John Burkett (11-8) gave up only three hits in seven-plus innings and Nomar Garciaparra homered.

Toronto 5, Baltimore 2 -- The win for the Blue Jays at Baltimore clinched third place in the East Division for the sixth consecutive season.