American League Roundup : A’s Beat Blue Jays With 3 in Ninth

The American League East is the best division in baseball, and the AL West is the worst according to most baseball experts. But, the Angels and the Oakland A’s are doing a lot to dispel that theory.

The Angels took three out of four from the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim just before the All-Star break, and the A’s got three runs in the ninth inning to defeat the AL East leaders at Toronto, 6-4.

With the win over the Blue Jays, Oakland moved to within five games of the Angels.

Alfredo Griffin’s ninth-inning triple off Bill Caudill highlighted the late rally. It was the Blue Jays’ third straight loss in their opposition’s last at-bat, and Lavelle has been tagged with each setback. It was also Toronto’s fourth successive loss.

Mike Davis started the rally against Lavelle (4-4) with a single to right. Mike Heath then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but catcher Ernie Whitt’s throw to second bounced into left field, sending Davis to third.

Davis came home to tie the game 4-4 on pinch-hitter Steve Henderson’s groundout, then Griffin stroked his triple over Lou Thornton’s head in right field. Griffin then scored an insurance run on Dwayne Murphy’s safety squeeze bunt.

Griffin raised his RBI total to 45, three shy of his career high. He said he knew the Toronto outfield was playing shallow and expected a base hit.

Steve Ontiveros (1-1) worked 1 innings in relief of Chris Codiroli for the victory. Jay Howell pitched the ninth inning for his 19th save.

Seattle 5, Milwaukee 2--Jim Presley hit two home runs, and Mike Moore scattered seven hits as the Mariners handed the Brewers their 10th loss in their last 12 games.

Presley opened the scoring at Milwaukee with a solo home run in the first, then completed it with his 20th homer of the season, again with the bases empty, in the ninth.

Bob Kearney’s sixth homer of the season, broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning. His solo shot bounced off of the left-field foul pole and made a winner of Moore.

Moore’s fastball was clocked at 93 m.p.h. in the ninth inning. He walked one and struck out three in improving his record to 8-5. Brewers starter Danny Darwin lost his fifth straight game.

Texas 3, Detroit 2--George Wright, who was the worst hitter in the AL last Sunday, lined a two-out single to center to cap a two-run seventh inning that enabled the Rangers to snap a four-game losing streak at Detroit.

Charlie Hough held Detroit to six hits through seven innings and struck out seven in raising his record to 8-10. Greg Harris finished the final two innings for his seventh save.

Hough pitched a five-hit victory over the Tigers two starts ago on July 5.

Buudy Bell who might have played his last game in a Rangers’ uniform broke an 0-for-25 slump with an RBI single in the seventh inning.

Baltimore 8, Kansas City 3--The Orioles were the only Eastern Division team to win Thursday night, using solo homers from Cal Ripken, Mike Young and Wayne Gross at Kansas City.

The Orioles, with 10 homers in their last four games, have hit three or more home runs in 14 games this season and lead the major leagues with 108.

Ripken, 12 for 28 in his last seven games, singled before Eddie Murray’s two-run double in the first inning and hit his 16th homer to give Baltimore a 4-1 lead in the fifth, giving him 21 RBIs in 24 games.

Scott McGregor, with three innings of relief from Sammy Stewart, who notched his seventh save, improved his record to 8-7.

Minnesota 8, New York 4--Kent Hrbek hit a seventh-inning tie-breaking grand slam, and Frank Eufemia pitched three shutout innings in relief as the Twins snapped the Yankees six-game winning streak at Minneapolis.

Hrbek’s grand slam came after Tom Brunansky was walked intentionally. Hrbek hit reliever Brian Fisher’s, first pitch over the left-field wall at the Metrodome for his 10th home run of the season. With the game tied, 4-4, entering the seventh, Kirby Puckett singled and stole second, and losing pitcher Rich Bordi (2-2) walked Roy Smalley. Dave Meier advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt.

Chicago 10, Cleveland 0--Of course, everyone likes to face Cleveland, the worst team in the American League. But, it’s not that often that you get to start against the Indians four times.

Britt Burns did. He also took advantage of the situation and has won all four games. To make matters worse, Burns (10-6) has pitched 32 straight scoreless innings and has pitched three straight shutouts against Cleveland.