Cleveland Cavaliers Ups and Downs

CHICAGO — Aaron Boone’s clutch hit sent the surging Cleveland Indians to another victory and one game closer to the sliding Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.

Boone delivered a two-run, two-out single in the eighth inning Monday night, and the Indians cut the White Sox’s one-time huge lead to 2½ games by rallying for a 7-5 victory.

Boone, who homered earlier to help the Indians build a 4-0 lead they couldn’t hold, worked his way out of an 0-2 hole and lined a single up the middle off Bobby Jenks to silence an electric crowd of 35,748 at U.S. Cellular Field.

The Indians trailed the White Sox by 15 games after Chicago swept a four-game series at Jacobs Field from July 14-17, and were still 14 behind in early August.

But they’ve won 13 of their past 14, including six in a row, while the White Sox have lost eight of 11 in what is turning into a colossal collapse.

Cleveland also maintained its 1½-game lead for the AL wild card over the Yankees, who beat Baltimore 3-2 Monday night.

• TAMPA BAY 3, BOSTON 2: Mark Hendrickson won his sixth consecutive decision, and the host Devil Rays held on to beat the Red Sox. Boston’s David Ortiz drove in four runs, and hit his 44th home run. Danys Baez earned his 38th save for Tampa Bay.

• SEATTLE 7, TORONTO 5: Richie Sexson hit a grand slam in the ninth inning to rally Seattle to a road victory, stopping the Mariners’ four-game losing streak. It was his 38th homer.

• KANSAS CITY 10, DETROIT 4: Matt Stairs had three hits, including a three-run homer, as the Royals won at home.

• NEW YORK 3, BALTIMORE 2: Rarely used Yankees reserve Bubba Crosby led off the bottom of the ninth inning with his first home run this season. Chien-Ming Wang pitched eight stellar innings, and Alex Rodriguez had an RBI single for the surging Yankees, who have won seven of eight and 11 of 15.

BEREA, Ohio — It took 25 years in the NFL for Romeo Crennel to get his first win as a head coach.

So it was only appropriate that quarterback Trent Dilfer gave Crennel the game ball after Cleveland upset Green Bay 26-24 on Sunday.

Even more fitting though was that Crennel gave the ball right back.

“As soon as Trent gave it to me, I said, ‘This game ball belongs to the 2005 Cleveland Browns,’ because it was a team effort,” Crennel said. “I think that they deserve it because they are the ones who applied themselves, went to Green Bay and were able to pull out that victory.”

Crennel’s gesture embodied the team-first attitude he’s been trying to instill in an organization that had been searching for an identity through six mostly dismal seasons.

His unselfishness certainly made an impression on his players.

“It talked about the kind of man that he is and as a player you always want this kind of coach,” rookie wide receiver Braylon Edwards said yesterday. “You always dream to play for this kind of coach.”

Edwards was one of several players who spoke of their admiration for the former New England defensive coordinator.

“It seems like he’s been a head coach for 20 years,” Dilfer said. “He knows what buttons to push, and he treats us with a great deal of respect.”

Although Crennel’s wait to become a head coach was a long one, the wait for his first win was shorter than expected and came in the most unlikely of places — Lambeau Field, where the Browns were 0-5 dating back to 1964.

In addition to receiving and giving back the game ball, Crennel was doused with Gatorade by offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon after the win.

“He took it with good spirits,” center Jeff Faine said.

But Crennel spoke stoically to reporters afterward and again showed little emotion yesterday. He said he took some time to reflect on the win during the flight home, but didn’t do anything to celebrate other than enjoy congratulatory phone calls from his wife and daughters.

“You don’t have time to celebrate in the NFL,” he said. “You go home, get into bed and wake up the next morning to break down the film. Then you start getting ready for Indianapolis. If you do anything different, chances are you will be sorry the next week.”

It’s a mantra that his players parroted in the locker room yesterday.

“We are excited, but there are more games left,” guard Joe Andruzzi said. “You can’t focus on this one. You have to put it behind you and you have to go on to the next one.”

Despite years of success as an assistant, Crennel was passed over for several head coaching jobs. At times, he wondered if he would ever get his chance.

Crennel, who doesn’t regularly wear any of the five Super Bowl rings he earned with New England and the New York Giants, has taken a workmanlike approach in Cleveland. He’s preached patience for a team that went 4-12 last season while displaying a quiet confidence the team will gradually improve.

His first victory as a head coach won’t change that outlook.

“This week will be the same,” he said. “Let’s do it right on the practice field and in the classroom, and hopefully we can get it right in the game.”

CLEVELAND — Forward Alan Henderson signed a one-year contract yesterday with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who added another veteran to support LeBron James.

The 32-year-old Henderson spent last season with the Dallas Mavericks after playing nine seasons for the Atlanta Hawks.

“Alan is a proven veteran with playoff experience who will be a valuable asset to us on the floor and in the locker room,” Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said.

“He can give us toughness and depth in the post.”

The Cavaliers will begin the season without forward Anderson Varejao, who dislocated his shoulder playing for Brazil at last month’s world championships and recently had surgery.

“I’m happy to be here,” Henderson said. “I’m excited to work with the players, the coaches and the whole organization. Cleveland made some great moves this summer.”

Henderson is the fifth free agent to join the Cavaliers this offseason. The team signed guards Larry Hughes and Damon Jones, forward Donyell Marshall and re-signed center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Henderson averaged 3.5 points last season.