Loss to Indians caps miserable day for Red Sox
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Cleveland Indians beat Boston 6-3 on Tuesday, capping a miserable day for the Red Sox who placed catcher Jason Varitek on the disabled list and surrendered top spot in the AL East to the New York Yankees.
The Red Sox announced before the game Varitek was expected to undergo minor surgery on his troublesome left knee, which could sideline the captain for four-to-six weeks.
On a stifling night in Boston, the Indians got the contest off to a blistering start with a pair of runs in the first before Casey Blake powered his 15th homer of the campaign at the top of the third to put Cleveland 3-0 up.
Mark Loretta got Boston on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning but the Tribe would answer back with a pair of runs in the seventh and solo shot from Joe Inglett to take charge 6-1.
Boston's Alex Gonzalez struck a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth but the Indians held on for the win.
C.C. Sabathia (8-7) allowed just one run on 10 hits while striking out eight to earn the win after three straight losses.
Jason Johnson (3-11), obtained in a trade with Cleveland in June, absorbed his seventh consecutive defeat after giving up three runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.
YANKEES TOP
In New York, Bernie Williams stroked a three-run double to guide the Yankees to a 5-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays and into top spot in the AL East.
All-star outfielder Bobby Abreu, obtained in a trade from the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, failed to get a hit in three at bats in his Yankees debut but still left a good impression on demanding Yankees fans.
Abreu drew a walk and scored a run in New York's four-run fourth inning as the Bronx Bombers rolled to their sixth win in seven games.
Jaret Wright (7-6) allowed just one run on five hits before Ron Villone, Scott Proctor and Kyle Farnsworth each tossed an inning of scoreless relief.
In St. Petersburg, Carlos Guillen hit for the cycle and Sean Casey homered in his Tigers debut as Detroit dumped the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 10-4.
Guillen tripled in the second, led off the third with his 13th home run season, had a single in the sixth and completed one of baseball's rarest feats with a double in the eighth, becoming just the 10th player in Tigers history to hit for the cycle.
It is the third time a player has hit for the cycle this season but the first in the American League since Mark Teixeira against Cleveland on August 17, 2004.
Rookie pitcher Justin Verlander (14-4) allowed three runs on eight hits in five innings of work to become the Major League's first 14-game winner.
(Writing by Steve Keating in Detroit)
