Rare Day At The Jake: Indians Lose

American League

Everything pointed to another Cleveland win - the location (Jacobs Field), the circumstance (a late-inning comeback), even the final score (7-6).

That made it all the sweeter for the Texas Rangers’ Mark McLemore, whose two-run double in the eighth inning Tuesday beat the Indians.

“That felt great - two runs with a two-out hit on the road in Cleveland,” McLemore said. “You’re talking about the toughest place to win a ballgame.”

Texas ended its three-game losing streak while handing the Indians their second loss in nine games. It marked the first time this season Cleveland lost a one-run game at home, and the first time the Indians lost a game they had led after six innings.

They dropped to 22-8 at home, still the best home mark in the majors.

Carlos Baerga, Jim Thome and Ruben Amaro homered during a six-run fourth inning that made Cleveland the first team to reach 100 home runs this season.

The Indians are on a pace to hit 232 during this strike-shortened, 144-game season - eight away from the 162-game record of 240 hit by the 1961 New York Yankees. Projected over 162 games, the Indians’ pace would produce 261 homers.

The Rangers trailed 6-5 entering the eighth, but Eric Fox drew a one-out walk from Julian Tavarez, and Rusty Greer’s pinch single off Paul Assenmacher (2-2) sent Fox to third. Otis Nixon’s sacrifice bunt moved Greer to second - Fox held - before McLemore slapped his two-run double off Eric Plunk, a grounder just inside the bag at first.

Angels 14, Blue Jays 0

Anaheim, Calif.

The largest crowd in the majors this season - 61,292 - saw J.T. Snow drive in four runs as California routed Toronto.

Athletics 5, Brewers 3 Oakland Mark McGwire hit his 23rd homer and Terry Steinbach hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, rallying Oakland over Milwaukee.

Twins 6, Orioles 3

Baltimore

Scott Erickson allowed three hits in eight innings and Pedro Munoz homered and had three RBIs as Minnesota beat Baltimore in a game delayed nearly 3 hours by rain.

Red Sox 6, Royals 5

Kansas City

Jose Canseco’s three-run homer climaxed a five-run eighth inning, leading Tim Wakefield and Boston past Kansas City.

Yankees 4, White Sox 1

Chicago

Mariano Rivera, recalled earlier in the day from the minors, gave up two hits in eight shutout innings and struck out 11 as New York beat Chicago.

Stalker to be examined

The woman charged with threatening to kill Roberto Alomar of the Toronto Blue Jays was ordered in Toronto to undergo a three-day psychiatric exam to determine if she is fit to stand trial.

Justice Tom Mercer of Ontario Court’s general division ordered the assessment for Tricia Miller, 31, at a hearing after a request from her lawyer.

Police said a woman carrying a gun in a bag told staff at the SkyDome Hotel on Sunday she wanted to kill Alomar. They said she was frustrated by past attempts to “develop a relationship,” and intended to shoot Alomar and herself. Police seized a loaded .22-caliber revolver.

Miller will return to court July 11, when the judge will decide whether a further 30-day assessment is needed.

Clearing the bases

In the last 18 meetings between Texas and Cleveland, the Indians have hit 32 home runs… . Darryl Strawberry, in his first game since moving up from a rookie level, went 1 for 4 with a double and a walk for the Tampa Yankees in a 5-3 loss to Dunedin in the Class A Florida State League… . Sid Fernandez pitched the ninth for the Baltimore Orioles, his first relief appearance since 1989… . The Boston Red Sox have batted around in an inning three straight games. … Minnesota’s Kirby Puckett started in center field for the first time since October 1993.