CLEVELAND - The Indians fell short of moving within a percentage point of the Central lead. They got the Twins' attention though.
It took 41-year-old Terry Mulholland to slow Cleveland's hitters and give Minnesota the chance to rally for its second win in eight games.
Corey Koskie hit a two-run homer in the 10th, and the Twins overcame a two-run deficit for a 4-2 win Sunday that gave them a two-game lead over the second-place Indians.
Cleveland had won six straight and 10 of 11, taking the first two of the series by six-run margins.
"We're happy to leave here in first place," Mulholland said. "I think both these teams are going to be playing some fun baseball."
The teams have 10 games remaining against each other.
"I think they know already. We're going to play," Cleveland's Ronnie Belliard said.
After Lew Ford was hit by a pitch in the 10th, Koskie hit a 1-and-2 pitch from former Devil Ray Rick White for his 17th homer.
Joe Nathan earned his 34th save in 35 chances. He has not allowed a run in 27 appearances.
The Indians put two runners in scoring position in the ninth, but Juan Rincon retired Belliard - his only batter - on a lineout to center.
"We brought in our lucky charm. He's the vulture. He just picks up wins," Mulholland said.
Mulholland allowed two runs and six hits in eight innings, his longest outing since 2000, when he was with Atlanta.
"He got us in place to win after getting shellacked here twice," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It is nice to get out of here with a win."
WHITE SOX 5, RED SOX 4: Mark Buehrle rebounded after walking three in the first, and Shingo Takatsu overcame bases-loaded jams in the last two innings for visiting Chicago.
Buehrle, who walked three batters in just one of his previous 25 starts this season, walked four in the first two innings but led 2-0 before allowing two runs in the sixth.
Juan Uribe's sacrifice fly off Bronson Arroyo broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh. Arroyo, a former Hernando High star, retired his first 10 batters.
"Early on he was exceptional," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "Getting out of the sixth, it was starting to wear on him a little bit."
Boston is tied for the wild-card lead with Texas, less than a percentage point ahead of Anaheim.
MARINERS 7, YANKEES 3: Edgar Martinez hit a go-ahead single and Miguel Olivo had two hits and two RBIs in a six-run seventh inning as host Seattle stopped New York's four-game winning steak.
Last-place Seattle, 3-6 against the Yankees this season, came from behind to win for the 20th time.
Gil Meche won his second straight start.
Kevin Brown made his fourth start since coming off the disabled list on July 30 with a strained lower back and an intestinal parasite. He allowed three runs and seven hits in 61/3 innings and struck out six.
"I don't know about velocity if it is where he wanted it to be, but I saw life on the fastball, movement on the sinker, movement on the split finger," catcher John Flaherty said. "He had all that working."
Yankees No. 1 catcher Jorge Posada missed a second straight game with a viral infection.
ROYALS 6, ATHLETICS 1: Joe Randa hit a three-run double with two outs in the seventh to spoil a strong start by Barry Zito and lead Kansas City.
David DeJesus singled in the ninth to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, a Royals rookie record that matches the club's longest this year.
Kansas City surprised the West leaders by taking two of three, the first time in a month the Royals have won a road series and the first time this season the A's have lost back-to-back home series.
"Disappointing, very disappointing," A's manager Ken Macha said.
ANGELS 3, TIGERS 2: Darin Erstad doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth for host Anaheim.
David Eckstein drew a two-out walk in the eighth, stole second and scored when Erstad grounded Jason Johnson's 1-and-2 pitch down the line past first baseman Carlos Pena.
Angels centerfielder Garret Anderson committed his second error of the season, helping set up the tying run in the seventh. Anderson misplayed Nook Logan's leadoff single into two bases, nonchalantly trying to backhand the ball.
ORIOLES 11, BLUE JAYS 7: David Newhan had four hits, including a go-ahead double in visiting Baltimore's eight-run eighth inning, and the Orioles rallied from six down to win their fourth straight series. Toronto is 2-5 since John Gibbons replaced Carlos Tosca as manager.
