Ripken Averts Injury To Keep Streak Alive

American League

The California Angels ended their streak and Cal Ripken extended his, although consecutive game No. 2,129 was hardly routine.

Ripken kept his consecutive-games streak alive Monday, moving within one of Lou Gehrig’s hallowed record, and California snapped a nine-game skid by beating the Baltimore Orioles 5-3.

Ripken hasn’t missed a game since May 30, 1982 because he has avoided mishaps such as getting spiked or being hit by a pitched ball. Such was the case Monday, when the Orioles shortstop was lucky enough to avoid two potential catastrophes in the latter stages of the game.

In the seventh inning, Ripken barely got out of the way of a wicked curve thrown by California reliever Troy Percival.

Then, in the top of the ninth, Ripken pulled his foot off second base just as the Angels’ Jorge Fabregas was sliding into the bag on a force play.

“I got my foot stepped on, that’s all,” Ripken said.

White Sox 14, Rangers 3

Arlington, Texas

Robin Ventura became the eighth player in major league history and the first in 25 years to hit two grand slams in one game when he connected in the fourth and fifth innings as Chicago pelted Texas.

Ventura, who tied the club record with eight RBIs, broke the game open with his first grand slam off reliever Dennis Cook. It was the sixth of his career to establish a franchise record and it gave the White Sox an 8-2 lead.

Twins 9, Brewers 6

Minneapolis

Kirby Puckett homered twice and Pedro Munoz had four hits as Minnesota beat Milwaukee.

John Jaha hit a grand slam for Milwaukee, the team’s 10th of the season. The total ties the major league record by Detroit in 1938 and the New York Yankees in 1987.

Tigers 3, Indians 2

Detroit

Tony Clark tripled for his first two major league RBIs as Detroit edged Cleveland.

Clark, called up Sunday from Detroit’s Toledo farm club, hit a drive to center in the fourth that eluded a diving Kenny Lofton and rolled to the fence.

Jays 6-7, Royals 1-9

Kansas City

Kansas City pinch-hitter Les Norman had a two-run triple in a three-run eighth inning as the Royals rallied for the second-game victory over Toronto and a split of their doubleheader.

Paul Molitor had five hits, including a three-run homer, in the first game as the Blue Jays won to break a seven-game losing streak.

Clearing the bases

California’s Jim Edmonds, who sat out two games because of a strained lower back muscle, returned to the lineup and had two hits and a run. He began the game with one hit in his previous 22 at-bats… . Bob Hamelin, the 1994 A.L. Rookie of the Year, was called up by Kansas City from Omaha.