Red Sox avoid rare 3-game slide

Boston back on winning track with 8-6 triumph over Tampa Bay

? The Boston Red Sox just want to keep winning.

Manny Ramirez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly, and Kevin Millar and Mark Bellhorn had two-run homers Wednesday night to lift the Red Sox to a hard-earned 8-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Red Sox, who remained four games behind the New York Yankees, avoided losing three straight for the first time since July 2. They began Wednesday with a 41/2-game lead over Anaheim in the wild-card race. Coming off a 5-2 defeat against Tampa Bay on Tuesday, with Pedro Martinez taking the loss, the Red Sox weren’t about to let up.

“Sometimes you hear so much about the teams that are in first place that you lose focus like we did last night,” Bellhorn said.

The Red Sox blew three leads before Ramirez put them ahead to stay in the sixth.

“It wasn’t pretty, but (it was) a good win for the team,” Millar said.

With the score tied at 6, Boston loaded the bases with no outs on walks by Doug Mirabelli, Kevin Youkilis and Johnny Damon. One batter later, Ramirez lined out to right, scoring pinch-runner Adam Hyzdu.

Rangers 10, Athletics 3

Oakland, Calif. — Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer off Mark Mulder, and Texas defeated Oakland. Hank Blalock had a homer and a two-run double, and Alfonso Soriano also homered and drove in two runs for the Rangers, who have won two of three in the key four-game series against the struggling division leaders.

Boston's Manny Ramirez watches the flight of his tiebreaking sacrifice fly. The Red Sox defeated Tampa Bay, 8-6, Wednesday night in Boston.

Teixeira’s 36th homer in the sixth inning was the decisive blow against Mulder, who failed in his fourth attempt to get his 18th win.

The Rangers’ playoff hopes seemed dead last week, but they moved within four games of the A’s, who remained two games ahead of second-place Anaheim after Seattle’s 1-0 victory over the Angels. Texas hasn’t made the playoffs since 1999.

With extra security officers seated near the Texas bullpen after Monday’s chair-throwing brouhaha, the Rangers won for the fifth time in six games.

Mariners 1, Angels 0

Seattle — Ryan Franklin ended an 11-game losing streak, outpitching John Lackey to lead Seattle over Anaheim. Franklin (4-15), who hadn’t won in 17 starts since June 5, tied a career best by allowing just two hits. He walked two and struck out four while throwing his second career shutout and third complete game. Franklin retired 18 batters in a row before walking Vladimir Guerrero with two out in the ninth.

Blue Jays 3, Orioles 0

Toronto — Ted Lilly pitched eight scoreless innings and Toronto ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over Baltimore. Lilly (11-10) won consecutive decisions for the first time since June 8. The All-Star left-hander allowed six hits, while striking out six and walking two.

Indians 5, Tigers 3

Cleveland — Ben Broussard’s two-run double sparked a three-run eighth inning, sending Cleveland over Detroit. Broussard pulled the first pitch from Esteban Yan (2-4) just inside the first-base bag with two outs to put Cleveland ahead 4-3. Ryan Ludwick followed with an RBI double that was inches fair down the left-field line to make it 5-3. The Indians snapped a three-game losing streak.

Twins 6, White Sox 1

Minneapolis — Carlos Silva pitched one-hit ball into the sixth inning before leaving because of a bruised right ankle, and Minnesota won its eighth in a row. Minnesota reduced its magic number to six for clinching the division. The AL Central leader has a 121/2-game cushion over second-place Chicago.