Red Sox Defeat Yankees Again

The Red Sox polished off a big weekend with another win over the New York Yankees when Gabe Kapler’s RBI single in the eighth inning provided a 5-4 victory Monday at Boston.

“Taking three of four from the Yankees is a tough thing to do in any venue,” Kapler said.

Things didn’t go well early at Fenway Park for Kapler or the Red Sox. He looked foolish on the bases in the second inning, twice forgetting how many outs there were, and Boston fell behind 4-1.

Alex Rodriguez, hitless in his first 16 at-bats in the series, finally singled with two out in the ninth but was stranded when Jason Giambi struck out against Keith Foulke.

“It was an awful series for me personally,” Rodriguez said. “I feel good. I’m confident I’m going to come out if it. It’s one bad series.”

Kapler had been struggling with five hits in 29 at-bats before singling in Boston’s first run in the second.

Then, losing track that there were two out, he held up to make sure Pokey Reese’s single fell into the right-field corner and had to stop at second.

Kapler held up again when the next batter, Johnny Damon, flied out to end the inning.

Those mistakes didn’t cost Boston a run, but Kapler didn’t think his winning hit made up for them.

“There’s no making up for that,” he said. “There’s absolutely no excuse for that in a spring training game, in a Little League game.”

Manny Ramirez made an outstanding catch while banging into the left-field wall on Bernie Williams’ one-out drive to left in the ninth.

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Detroit 10, Cleveland 4 -- Indian reliever Jake Westbrook pitched seven perfect innings, but Rondell White hit a three-run homer in a six-run eighth and the Tigers won at Cleveland.

Westbrook, who struck out seven in seven innings, came on to pitch with the Indians trailing, 4-0, in the first inning after a 65-minute rain delay. Before the rain shower and hailstorm, Indian starter Jeff D’Amico gave up four runs. In 12 minutes, D’Amico faced six batters and did not get an out.

For the second game in a row, a Tiger outfielder was hurt. Bobby Higginson hobbled off in the seventh after he injured his right leg fielding a single to right by Omar Vizquel.

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Seattle 2, Oakland 1 -- Quinton McCracken scored the winning run in the bottom of the 14th at Seattle on a balk by A’s reliever Justin Duchscherer.

McCracken singled to left with one out in the inning, and advanced to third on Bret Boone’s single to right.