AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : This Time, Valenzuela Doesn’t Share Spotlight

Fernando Valenzuela and Dave Stewart, forever linked in baseball history, pitched against each other Wednesday night for the first time.

While both came out big winners in previous games on the same night, Valenzuela came out on top this time, pitching a six-hitter for his 31st career shutout as the Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-0, at Baltimore.

“I wish he would have done well against somebody else,� Stewart said. “It’s just outstanding to see him throw the ball well.�

The two pitched no-hitters on June 29, 1990--Valenzuela for the Dodgers against St. Louis and Stewart for Oakland against Toronto. It was the only time in major league history there ever have been two no-hitters in one day.

Against the Blue Jays, Valenzuela (3-7) struck out two and walked none as he won for the first time in five starts.

He escaped a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the second when Darnell Coles popped out and Pat Borders hit into a double play.

“They hit the ball in the right spots,� Valenzuela said. “I wanted to throw the ball over the plate. I didn’t want to walk any hitters. I wanted to make them hit the ball.�

Stewart gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings for Toronto. John Olerud, the American League’s leading hitter, went two for four and raised his average to .407.

The Blue Jays hadn’t been shut out since a 1-0 loss to Boston and Frank Viola last Sept. 30, a span of 82 games.

Cleveland 4, Chicago 2--Wayne Kirby singled in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning to lift the Indians at Cleveland and extend their winning streak to six, their longest in three seasons.

Cleveland swept consecutive three-game series for the first time since May 2-7, 1986. The Indians hadn’t won six in a row since Sept. 17-22, 1990.

Dennis Cook (5-4) pitched two-thirds of an inning for the victory.

Boston 12, Milwaukee 2--Carlos Quintana had three of Boston’s 15 hits and drove in three runs to lead the Red Sox at Boston.

Scott Cooper and John Valentin drove in two runs each for Boston. The last-place Brewers lost for the ninth time in 12 games.

Danny Darwin (7-7) won for the seventh time in 10 decisions, giving up two runs and six hits in eight innings, striking out three and walking none.

New York 7, Detroit 0--Mike Stanley hit his fourth career grand slam and Jim Abbott pitched eight shutout innings as the Yankees extended the Tigers’ losing streak to nine at New York.

Abbott (5-7) gave up three hits, struck out seven and walked four.

Detroit has been outscored, 72-26, during the slide, the club’s worst since an 11-game losing streak in 1989.

David Wells (9-3) lost his second consecutive start after going unbeaten in his previous nine. He gave up six runs and seven hits in five innings.

Seattle 5, Minnesota 3--Randy Johnson had 10 strikeouts for his fifth double-figure strikeout game in a row, leading the Mariners at Minnesota.

Johnson (10-4) increased his major league-leading strikeout total to 157, and struck out 10 or more for the 31st time in his career.

Texas 5, Kansas City 4--Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez hit consecutive home runs in the sixth inning to lead the Rangers at Texas.

Brian Bohanon (3-1), activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, gave up one run and five hits in five innings, struck out three and walked one.

Gonzalez hit his 20th home run in the sixth inning, the fastest any Ranger has reached that mark.