AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Red Sox Fall; Blue Jays Cut Lead to One

The Chicago White Sox spent three quarters of the season making a race of it in the American League West. They spent the weekend making sure there’s still a race in the Eastern Division.

Catcher Ron Karkovice, the eventual successor to Carlton Fisk, drove in two runs and scored another Sunday at Chicago as the White Sox completed a four-game sweep over the slumping Boston Red Sox with a 4-2 victory.

The Red Sox lead over Toronto is one game after losing 10 of their last 14 games. When they moved into Chicago Thursday night, they had a four-game lead.

Although it wasn’t one of his best efforts, Bobby Thigpen finished for the third game in a row and extended his record for saves to 51. He inherited a 4-1 lead, gave up a run and had the bases loaded when he caught Jody Reed’s liner to end the game.

Manager Joe Morgan of the Red Sox said his worse fears were realized.

“This is the series I feared all month,” he said. “We don’t play well here and we don’t get any breaks.

“I’ll be glad to get the hell out of here. Have you ever seen so many cheap hits in your life?”

Eric King (10-4) went seven innings, giving up five hits, and Barry Jones pitched a perfect eighth before Thigpen came in.

Mike Greenwell singled with one out before Thigpen struck out Tom Brunansky. Mike Marshall followed with his third hit of the game, and Tony Pena singled in the run. After a walk to Danny Heep, Reed lined out.

Dwight Evans singled in the first run and said he was encouraged by the way they they closed it out.

“We showed some character,” he said. “I think that’s a good sign. We lost, but I’m excited about the last inning. Maybe that’s what we needed.”

The Red Sox announced that ailing right-handed pitcher Roger Clemens will throw hard Tuesday and if there are no complications, he will start against New York Friday night.

Toronto 6, Baltimore 5--Less than two weeks ago the Blue Jays were tight, tense and appeared to be waiting for next year.

A sudden turn of events has them loose, swinging freely and driving toward their second pennant in a row.

For the third consecutive game the Blue Jays pulled out victory in their last at-bat at Toronto to close to within a game of first place in the East.

After bullpen ace Tom Henke was tagged for a two-run home run by Dave Segui, his first, to tie the game in the eighth inning, the Blue Jays won it in the ninth.

In two previous games they came from behind. Tony Fernandez singled and stole second to start the rally this time. He went to third on an infield out and Fred McGriff was given an intentional walk.

With the outfield playing in, reliever Gregg Olson jammed George Bell, who blooped the ball into right-center. It should have been a game-winning single, but when McGriff didn’t run to second, it was a game-winning forceout.

Oakland 5, Minnesota 4--A couple of weeks ago, it appeared the Athletics’ three-game series with the White Sox beginning tonight would be important.

It isn’t. Barring a complete collapse, the Athletics, with a 10-game lead and 16 games left, are a cinch for their third title in a row in the West.

Walt Weiss singled with two out in the 11th at Oakland to drive in the winning run and reduce the A’s magic number to seven.

The A’s have won nine of their last 11 to prevent the White Sox from challenging them.

The Twins scored four times in the second inning to chase Curt Young, but Jose Canseco and Terry Steinbach hit two-run homers in the fourth to tie it.

Mark McGwire, who had three hits, doubled with two out in the 11th and Weiss, after just missing a home run, hit a line drive inside first to give Dennis Eckersley (4-2) the victory.

Detroit 5, New York 2--Cecil Fielder keeps saying he’s in a slump, but nobody believes him.

The Tiger first baseman hit his 47th homer, a two-run shot in the fifth inning at Detroit. It was his fifth in 14 games and gave him 120 RBIs.

Fielder has 14 games left and needs three home runs to be the first American Leaguer to hit 50 home runs since Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle both did it in 1961.

Kansas City 9, Cleveland 6--Bo Jackson led off the seventh inning at Kansas City with his 25th home run to key a three-run inning that put the Royals in front to stay.

George Brett homered and singled and is hitting .325, two points behind Oakland’s Rickey Henderson, the league leader.

Milwaukee 5, Texas 3--Ron Robinson (11-3) went six innings to win his seventh consecutive decision and end the Rangers’ seven-game home winning streak.