Huff’s Hit Defeats Schilling, Red Sox

Suddenly, Tampa Bay is not playing like a last-place team.

The Devil Rays matched their longest winning streak this season with their fourth consecutive victory, beating Curt Schilling and the Boston Red Sox, 4-3, Monday night at St. Petersburg, Fla., on Aubrey Huff’s two-out double in the 10th inning.

“We let one slip away,” Red Sox pitcher David Wells said. “This team is not easy as everybody thinks. They’ve got a good ballclub over there. They make things happen, so you’ve got to make good pitches.”

Jorge Cantu scored from first base when the game-winning hit against Schilling (2-4) soared over right fielder Trot Nixon’s head and caromed off the wall past Nixon to end Boston’s first extra-inning game this season.

“I knew it was over his head. I just wanted a good kick off the wall,” Huff said.

Schilling lost for the second time since returning from the disabled list July 13 and taking over the closer’s job instead of moving back into the rotation.

Boston’s lead in the American League East shrunk to one game over second-place New York.

Oakland 13, Cleveland 4 -- Eric Chavez homered twice and drove in four runs, Barry Zito (9-8) won his sixth start in a row and the host Athletics won their seventh consecutive game.

Mark Ellis hit a two-run double, Dan Johnson and Jason Kendall each drove in two runs, and Bobby Kielty had a run-scoring double to help the A’s take over sole possession of the AL wild-card lead, half a game ahead of idle Minnesota.

They also moved within a victory of matching their longest winning streak this season.

Oakland, known for its second-half surges in recent years, is 10-2 since the All-Star break, the best record in the majors.

Chicago 14, Kansas City 6 -- Jermaine Dye had three hits and drove in four runs, and Juan Uribe homered and had three runs batted at Kansas City, Mo.

Podsednik stole his AL-leading 51st base for the White Sox, who matched a season high with 22 hits and improved to 10-0 against the Royals this season.

Freddy Garcia (10-4) gave up five runs and 12 hits in six innings. The White Sox became the first team in the AL with three 10-game winners -- Garcia, Jon Garland (15-4) and Mark Buehrle (11-3).

Texas 4, Baltimore 2 -- Alfonso Soriano had three hits, including a home run, and drove in two runs at Baltimore to help the Rangers end a five-game skid.

Joaquin Benoit (2-1) blanked Baltimore on four hits over five innings in his second start this season.

Jay Gibbons homered for the Orioles, who dropped to two games over .500 (50-48) for the first time since April 21.

Seattle 5, Detroit 3 -- Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre hit consecutive home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Beltre had a run-scoring single in the seventh to help lift the Mariners.

The Tigers tied the score, 3-3, in the seventh on Brandon Inge’s two-out single and consecutive walks to Carlos Guillen, Chris Shelton and Magglio Ordonez.