BOSTON (REUTERS) — Trot Nixon went 4 for 4 with a two-run homer, four RBIs and four runs scored as the Boston Red Sox ended their nine-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 10-7 win over the Cleveland Indians .
The skid was the longest for Boston since dropping 11 straight in June 1994 under manager Butch Hobson.
The Red Sox, who have fallen nine games behind the Yankees in the AL East and Oakland in the wild-card race, are 7-12 under Joe Kerrigan, who replaced fired manager Jimmy Williams Aug. 16.
The AL Central-leading Indians, who didn’t start regulars Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton and Einar Diaz, entered the night seven games ahead of second-place Minnesota.
Rolando Arrojo (4-3) pitched two and two-thirds innings of hitless relief for the victory. Ugueth Urbina struck out all three batters in the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.
After Juan Gonzalez’s RBI single gave Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Boston scored four runs before starter Steve Woodard (3-3) retired his first batter.
Izzy Alcantara had a run-scoring single following Jose Offerman’s single and Nixon’s walk. Manny Ramirez then doubled in two runs, and Carl Everett hit an RBI single.
Boston added a run in the second on Brian Daubach’s bases-loaded walk against reliever Michael Bacisk, the first batter he faced after replacing Woodard.
Woodard was roughed up for five runs and eight hits in one and two-thirds innings, his shortest outing in eight starts this season.
The Red Sox scored three runs off Bacisk in the third, making it 8-1. Nixon hit a two-run triple, and Everett added an RBI single.
The Indians chased starter Casey Fossum and scored five runs in the fourth. After Fossum loaded the bases by hitting Wil Cordero following singles by Marty Cordova and Travis Fryman, Tim Laker walked.
Jolbert Cabrera and Omar Vizquel hit consecutive RBI singles, chasing Fossum.
Arrojo then got Roberto Alomar to hit a potential inning-ending, double-play grounder, but Offerman booted it for an error that scored a run.
Gonzalez’s run-scoring groundout cut it to 8-6 before Ellis Burks struck out to end the inning.
Fryman’s RBI single in the seventh made it 8-7, but Nixon hit his 22nd homer in the bottom half.
Ramirez was booed as he trotted to first on his double-play grounder with the bases loaded in the second inning.
