Stanley Can’t Save Yankees

American League

Mike Stanley, Darryl Strawberry and the second-largest crowd of the season at Yankee Stadium saw just why the Cleveland Indians have been too tough for the most of the American League.

The Indians overcame Stanley’s three home runs in the opener and Strawberry’s first homer for the Yankees in the nightcap to sweep the doubleheader Thursday, 10-9 and 5-2.

“It’s a boost, especially after the way we played the last three days,” Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove said. “We needed this real bad.”

Maybe not in the standings, where the Indians have led the A.L. Central by more than 20 games. But after arriving in New York with a three-game losing streak, one shy of its longest skid of the season, Cleveland wanted to get back to its winning ways.

Stanley became the first Yankees player to hit three homers in a game since Reggie Jackson in the 1977 World Series, but not even his seven RBIs could stop Cleveland from rallying for five runs in the ninth to win the opener.

“It really doesn’t make much of a difference from a personal standpoint if you lose the game,” Stanley said.

The victory marked the eighth time the Indians have won when trailing after eight innings. It also was the 17th time the Indians have won in their final at-bat and represented their biggest comeback in their last time at the plate.

Red Sox 11, Orioles 1

Boston

John Valentin had two of Boston’s four homers and Jose Canseco went 3 for 3 with a homer to lead the Red Sox to their eighth straight win. Valentin hit his 19th homer in the sixth inning, a three-run shot that made it 8-1. After Mike Macfarlane led off the seventh with a homer, Valentin hit a two-run shot to extend Boston’s lead to 11-1.

Royals 5, Angels 0

Kansas City, Mo.

Shortstop Damion Easley’s throwing error capped a five-run sixth inning that carried Kansas City past California, snapping Jason Jacome’s eight-game losing skid and Mark Langston’s eight-game winning streak. Ended as well was the eight-game road winning streak California had compiled while mounting an 11-game lead in the A.L. West.

Blue Jays 8, Brewers 4

Milwaukee

Toronto pitcher Pat Hentgen survived a shaky start and a shaky defense, and Paul Molitor had a pair of RBI doubles as the Blue Jays beat Milwaukee, snapping a six-game losing streak. Hentgen (9-9) scattered nine hits over eight innings and got out of a fourth-inning jam by allowing just one run despite three errors.

Rangers 7, Tigers 2

Arlington, Texas

Danny Darwin, pitching a home game for the Rangers for the first time in 11 years, allowed just two hits in six innings as Texas beat Detroit. Benji Gil broke an 0-for-18 slump with a grand slam in the eighth off Joe Boever.

Clearing the bases

The longest home run at The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, was an estimated 480 feet by Jose Canseco last year. Cecil Fielder’s 442-foot homer was the second longest, and longest this season. … The Orioles pinch-ran for Cal Ripken in the ninth after he singled, making it the eighth game this season that he hasn’t finished. … Against left-handed starters, the Royals are 8-19.