AROUND THE HORN Thursday's other games

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Red Sox 14, Orioles 3
BOSTON -- Derek Lowe (17-7) held Baltimore to two hits over six innings, and Jason Varitek, Nomar Garciaparra and Kevin Millar homered as Boston clinched the last spot in the AL playoffs. The Red Sox have made the postseason 10 times since 1918 without winning a championship. Omar Daal (4-11) has not won since May 30, a span that includes two months on the disabled list with tendinitis on his left rotator cuff. He allowed seven runs and seven hits, getting just five outs.
Tigers 5, Twins 4, 11 innings
DETROIT -- Shane Halter hit a two-out, solo home run in the 11th inning to snap Minnesota's 11-game winning streak. Detroit (41-118) has won three straight for the first time since sweeping a three-game series against Cleveland from Sept. 2-4. Chris Mears (1-3) earned his first major league victory after pitching two innings of scoreless relief. Brad Thomas (0-1) took the loss.
Royals 7, White Sox 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Carlos Beltran's two-run homer off Dan Wright (1-7) combined with a sacrifice fly gave the 26-year-old switch-hitter 99 RBIs. With 101 runs scored and 41 stolen bases, Beltran is on the verge of becoming only the sixth player since 1900 to record 100 RBIs, 100 runs and 30 steals in a season. Brian Anderson (14-11) took a no-hit bid into the fifth and beat the White Sox for the fifth time in six decisions. He went eight innings, gave up seven hits and three runs, with two walks and a strikeout.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Marlins 8, Phillies 4
MIAMI -- Juan Encarnacion homered and drove in four runs, and Florida clinched a tie for the NL wild card berth. Florida completed a three-game sweep and stretched its winning streak to four. Brad Penny (14-10) allowed four runs and seven hits in eight innings for Florida, looking for its first playoff berth since it won the 1997 World Series. Randy Wolf (16-10) lasted just four innings, his second-shortest outing this season.
Astros 6, Brewers 1
HOUSTON -- Morgan Ensberg had the first two-homer game of his major league career as Houston moved into a tie with Chicago for the NL Central lead. Tim Redding (10-14) allowed one run and four hits in 51/3 innings. Doug Davis (3-1) tied a career high with eight strikeouts in six innings, but gave up three runs and six hits.
Reds 9, Cubs 7
CINCINNATI -- Sammy Sosa homered twice to move past Mickey Mantle into 10th place on the career list, but Chicago wasted a 4-2 lead as Sean Casey's homer capped a six-run sixth inning. Sosa's two-run homer put Chicago ahead 3-0 in the third, and he added a solo shot in the eighth. It was his 39th this season and 538th of his career. Carlos Zambrano (13-11) allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings, failing to hold the lead. Todd Van Poppel (2-1) gave up four runs in five innings, then left for a pinch hitter during the comeback. Three relievers held on, with Chris Reitsma pitching the ninth for his 12th save.
Padres 6, Dodgers 1
SAN DIEGO -- Brian Lawrence (10-15) allowed seven hits in seven shutout innings. San Diego broke open the game with five runs in the eighth. Khalil Greene had a two-run single, and Ramon Vazquez and Gary Bennett added RBI singles as the Padres sent 10 men to the plate against Hideo Nomo (16-13) and Guillermo Mota.
Diamondbacks 8, Rockies 7
DENVER -- Quinton McCracken hit a run-scoring single in the ninth off Brian Fuentes (3-3). Oscar Villarreal (10-7) got two outs for the win, and Matt Mantei pitched the ninth for his 28th save.
-- Associated Press