AL: Boston's Ortiz still hurting Angels

BOSTON - By the time David Ortiz got to the clubhouse, Red Sox owner John Henry was waiting with a plaque commemorating Big Papi's contributions to the team's long-awaited success.

"David Ortiz

"No. 34

"The greatest clutch hitter in the history of the Boston Red Sox."

As if anyone in Boston, or Los Angeles, could forget.

Ortiz hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth Tuesday night to send the Red Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Angels, the team he knocked out of the playoffs last fall en route to Boston's first World Series title in 86 years.

"For a minute," Ortiz said, "it gave me a flashback for what happened last year."

The genial slugger batted .545 in the division series and homered with two outs in the 10th inning of Game 3 to complete the sweep. He had two more game-ending hits in the AL Championship Series against the Yankees. He has seven walkoff homers in his career.

"It's incredible how he does things the way he does them," said Tim Wakefield, who gave Boston its second complete game in three days. "He's Mr. Clutch. He proved that last postseason. He did it again tonight for us."

Boston led 2-0 before the Angels tied it with runs in the sixth and seventh. Both teams squandered chances to take the lead, leaving it tied when Scot Shields struck out Edgar Renteria to start the ninth.

Ortiz, who struck out with runners on second and third and no outs in the seventh, took three straight balls and fouled off two pitches before hitting one halfway up the grandstand in right. It was his 38th homer of the season and his league-leading 120th RBI.

"You never get tired of it," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "We've seen it so many times. I hope we see it a bunch more."

MARINERS 3, A'S 2: Mike Morse hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh and Joel Pineiro ended a three-start winless stretch with eight strong innings, leading visiting Seattle.

Oakland lost its fourth straight and remained 11/2 behind the first-place Angels in the West and 11/2 behind the Yankees in the wild-card standings.

RANGERS 10, TWINS 7: Mark Teixeira's three-run homer in the ninth made him the fifth player in history to hit 100 in his first three seasons and lifted Texas.

Teixeira's 433-foot blast off Minnesota closer Joe Nathan capped a wild night at the Metrodome and allowed him to join Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Kiner, Eddie Mathews and Albert Pujols on the elite list.

INDIANS 6, TIGERS 1: Cliff Lee allowed four hits over eight shutout innings to lead visiting Cleveland. Grady Sizemore, Coco Crisp and Aaron Boone homered to account for the Indians' runs. Crisp had three hits and stole a base.

WHITE SOX 6, ROYALS 5: Paul Konerko homered for the third straight game and Juan Uribe for the second straight to lead host Chicago to its sixth consecutive victory.

ORIOLES 5, BLUE JAYS 0: Daniel Cabrera came off the disabled list to pitch seven four-hit innings and Javy Lopez drove in three to lead host Baltimore.

[Last modified September 7, 2005, 01:03:06]