AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Quintana Has a Good RBI Week in One Inning

The Boston Red Sox, in a desperate effort to get some power into the lineup, put Carlos Quintana, normally a first baseman, in left field.

In the last five weeks, as the Red Sox fell from first to fourth in the American League East, not many of Manager Joe Morgan’s moves have succeeded. But this one did.

Quintana tied a major league record with six runs batted in during one inning as the Red Sox scored 10 runs in the third inning Tuesday at Boston and routed Texas, 11-6.

The Red Sox had lost four in a row and 22 of 33 games since they led the East June 22.

Boston jumped on former teammate Oil Can Boyd to end its longest Fenway Park losing streak--nine games--in 64 years.

Quintana tagged Boyd for a grand slam, then doubled in two more runs against reliever Wayne Rosenthal. Eleven others have had six RBIs in an inning, the latest, Dale Murphy, in 1989 with the Atlanta Braves.

“You never know when he’s going to get hot,� Morgan said. “And it’s certainly nice to break out with some hits at the right time. It’s been a pretty long dry spell.�

Wade Boggs returned to the starting lineup, went three for four and scored twice in the big inning. Boggs did not start the previous four games because of a back problem.

“Basically, the volcano exploded,� Boggs said. “It’s been building for a while. The top just blew off.�

Since the All-Star break the Red Sox had averaged fewer than three runs a game. They sent 14 batters to the plate in the third in scoring 10 runs in an inning for a league-record 24th time.

Rookie Kevin Morton (2-2) was the winning pitcher, although he gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. He served home run pitches to Brian Downing, Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez.

Boggs, who has won five batting title, has moved into contention for another with a .327 average.

Minnesota 9, Detroit 7--Carl Willis, once called “another Rollie Fingers,� by Sparky Anderson, came back to haunt the Tiger manager at Minneapolis.

In relief of Scott Erickson, who failed to win No. 15, Willis pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings to improve his record to 6-2.

Anderson made his comment when Willis was on the 1984 Tigers, who won the World Series. That winter he was traded to Cincinnati, and Willis spent the next six seasons bouncing around the minor leagues. He made the Twins as a free agent and has a 2.16 ERA.

“I’ve always pulled for him,� Anderson said. “I just wish he wouldn’t do so well against us.�

Erickson gave up five runs in three innings.

Shane Mack, a hot hitter since the All-Star break, had four hits, scored a run and drove in one to pace the Twins.

Oakland 6, New York 5--Jose Canseco had the last laugh on the vocal New York fans.

The slugging outfielder hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to bring the Athletics from behind for their fifth consecutive victory.

The fans, who threw an inflated doll, among other things, at Canseco in right field Monday night, could only taunt him when he was at the plate in this game. The Athletics used him as the designated hitter.

His 28th home run gave him the major league lead. He also leads in RBIs with 81.

Harold Baines drove in two runs and scored another for the A’s.

Dennis Eckersley pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 27th save.

Chicago 8, Toronto 7--The White Sox blew a 5-0 lead, then fought back to win at Toronto on Frank Thomas’ two-run home run in the seventh inning.

The White Sox jumped on Todd Stottlemyre for five runs in the first inning on home runs by Dan Pasqua and Ron Karkovice.

The Blue Jays, who have lost eight of their last 10, scored a run in the fourth inning and four in the fifth against Charlie Hough.

Thomas’ 19th home run broke a 6-6 tie and followed a walk to Robin Ventura.

Toronto cut the lead to a run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Bobby Thigpen struck out two batters in the ninth and picked up his 24th save.

Milwaukee 9, Kansas City 3--Paul Molitor got his 2,000th hit and Darryl Hamilton drove in four runs at Milwaukee.

Bret Saberhagen (7-5) gave up eight hits and seven runs in five innings.

Don August gave up seven hits and three runs in six innings. Dan Plesac pitched three shutout innings for his eighth save.

Seattle 8, Baltimore 2--Ken Griffey Jr. hit his second grand slam in eight games, and the Mariners won for the fourth time in five games.

Griffey, who hit his first grand slam in a 6-1 victory at Yankee Stadium on July 24, hit his 12th home run of the season against Roy Smith (5-3) in a six-run second inning at Seattle. It gave him a club-leading 56 RBIs.

Griffey also made an outstanding over-the-shoulder catch in the fourth on a drive to center by Juan Bell.

Bill Krueger (9-3) won his fifth consecutive decision.