By Ben Walker
The Associated Press

Pedro Martinez put the Boston Red Sox in prime position. Martinez pitched seven dominant innings and Boston boosted its playoff chances, beating the Cleveland Indians 2-0 on Sunday.

The win, coupled with Seattle's 12-0 loss in Oakland, gave the Red Sox a 21/2-game lead over the Mariners in the AL wild-card race with one week left.

"Pedro was on top of his game," Boston manager Grady Little said. "It helps to have a Pedro to bring us back after a tough loss."

A day earlier, Boston's bullpen blew a 4-1 lead in the seventh inning in a 13-4 defeat. This time, Red Sox relievers Mike Timlin and Byung-Hyun Kim kept it uneventful at the end.

"B.K. was a welcome sight," Little said. "It was a big step for him, very important. We need these guys to pitch good."

Now, the Red Sox return home to take on Baltimore before finishing the season at Tampa Bay. Seattle next goes to Anaheim and closes the year at home against Oakland.

In other AL games, Minnesota beat Detroit 6-4, New York downed Tampa Bay 6-0, Kansas City defeated Chicago 10-4, Toronto beat Baltimore 7-4 and Anaheim topped Texas 11-6.

Martinez blanked the Indians on four hits for seven innings and struck out 11.

Cleveland has seen plenty of similar performances from Martinez in the past. He is 10-1 with a 1.66 ERA in 14 career starts against the Indians, and improved to 5-0 at Jacobs Field.

"He gives us so much confidence," Boston first baseman Kevin Millar said. "When he's out there, we know we can turn it over to the offense and we should be able to take over. He just means so much."

Athletics 12, Mariners 0

Ted Lilly filled in for ailing rookie Rich Harden and threw a gem as Oakland avoided a three-game sweep at home. The defending AL West champions cut their magic number to three.

Lilly won his sixth straight start, giving up three hits in six innings. He had been 0-4 lifetime against Seattle, and got this start because Harden had back spasms.

Mark Ellis hit a grand slam and Billy McMillon drove in two runs.

Twins 6, Tigers 4

Brad Radke pitched Minnesota to its ninth straight win, trimming the Twins' magic number to two in the AL Central.

Detroit (38-117) dropped its ninth in a row and tied the AL record for losses set by the Philadelphia Athletics in 1916. Only the 1962 New York Mets (40-120) have lost more since 1900.

The host Twins improved to 14-1 against Detroit this year. The Tigers play Minnesota four times to close the season.

Yankees 6, Devil Rays 0

Roger Clemens earned his 309th victory and New York reduced its magic to one for clinching its sixth straight AL East title.

Clemens moved past Old Hoss Radbourn into 17th place on the lifetime win list, two behind Tom Seaver.

The benches cleared in the fifth inning at Tropicana Field after Tampa Bay's Jeremi Gonzalez hit Nick Johnson with a pitch and threw close to Jorge Posada.

In the seventh, Clemens threw a fastball over Javier Valentin's head and then hit him on the arm with the next pitch.

Royals 10, White Sox 4

Rondell White hit a two-run homer, Aaron Guiel drove in three runs and Kansas City won for the seventh time in nine games.

The White Sox fell behind 4-0 in the first inning at home and wound up losing for the eighth time in 11 games.

Blue Jays 7, Orioles 4

Reed Johnson tied a career high with four hits, including a go-ahead single in the eighth inning at Baltimore.

Carlos Delgado hit his 36th homer and drove in four runs for Toronto. The Blue Jays posted their 81st victory, giving them their first non-losing season since 2000.

Angels 11, Rangers 6

Adam Kennedy hit a two-run single as visiting Anaheim scored seven times in the seventh to avoid a three-game sweep.

Anaheim's outburst came a half inning after Alex Rodriguez snapped a 2-2 tie with his major league-leading 47th homer, a two-run shot, and Mark Teixeira homered for a 5-2 Texas lead.