LOWLY RED SOX END ECKERSLEY'S PERFECT STREAK

The Boston Red Sox, looking for any kind of salvation from their miserable season, can finally smile a bit. They, of all teams, beat the odds, the ace - Dennis Eckersley.

Billy Hatcher homered in the seventh inning and doubled in two runs off Eckersley in the eighth Tuesday night to rally the host Red Sox to a 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics.Eckersley, 6-1, suffered his first loss since Sept. 28, 1991. The A's had been 52-0 this season in games in which he pitched.

"This game shows you how weird baseball really is," said Red Sox closer Jeff Reardon. "A betting man in Las Vegas would have put his money on Eckersley, but tonight he would have lost."

It marked only the second blown save this year for Eckersley, who leads the majors with 40 saves.

Scott Cooper started the eighth-inning rally with a one-out double, one of his three hits on the night, and Eckersley came on with two outs and intentionally walked pinch-hitter Wade Boggs. Hatcher then swung at the first pitch and lined a double down the left-field line to drive in Cooper and pinch-runner Luis Rivera.

"Against Eckersley your chances are slim and none, and tonight we beat those odds," said Hatcher, who went 3-for-5.

"I hate to blow games any time, but especially when I get the loss," said Eckersley.

Hatcher's solo home run in the seventh off Jeff Parrett, his first as a member of the Red Sox, had drawn the Red Sox within 4-3.

Paul Quantril, 2-2, worked 12/3 innings for the win. Reardon retired Terry Steinbach on a game-ending grounder to short with the bases loaded to earn his 27th save.

White Sox 6, Blue Jays 3

At Chicago, Shawn Abner hit a pair of RBI singles to support Charlie Hough, handing the Blue Jays their third straight loss. Toronto's lead in the AL East shrunk to two games over Baltimore. The game was delayed 19 minutes in the Toronto sixth when the lights went out at new Comiskey Park, leaving the 29,450 fans in darkness. The cause of the power outage was unknown, stadium officials said.

Tigers 4, Twins 3