Yankees' Clemens ups mark to 18-1

BOSTON -- Roger Clemens extended his winning streak to 14 when Jorge Posada hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning Friday night to give the New York Yankees a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

The Yankees increased their AL East lead over Boston to seven games, sending the Red Sox to their sixth straight loss. The teams began a stretch in which they play each other seven times in 11 days.

Clemens (18-1), back in the ballpark where he earned many of his 278 career victories, struck out 10 and gave up seven hits in seven innings.

Mariano Rivera got his major league-leading 42nd save in 48 chances. The Red Sox got two runners on base in the ninth, but pinch hitter Troy O'Leary grounded into a double play to end it.

ORIOLES 3, MARINERS 0

BALTIMORE -- Calvin Maduro pitched seven scoreless innings as Baltimore handed Seattle a rare road loss and snapped a six-game skid.

The game was called because of rain with two outs in the ninth inning. The Mariners did not have any runners on base when it was stopped, and the umpires waited 45 minutes before calling it.

ATHLETICS 9, DEVIL RAYS 5

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Eric Chavez drove in three more runs and Jermaine Dye hit a three-run homer as Oakland won its eighth straight road game.

Chavez, who drove in a career-high eight runs in a 15-0 win at Baltimore on Thursday, had a two-run double in the first inning and added a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

The Athletics have put together their longest road winning streak since a nine-gamer April 23-May 3, 1988. Oakland has won six straight overall to take a seven-game lead in the wild card race over Boston.

RANGERS 7, ROYALS 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Rick Helling came within two outs of his fifth career shutout and Ruben Sierra hit his fourth career grand slam as Texas beat Kansas City.

Helling (10-9) held Kansas City scoreless until the ninth when Neifi Perez led off with a single and Mike Sweeney homered with one out.

Mike Lamb hit an inside-the-park homer in the sixth for Texas. Center fielder Carlos Beltran leaped at the wall for Lamb's drive, but the ball bounced back and began rolling into right field.

Paul Byrd (6-6) took the loss.

TWINS 4, ANGELS 1

MINNEAPOLIS -- Brad Radke pitched 7 2-3 strong innings, A.J. Pierzynski and Corey Koskie homered and Minnesota beat Anaheim.

The Twins, trying to stay in the AL Central race, have won five of seven. The Angels lost their season-high fourth in a row.

Radke (12-8) blanked the Angels until the eighth. Todd Jones got four outs for his 13th save in 20 chances.

TIGERS 4, BLUE JAYS 3

TORONTO -- Randall Simon hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning as Detroit beat Toronto .

Simon, nearly hit the head by Pedro Borbon (2-4), homered on the next pitch.

-- From wire reports