Gonza blooper lifts Red Sox over Angels

BOSTON – Boston’s Alex Gonzalez hit a bases-loaded blooper down the left-field line with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give the Red Sox a 9-8 win over the Los Angeles Angels in the American League on Wednesday.

The Red Sox trailed 3-0 and 7-5 before tying the game in the bottom of the eighth. The Angels took the lead in the top of the ninth on three straight two-out singles against Boston pitcher Daniel Bard. But LA closer Brian Fuentes coughed up the lead in the bottom half.

The Red Sox have won seven straight, and 10 in a row at Fenway Park to take a firm hold on the wild card berth. With only 18 games to play, they lead out-of-form Texas by 6-1/2 games.

The Angels maintained a six-game lead over the Rangers in the AL West.

In New York, Hideki Matsui hit a tying, two-run homer in the eighth inning to help lift New York over Toronto, 5-4.

Francisco then hit the winning single in the ninth as the Blue Jays and Yankees made it through nine innings calmly after their wild brawl the previous day.

New York was held to four hits through seven innings, then tied it on Matsui’s 25th homer of the season, off pitcher Scott Downs.

In Arlington, Texas, pitcher Trevor Cahill combined with two relievers on a one-hit shutout as Oakland beat Texas, 4-0.

The Athletics, last in the AL West, completed their first three-game series sweep in more than three months.

Cahill had a career-best seven strikeouts and walked just two in seven innings, limiting Texas to a bloop single in the second. (AP)