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AL: Red Sox run out of chances

CHICAGO -- They've won more than 90 games and have had what most would consider a stellar season. Still, the Boston Red Sox will miss the postseason.

Their slim hopes for a playoff spot were officially ended Wednesday night when the White Sox hit three homers in a 7-2 victory, eliminating Boston from the wild-card chase.

"We tried to prolong it as long as we could," first-year manager Grady Little said.

"It was a situation where for this thing to happen, we had to win 10 in a row and (the Angels) had to lose eight in a row.

"It is possible, but it was definitely a long shot. But as long as you still have a pulse, you have hope."

With an eye on the scoreboard at the Anaheim-Texas game, the Red Sox sent 21-game winner Derek Lowe out, but he gave up five runs and two homers in seven innings.

"It's frustrating first from the team standpoint because it knocks out of the playoffs," Lowe said.

"You go out there and you're still in it, having it be a long shot but you're still in if you can keep winning. Anytime you give up five runs, you're not happy. It's not the way you want to end."

Boston needed to win its final five games and have Anaheim lose its last five to set up a playoff for the wild card. The Angels did lose, but by then it was too late for the Red Sox.

"It's probably going to be a long night, you try to think what we could have done to possibly get to the postseason," Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon said.

"We had a good year, but unfortunately some teams had better years than we did."

RANGERS 4, ANGELS 3: Anaheim missed another chance to clinch a playoff spot on its own, losing to host Texas on Rafael Palmeiro's home run in the eighth.

The Angels lost their fourth straight game, the third in a row in which they could have clinched their first playoff berth since 1986. Their magic number to clinch remained at one when the Mariners beat the A's.

Anaheim remained 3 behind West-leading Oakland.

Rookie Hank Blalock and Alex Rodriguez hit consecutive homers off Ramon Ortiz to put Texas ahead 2-0 in the third. A-Rod leads the majors with 57 homers and 140 RBIs.

Palmeiro and Rodriguez homered in the same game for the 16th time this season, a major-league record.

MARINERS 3, A'S 2: Mike Cameron hit a two-run homer in the ninth off former Rays reliever Jim Mecir as visiting Seattle rallied, preventing Oakland from clinching the West.

Scott Hatteberg hit a two-run homer in the third and Tim Hudson pitched seven strong innings for the Athletics, who blew a late lead against the Mariners for the second straight game.

TWINS 7, INDIANS 5 (12): David Ortiz hit a two-run homer in the 12th as host Minnesota overcame two home runs by Cleveland's Jim Thome, giving him 50 for the season.

The Twins tied it at 5 in the ninth. Doug Mientkiewicz singled to center to lead off and advanced to second on Coco Crisp's error. Michael Cuddyer then singled to center, driving in pinch-runner Denny Hocking.

TIGERS 7, ROYALS 6 (12): Chris Truby hit a sacrifice fly in the 12th for visiting Detroit. Tigers shortstop Omar Infante let Raul Ibanez's potential double-play grounder roll through his legs with one out in the ninth, and Joe Randa's run-scoring single tied it at 6.

BLUE JAYS 3, ORIOLES 2: Vernon Wells homered to reach 100 RBIs and host Toronto sent Baltimore to its eighth loss in a row. Wells' 23rd homer made the 23-year-old outfielder the youngest Blue Jays player to drive in 100 runs.

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