Finally, 5 1/2 Hours Later, Yankees Win

Mark Whiten, who failed with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, hit a tiebreaking home run in a six-run 15th as the New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox, 11-6, Sunday at Boston in a game that lasted 5 hours, 28 minutes.

Wade Boggs, hitless in his previous 15 at-bats, capped the burst with a three-run home run after run-scoring singles by Paul O’Neill and Scott Pose.

“It shut up a lot of people behind home plate,” Boggs said of the homer that might not have solved his hitting problems. “I’ve got a long way to go. It was just something to build on.”

Whiten’s fifth home run of the season came against Kerry Lacy (0-1), who relieved in the 11th. In the 10th, Whiten grounded into a force play at the plate.

“There’s always satisfaction to beat up on your old team,” said Whiten, who hit .185 with one homer in 108 at-bats with Boston in 1995. “The way I played here, then to come back and do something positive, is great.”

Whiten entered in the ninth as a pinch-hitter for Luis Sojo and singled during a three-run rally that gave New York a 5-4 lead. Boston tied the score in the bottom of the ninth on Nomar Garciaparra’s run-scoring triple.

Jeff Nelson (2-4) gave up an RBI single to Garciaparra in the 15th.

Oakland 8, Toronto 2--Mike Oquist came within one out of his first major league shutout and Mark McGwire, Geronimo Berroa and Matt Stairs provided home-run support at Oakland.

Oquist (1-1), signed as a free agent last November and promoted from triple A on May 17, made his second start since replacing slumping Willie Adams in the rotation.

Oquist gave up 10 hits, striking out five and walking two in 8 2/3 innings. His shutout bid was spoiled by Otis Nixon’s two-run single with two outs in the ninth, and he was pulled with the bases loaded--one out shy of pitching Oakland’s first complete game of the season.

“I wanted to try to finish it but I just ran out of gas,” Oquist said. “It would have been nice but the win is still satisfying. It’ll give me something to shoot for.”

McGwire connected for his 20th home run and Berroa followed with his 12th during Oakland’s four-run third off Robert Person (0-4).

Milwaukee 7, Chicago 4--Jeff Cirillo and Jose Valentin hit two-run home runs to offset home runs by Albert Belle and Frank Thomas at Milwaukee as the Brewers won their fourth consecutive game.

Belle extended his hitting streak to 27 games by hitting his 12th home run and Thomas homered twice for Chicago. Belle’s streak is the longest in the majors this year and tied the club record set by Luke Appling in 1936.

“That’s fine with us,” Milwaukee Manager Phil Garner said. “We’ll take the wins, he can have the hitting streak.”

Thomas drove in three runs for the White Sox, who have lost five of six to Milwaukee this season.

“They’re going to hit ‘em,” Garner said of Thomas and Belle. “You can make quality pitches and they’ll still hit them out, as we saw today. The key is keeping those other guys around them off the base. You can’t let the other guys beat you and our staff has done a real good job.”

Jose Mercedes (2-1) gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. Doug Jones pitched the ninth for his 13th save and third of the series.

Doug Drabek (4-4) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings.

Seattle 4, Detroit 1--Mike Blowers and Alex Rodriguez homered in a three-run eighth inning as the Mariners won at Seattle.

Rookie starter Derek Lowe held the Tigers to three hits in seven innings and Scott Sanders (2-5) picked up the win with a perfect eighth.

Norm Charlton, who had failed in his last three save opportunities, allowed two runners to reach in the ninth before Bobby Ayala came on for his first save.

The Mariners ended a three-game losing streak and won for only the seventh time in 20 games.

“The key for this club is to keep swinging the bats,” Seattle’s Jay Buhner said. “One swing can change the momentum of the game. You saw it today.”

With the score tied 1-1, Blowers opened the eighth with his second home run off Justin Thompson (5-4). Two outs later, Rodriguez connected for his eighth home run off Doug Brocail.

“Our numbers offensively are going to be there in the end,” Blowers said. “I think everybody knows that.”

Cleveland at Baltimore--The game was postponed because of rain. An announcement on a makeup date will likely be made later this week.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Terry Steinbach

Team: Minnesota

Performance: 2 for 5, 2 home runs, 3 RBIs, 2 runs

Team’s Result: Won

*

Player: Frank Thomas

Team: Chicago

Performance: 3 for 4, 2 home runs, 3 RBIs, 2 runs

Team’s Result: Loss

*

Player: Matt Stairs

Team: Oakland

Performance: 1 for 2, 3-run home run, 4 RBIs

Team’s Result: Won

PITCHING

Player: Derek Lowe

Team: Seattle

Performance: 7 innings, 3 hits, 1 run, 2 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Won

*

Player: J. Thompson

Team: Detroit

Performance: 9 strikeouts, including Ken Griffey Jr. three times

Team’s Result: Loss

*

Player: Mike Oquist

Team: Oakland

Performance: 8 2/3 innings, 10 hits, 2 runs, 5 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Won