Nolan Ryan and Goose Gossage had Boston's number. They also shared one of their own.
Ryan recorded his 308th career victory and Gossage got his 308th save, leading the Texas Rangers past the Red Sox 5-4 on Tuesday night."The important thing is to win and it doesn't matter if I get it or not," Ryan said. "It was nice to see Goose throw well and get the save, as rough as things have been on him."
Gossage's save was his first since Aug. 21, 1989, when he earned one against the Red Sox while with the New York Yankees.
"I don't look at stats," Gossage said. "The important thing is I finally helped out the bullpen. That's what it's all about."
In what turned out be an Old-Timers game that counted, Ryan, 44, set another major league record. He made his 545th consecutive start without a relief appearance; Ryan, who has not relieved since 1974, was tied with Steve Carlton at 544.
Gossage, 40, gave up one hit in 11/3 innings. Ryan and Gossage, however, did not set a record for the oldest tandem to win and save a game - on April 9, 1987, starter Phil Niekro, 48, and Carlton, 42, did the deed for Cleveland.
Texas won its fourth in a row and moved to four games behind Minnesota in the American League West. Boston lost its sixth straight and stayed 91/2 games in back of Toronto in the AL East.
Ryan (6-5) gave up just three hits in seven innings and struck out seven. Still, he trailed 3-0 in the second inning.
"The best thing to describe my performance is that I mixed up a lot of pitches. After I gave up three runs, my sole purpose was not to give up any more and give us a shot at gettting back in it," Ryan said.
Ruben Sierra, too sick to start, hit a two-run, pinch-double that capped a four-run rally in the fifth inning.
Tigers 6, Twins 3
Cecil Fielder hit two homers and drove in five runs as Detroit tagged Jack Morris and tripped Minnesota at Tiger Stadium.
Morris left the game in the second inning after being hit in the right forearm by Milt Cuyler's line drive. X-rays at a hospital were negative, and it will be determined today whether Morris will miss any starts.
Fielder, leading the majors with 26 home runs and 77 RBIs, hit a two-run homer in the first and a three-run shot in the fifth off Allan Anderson (4-8).
White Sox 3, Blue Jays 2
Joey Cora singled home the winning run in the ninth inning and Chicago sent visiting Toronto to its third straight loss.
Carlton Fisk led off with a single against Tom Candiotti (9-9) and Lance Johnson, after trying to sacrifice on the first pitch, slapped a hit-and-run single that sent pinch-runner Ron Karkovice to third. Johnson continued to second when left fielder Joe Carter bobbled the ball and Mike Huff was intentionally walked, bringing up Cora.
Mariners 6, Yankees 1
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his first career grand slam, leading Seattle over New York.
Griffey, who grew up horsing around at Yankee Stadium while his dad - and current teammate - played for New York, connected in the ninth inning off Lee Guetterman. It was his 11th home run of the season and the Mariners' first slam since last Alvin Davis last Sept. 28.
Athletics 10, Indians 7
Pinch-hitter Willie Wilson singled home the go-ahead run in the ninth inning and Oakland went on to win in Cleveland.
Carlos Baerga went 5-for-5, the first five-hit game for the Indians since Joe Carter did it in 1986. Albert Belle homered for the fourth time in four games, but Cleveland still had its three-game winning streak stopped.
Angels 5, Orioles 4
Dave Winfield, Gary Gaetti and Luis Polonia homered, leading Jim Abbott and the Angels at Baltimore.
California had gone 108 innings without a home run until Polonia hit his first of the year in the third inning. Winfield's 19th and Gaetti's ninth made it 4-0 in the fifth.
Randy Milligan hit a grand slam in the eighth, but Bryan Harvey stopped the Orioles in the ninth for his 23rd save.
Royals 8, Brewers 7
Todd Benzinger hit a grand slam and drove in five runs as Kansas City won at home.
Benzinger, acquired this month in a trade that sent Carmelo Martinez to Cincinnati, hit an RBI single and his fourth career slam. Teammate Danny Tartabull took over the league lead in hitting at .333 after singling, walking twice and getting hit by a pitch.