Ortiz Comes Up Short, So Do the Red Sox

David Ortiz’s fly ball headed toward the right-field fence in Fenway Park and for an instant, it appeared the Boston Red Sox would rally for another improbable victory.

Not this time.

David Newhan caught Ortiz’s bid for a three-run homer at the edge of the warning track for the final out, and Baltimore hung on for a 9-7 victory Thursday night that dropped Boston 4 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East.

The Yankees and Red Sox open a three-game series tonight in Fenway.

The Red Sox trailed, 9-5, with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth. Manny Ramirez then hit a two-run single that brought up Ortiz.

Baltimore had broken a 5-5 tie in the eighth on pinch-hitter Jose Leon’s bases-loaded single.

Miguel Tejada hit a three-run homer for the Orioles, and Todd Williams (2-0) pitched a perfect seventh.

The Red Sox lead the wild-card race by six games over the Angels and Texas.

Cleveland 9, Minnesota 7 -- Cliff Lee (12-8) won for the second time since July 16 and Grady Sizemore hit a two-run homer, leading the Indians past the Twins at Cleveland.

Chicago 7, Kansas City 6 -- Joe Crede hit a game-winning, three-run homer in the ninth inning for the host White Sox, winners of three in a row.