The words "Fourth Quarter" were scribbled at the bottom of the lineup card. They were Butch Hobson's way of reminding his Boston Red Sox that time was running out in the AL East race.

But after Sunday's fourth straight loss to Cleveland, the Boston manager - a former quarterback who often describes things in football terms - may have to resort to a two-minute drill.Boston was just one game out of first when it began a 12-game homestand on Aug. 10. After losing nine of those 12 games, the fourth-place Red Sox are six games behind first-place Toronto.

"This homestand didn't go well. We had chances to score runs, but unfortunately we didn't do it," Mike Greenwell said.

The Red Sox, who stranded 16 runners Sunday, lost 3-2 on Reggie Jefferson's run-scoring grounder in the 11th inning as the Indians completed their first four-game series sweep at Fenway Park in 33 years.

"Before we came here, we said maybe we can win two games," said Carlos Baerga, whose Indians had lost four straight before going to Boston. "We've always had trouble here. It's nice to win four."

Kenny Lofton led off the 11th with a single and went to third on a double by Jim Thome off Ken Ryan (4-1). Lofton scored on a grounder to first by Jefferson, who earlier had extended his hitting streak to 18 games with an infield single in the ninth.

Tom Kramer (6-3) pitched 41/3 scoreless innings for the win. Jerry DiPoto got three outs for his third save.

The Indians rallied for two runs with two outs in the eighth to overshadow the heroic Red Sox debut of Rob Deer, who homered on his first swing for Boston and made a diving catch in the seventh to save two runs.

Deer, traded from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, hit a 3-0 pitch high into the screen atop the left-field wall leading off the second inning. It was his 15th of the season. Andre Dawson also homered for Boston, his 11th.

Aaron Sele allowed three hits in seven innings for Boston and left the game with a 2-0 lead. Sele, who made his major-league debut in June, has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his 11 starts.

Derek Lilliquist, making his first start for Cleveland after 116 relief appearances over the past two seasons, allowed two runs and eight hits in 52/3 innings.

Blue Jays 12, Mariners 7

Tony Fernandez and Ed Sprague drove in two runs each in a five-run seventh inning as Toronto rallied after blowing a 5-0 lead to beat Seattle at the SkyDome.

Devon White started the seventh with his 14th home run to make it 6-6 against Chris Bosio and Roberto Alomar followed with a single off reliever Steve Ontiveros (0-1).

John Olerud reached on a one-out walk from Russ Swan and after Alomar stole third and Jeff Nelson walked, Paul Molitor was intentionally walked to load the bases. Fernandez then hit a two-run single and Sprague followed with a two-run double over the first-base bag to cap the inning.

Juan Guzman (10-3) allowed six runs, three earned, on seven hits in seven innings as the Blue Jays salvaged the finale of a three-game series.

Royals 7, Yankees 0

Chris Haney pitched a four-hitter for his first shutout of the season as Kansas City averted a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium. Mike Macfarlane's career-high 18th home run in the second inning gave Haney all the support he needed.

Haney (9-5) worked around a season-high five walks and struck out five. Melido Perez (6-12) took the loss.

White Sox 1, Twins 0

Jack McDowell (20-7) became baseball's first 20-game winner, escaping trouble on several occasions in pitching Chicago over Minnesota at the Metrodome. Frank Thomas hit his 33rd homer in the first inning off Jim Deshaies (11-12).

McDowell allowed eight hits in his fourth shutout and eighth complete game.

Rangers 11, Orioles 4

Butch Davis hit the first inside-the-park homer at Camden Yards, and Rafael Palmeiro and Dean Palmer also homered as Texas ended Baltimore's nine-game home winning streak. Palmer, who had two hits and drove in three runs, is 8-for-17 with three homers and eight RBI in his last four games.

Winner Kevin Brown (10-9) struck out seven, allowed 10 hits and walked four in 7 2/3 innings. Arthur Rhodes fell to 3-3.

Tigers 5, Athletics 3

Alan Trammell had three hits for the second straight game to help Detroit beat Oakland at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers have won five of their last six games, and are four over .500 (65-61) for the first time since July 26.

Winner Tom Bolton (4-5) pitched six strong innings for the third time in four starts since rejoining the rotation.

Todd Van Poppel (4-4) had his four-game winning streak snapped. He allowed five hits in five innings and six walks led to two runs.

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Brewers 7, Angels 5

Tom Lampkin scored twice and drove in a run without getting a hit as Milwaukee beat California at Anaheim.

Doug Henry (4-4) was the winner with 22/3 innings in relief of Jaime Navarro, who could not protect a 5-0 lead. Jesse Orosco pitched the ninth inning for his third save.

Milwaukee took the lead in the second with five runs against left-hander Joe Magrane, making his AL debut following his release by St. Louis.

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