The California Angels lost their ninth straight game and dropped 11/2 games behind in the wild-card standings Saturday night as the Texas Rangers scored five runs in the first inning and won 5-1.
Juan Gonzalez keyed the five-run inning with a three-run homer and Roger Pavlik (10-9) won his fourth straight decision. Texas is 31/2 games behind New York and two behind the Angels in the wild-card race.California starter Chuck Finley (13-12) gave up hits to the first five hitters he faced, including Gonzalez's 26th homer, Mickey Tettleton's 27th and an RBI single to Will Clark.
The Angels, in the midst of one of the biggest collapses in baseball history, matched their longest losing streak of the season and lost for the 27th time in 35 games.
Mariners 7, Athletics 0
At Seattle, Jay Buhner hit two homers, Randy Johnson struck out 15 and Seattle beat Oakland before the 10th sellout crowd in team history.
The victory, combined with California's 5-1 loss at Texas, gave Seattle a two-game lead in the AL West. The A's were mathematically eliminated from the AL West race, although they're still alive in the wild card race.
Buhner hit his 36th and 37th home runs, giving him 11 in his last 17 games. It was Buhner's fourth two-homer game of the season and the 12th of his career.
Yankees 5, Tigers 2
Yankees 3, Tigers 1
At New York, David Cone and Scott Kamieniecki pitched the Yankees into sole possession of the wild-card lead.
The Yankees have won six straight overall and 10 in a row at home. The two victories moved New York a full game ahead of California, which played at night in Texas, in the race for the final playoff spot.
Cone (17-8) struck out 10 and allowed four hits in eight innings.
Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 0
Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 6
At Boston, Ed Sprague drove in three runs with a double and a sacrifice fly in the second game of the split doubleheader as Toronto stopped its five-game losing streak.
Roger Clemens (9-5) allowed four hits in six innings and combined with five relievers on a seven-hitter as Boston won the opener.
In the second game, Jeff Ware (2-1) allowed six runs and seven hits in 61/3 innings. Tony Castillo pitched 22/3 innings for his 13th save. Tim Wakefield (16-6) lost his third straight decision.
White Sox 14, Twins 4
At Minneapolis, Lance Johnson tied AL records by tripling three times and going 6-for-6 as Chicago remained perfect in eight games against Minnesota this season.
Johnson tied several AL players with three triples in a game, the last Minnesota's Ken Landreaux on July 3, 1980. The NL record is four by New York's Bill Joyce on May 18, 1897.
Johnson, who drove in four runs and scored four, also matched the AL record for hits in a nine-inning game. Wilbert Robinson of Brooklyn (1892) and Rennie Stennett of Pittsburgh (1975) share the NL record of seven hits.
Indians 7, Royals 3
At Kansas City, Mo., Albert Belle hit his 45th and 46th homers, setting a Cleveland record for extra-base hits in a season.
Kansas City, which lost its sixth straight, dropped 51/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the wild-card race. The Royals have seven games remaining.
Orioles 9, Brewers 3
At Milwaukee, Rafael Palmeiro, Chris Hoiles and Jeff Huson homered in a five-run fourth inning and Cal Ripken added a two-run shot in the ninth.
It was the Orioles' fourth straight victory and the Brewers' 20th loss in 25 games.
National League
Giants 2, Rockies 0
At San Francisco, the Colorado Rockies stumbled in their postseason drive Saturday, losing to the San Francisco Giants as pinch-hitter Mark Carreon hit a bases-loaded RBI single in the sixth off Bryan Rekar (4-5).
Colorado, which got just two hits, began the day 11/2 games ahead of second-place Los Angeles in the NL West.
Dodgers 4, Padres 2
At Los Angeles, Chris Gwynn pinch-hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give Los Angeles a victory that moved it within a half-game of first place in the NL West.
The Dodgers gained a game on the Rockies, who lost 2-0 at San Francisco. Los Angeles also maintained its 11/2-game lead over Houston in the wild card standings. The Astros beat St. Louis 7-3.
Astros 7, Cardinals 3
At Houston, Dave Magadan drove in two runs and rookie Donne Wall won his third straight start.
Wall (3-1) allowed consecutive singles in each of the first two innings, then retired 12 straight batters from the second through the fifth innings. Overall, he gave up one run and six hits in six innings.
Cubs 8, Pirates 5
At Chicago, Jose Hernandez hit a tie-breaking homer in the sixth inning and Mark Grace added a two-run single.
Jim Bullinger (12-8) gave up six hits in six innings and won for only the second time in his last eight starts. Randy Myers relieved with two on and no outs in the ninth and finished for his 36th save in 42 chances.
Expos 5, Braves 2
At Atlanta, Rondell White broke a 2-2 tie with a solo home run off Greg McMichael (7-2) in a two-run eighth inning, helping send Montreal to only its fourth win in 11 games.
Pedro Martinez (14-8) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, struck out six and walked three. Mel Rojas pitched the ninth for his 29th save.
Marlins 4, Mets 3
At Miami, Gary Sheffield broke a 3-3 tie with his 10th homer of the month, a solo shot with two outs in the seventh off Bobby Jones (9-10).
Chris Hammond (8-6) won for the first time since July 28, allowing three earned runs and eight hits in seven innings with six strikeouts. Robb Nen worked the ninth and got his 22nd save.
Phillies 3, Reds 2
At Philadelphia, Mark Whiten tied the game with a two-out solo homer in the ninth and won it in the 13th when Xavier Hernandez (7-2) walked him on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded.