BALTIMORE (AP) – Doug Mientkiewicz hit a tiebreaking two-run triple in the seventh inning, and the Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-5 Saturday night for a doubleheader sweep.

In the opener, Bronson Arroyo threw three shutout innings in his final tuneup before the playoffs, and Johnny Damon drove in three runs to lead Boston to a 7-5 victory.

The Red Sox, who long ago clinched the AL wild-card slot, used two lineups littered with backups. Manny Ramirez did not play in either game, David Ortiz and Kevin Millar sat out the opener, and Damon and Bill Mueller were among those who spent the nightcap on the bench.

But Boston pulled off a sweep anyway. The Red Sox have won seven of eight, and are assured of going 11-1-2 in their final 14 series of the regular season.

Boston (98-63) moved 35 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 1978 season 99-64.

In the first game, the Red Sox scored six runs in the second inning against Daniel Cabrera before making an out and led 7-0 in the third.

In the nightcap, Javy Lopez hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run first inning against Pedro Astacio. But the lead didn’t last.

Orlando Cabrera hit a three-run shot off Sidney Ponson to bring Boston to 5-4 in the sixth, and after Mark Bellhorn tied it with a seventh-inning RBI single off Jason Grimsley (5-7), Mientkiewicz tripled into the right-field corner off Buddy Groom to put the Red Sox ahead to stay.

Byung-Hyun Kim (2-1) worked 2 1-3 perfect innings and Curtis Leskanic retired David Newhan and Miguel Tejada with runners on second and third for his fourth save.

In the opener, Arroyo was lifted after throwing 45 pitches and with Boston up 7-0. He has been tabbed by manager Terry Francona to start either Game 3 or 4 in Boston’s opening-round playoff series against Anaheim or Minnesota.

“I feel good. I’ve been throwing the ball good, I feel healthy, I feel strong and rested,” the right-hander said.

Arroyo retired nine of 10 batters, the lone exception a double by Melvin Mora in the first inning.

“I thought Bronson was terrific,” Francona said. “We didn’t want to let him stay out there past 40 or 50 pitches, and he was right smack in the middle. I know the competitiveness in him; he wanted to stay out there for a while, but this was the right thing to do.”

Even if it meant giving up an easy win.

“It’s hard getting pulled, especially when it’s 7-0,” Arroyo said.

Terry Adams (6-4) replaced Arroyo and pitched two innings. Keith Foulke, the sixth Boston pitcher, allowed a double and a single in the ninth, but struck out the side for his 32nd save.

Lopez, B.J. Surhoff and Tejada homered for the Orioles.

Boston sent 11 men to the plate in the second inning. Cabrera, Gabe Kapler and Pokey Reese hit RBI singles before another run scored on a wild pitch. Damon then singled in two runs for a 6-0 lead.

Cabrera (12-8) allowed six runs, five hits and three walks in 1 1-3 innings – his shortest start since making his debut on May 13.

“He was all over the place. He just had no rhythm,” Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli said, acknowledging that the rookie might be tired after throwing 174 innings this season.

Notes: The season series is tied 9-9 entering Sunday’s finale. … Red Sox DH Ellis Burks started the opener and became the 200th major leaguer to play in 2,000 games. … Boston is 42-17 since Aug. 1. … Tejada’s homer tied the Orioles’ season record for shortstops, set in 1991 by Cal Ripken.

AP-ES-10-02-04 2227EDT