Tiger Pitchers Suddenly Purring

OK, it’s not exactly a pennant-race factor, or for that matter, anything other than a nudge away from a ridiculous state. But when a team’s pitching has been a laughingstock for more than two months, anything resembling respectability looks pretty good.

Brian Williams (1-4) pitched a four-hitter Saturday in the Tigers’ 6-0 victory over Minnesota at Detroit, giving his staff its second shutout in a row and 19 consecutive scoreless innings.

The performance followed teammate Felipe Lira’s 2-0 four-hitter on Friday night.

That the two games lowered the Tigers’ staff earned-run average to 6.87 is a pretty good indicator of how bad things have been in Detroit.

The Tigers’ two consecutive wins came after five losses in a row. Detroit is 20-54.

“I always thought we deserved better, but we’re still a long way from where we want to be,� Manager Buddy Bell said. “When you get good pitching, it gives you a little cushion to do things.�

The last time Detroit pitchers threw consecutive shutouts was Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 1990, against New York and Minnesota. Both were combined shutouts.

The last time the Tigers had consecutive complete-game shutouts was April 22-23, 1983, both against Seattle, by Milt Wilcox and Dan Petry.

Baltimore 5, Kansas City 3--Down to their final two outs and down, 3-0, the Orioles got home runs from Rafael Palmeiro, Bobby Bonilla and Mark Smith to pull out a victory at home.

Smith hit the game-winner, a two-out, two-run drive off Jeff Montgomery.

Kansas City starter Tim Belcher took a two-hitter into the ninth inning, but a one-out double by Roberto Alomar and Palmeiro’s homer got the Orioles within a run.

Montgomery (1-5) came in and gave up the game-tying homer to Bonilla. After Cal Ripken walked, B.J. Surhoff hit a fly ball for the second out. Smith then homered.

New York 11, Cleveland 9--Ruben Sierra hit homers from both sides of the plate, including a three-run shot during a nine-run sixth inning for the Yankees, who won at Cleveland.

Albert Belle, back in the Indian lineup after serving a two-game suspension during the Yankees’ doubleheader sweep Friday, went three for five, with a double. Cleveland’s Eddie Murray hit his 488th home run.

Texas 8, Boston 2--Ivan Rodriguez drove in four runs with a triple and a double, and Roger Pavlik (10-1) pitched his league-leading fifth complete game for the Rangers, who won in Arlington, Texas, and handed Boston its fifth defeat in a row.

Pavlik (10-1) gave up six hits and struck out seven.

Oakland 8, Toronto 4--Jason Giambi homered and Bobby Chouinard earned his first big league victory for the Athletics, who won at Oakland and ended Toronto’s five-game winning streak.

Chouinard (1-2), making his sixth start, pitched the first five innings and gave up four runs on six hits.

Seattle 4, Chicago 2--The Mariners used run-scoring singles from Jay Buhner, Joey Cora, Dan Wilson and Andy Sheets at Chicago, where they sent the White Sox to their eighth loss in a row.