AL: Chisox halt collapse

CHICAGO - Joe Crede hit two home runs, including a winning shot leading off the 10th inning, and the White Sox increased their Central lead to 31/2 games with a 7-6 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.

Chicago snapped the Indians' six-game winning streak and sent them to their second loss in 15 games. The three-game series ends tonight.

Crede turned on a 1-and-0 pitch from David Riske, sending it an estimated 422 feet to left for his 19th homer. It was the fifth game-ending homer of Crede's career and his first since September 2004 against Kansas City.

Dustin Hermanson pitched a scoreless 10th for the win.

The White Sox scored three in the seventh to take a 6-5 lead, but Cleveland tied it against Bobby Jenks in the ninth.

Aaron Boone hit a two-run homer for the Indians, and Travis Hafner and Casey Blake also homered. Coco Crisp had three hits.

Cleveland, which rallied for a 7-5 victory Monday, appeared poised for its seventh straight win after the top of the seventh.

Blake hit a 2-and-2 pitch over the centerfield fence leading off the inning for his 22nd homer, chasing White Sox starter Mark Buehrle, and Hafner added a run-scoring double off Neal Cotts to make it 5-3. After Victor Martinez was walked intentionally to load the bases, Cliff Politte relieved, and Ronnie Belliard ended the threat with a double-play grounder.

A White Sox team that led the division by 15 games Aug. 1 but had lost eight of 11 didn't go away.

Carl Everett's double off the rightfield wall chased Indians starter Jake Westbrook with one out in the seventh.

Bob Howry relieved, and the Indians unraveled. After Paul Konerko walked, A.J. Pierzynski drove in Everett with a double to the rightfield corner, and the Indians walked Jermaine Dye intentionally to load the bases.

Aaron Rowand sent a sacrifice fly to right to drive in Konerko with the tying run. Cleveland first baseman Jose Hernandez cut off the throw home and threw wildly to third for an error, allowing Pierzynski to score for a 6-5 White Sox lead.

Jenks relieved in the ninth and blew his second save chance in two nights. He walked Jhonny Peralta leading off the inning and allowed Martinez's run-scoring double to center with one out on a ball that Rowand misjudged.

YANKEES 12, ORIOLES 9: Gary Sheffield hit a grand slam and drove in six, Jorge Posada added a three-run homer and host New York kept the pressure on in two playoff races.

Aaron Small was not sharp but didn't need to be to remain unbeaten. The Yankees gave him plenty of early support by scoring four in the first and five in the second, taking advantage of some horrendous Baltimore defense.

The Yankees have won eight of nine and climbed 24 games above .500 for the first time this season. New York remained a half-game behind first-place Boston in the East and moved within a half-game of Cleveland in the wild-card race.

ANGELS 2, RANGERS 1: Bartolo Colon won his league-leading 20th game, becoming the first Angels pitcher to reach that mark since Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan in 1974, as host Los Angeles won its fourth straight. Colon held Texas, which had won five in a row, scoreless through 62/3 innings.

A'S 8, TWINS 3: Joe Blanton won his third straight start, Jason Kendall drove in three runs to match his season high as the Oakland Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins Tuesday night. Mark Ellis added a two-run single for the A's, who remained 1 1/2 games behind AL West-leading Los Angeles.

ROYALS 5-4, TIGERS 4-2: Zack Greinke pitched seven strong innings and Emil Brown and Chip Ambres homered in the nightcap as host Kansas City swept. Mike Sweeney's double with two outs in the ninth drove in Aaron Guiel with the winner in the opener.

BLUE JAYS 6, MARINERS 4: Vernon Wells and Gregg Zaun homered and Josh Towers pitched into the seventh for host Toronto.

[Last modified September 21, 2005, 01:05:03]