Red Sox Streak Is Ended by Rangers

The Boston Red Sox lost for the first time in 11 games, falling to the Texas Rangers, 8-6, Saturday at Fenway Park and missing a chance to pull to within 1 1/2 games of the New York Yankees in the East Division.

Michael Young hit a three-run homer and Rod Barajas hit a two-run shot for Texas, which ended a five-game losing streak and pulled to within six games of the Red Sox in the wild-card race.

The Red Sox, who had won 10 in a row and 16 of 17 to climb from 10 1/2 games back in the East, remained 2 1/2 games behind the division-leading Yankees. New York lost to Baltimore, 7-0, and had the Red Sox won, they could have pulled within 1 1/2 games for the first time since June 2, when they began the day one game back.

It was Boston’s longest winning streak since winning 12 straight Aug. 3 to Aug. 14, 1995, the year the Red Sox last won the East title. Since then, the Yankees have won eight straight division crowns.

Mark Bellhorn hit his second career grand slam and David Ortiz hit a solo shot for Boston, which rallied from an 8-1 deficit with a five-run seventh.

Chris Young, a 25-year-old right-hander making his third major league start, threw mostly fastballs in holding Boston to two hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings for his first major league win. He struck out five and walked two.

Oakland 9, Toronto 5 -- At Toronto, the Athletics scored twice on wild pitches to tie the score at 5-5, and Eric Byrnes hit a three-run double in the ninth inning to give them their 16th win in 18 games.

Oakland pulled within 5-4 in the eighth on a wild pitch from Vinnie Chulk, then tied it in the ninth on another from Jason Frasor (4-5).

Mark McLemore put the A’s ahead with a sacrifice fly before Byrnes’ double.

A’s right fielder Jermaine Dye didn’t play because of a broken left thumb and is out indefinitely.

Chicago 8, Seattle 7 -- Ichiro Suzuki went five for five, but Paul Konerko hit two home runs and Mark Buehrle (13-8) pitched seven strong innings to lead the White Sox at Chicago.

Suzuki leads the majors with 223 hits, 34 short of the all-time single-season record of 257 set by George Sisler in 1920 with the St. Louis Browns.

Minnesota 4, Kansas City 3 -- Terry Tiffee led off the bottom of the ninth with his first major league home run to give the Twins their fifth straight victory. J.C. Romero (6-1) struck out the side in the ninth to extend his club-record scoreless streak to 33 2/3 innings.