9th-Inning Homers Carry Tribe To Win

American League

Manny Ramirez and Eddie Murray led off the bottom of the ninth with consecutive homers Thursday night, leading the Cleveland Indians over the Minnesota Twins 5-4.

With Minnesota leading 4-3, Ramirez connected against Dave Stevens for his 24th homer of the season. Murray, pinch hitting for Jeromy Burnitz, then homered off Eddie Guardado (5-4), his 12th this season and the 491st of his career.

Albert Belle was ejected by home plate umpire John Hirschbeck after ending the eighth with a groundout. Belle was upset about a called strike during the atbat.

A’s 5, Rangers 4 (11) Arlington, Texas

Rafael Bournigal’s single with one out in the top of the 11th inning drove in Terry Steinbach from second base to rally Oakland past Texas.

Steinbach led off with a double just over the head of first baseman Rene Gonzales off Mark Brandenburg (1-2) and went to third on Jose Herrera’s sacrifice bunt. Bournigal, who singled in the go-ahead run for the Athletics in the ninth, then hit a soft liner to right to put Oakland ahead.

Orioles 6, Red Sox 3 Boston

David Wells won on the road for just the second time this season, and B.J. Surhoff and Chris Hoiles homered to lead Baltimore over Boston.

Wells (6-9) had been just 1-5 with a 7.04 ERA in seven road starts. He allowed three runs - two earned - and six hits in 6 innings, sending the Red Sox to just their second loss in eight games since the All-Star break.

Brewers 16, Yankees 4 Milwaukee

Dave Nilsson, Pat Listach and Fernando Vina drove in three runs each and Milwaukee capitalized on Dwight Gooden’s careerhigh eight walks, routing New York.

New York allowed its most runs since a 16-3 loss to Toronto on June 8, 1992.

Royals 7, White Sox 1 Chicago

Kevin Appier pitched six strong innings in his first start in two weeks and Craig Paquette drove in four runs as Kansas City beat Chicago.

Appier (8-7), sidelined since July 3 because of inflammation in his right biceps, was sharp. He allowed one run and three hits, walked two and struck out seven.

Blue Jays 8, Tigers 4 Toronto

Joe Carter’s two-run homer sparked a seven-run fourth inning and Pat Hentgen pitched eight strong innings to lead Toronto over Detroit.

Clearing the bases

Minnesota Twins pinch-hitters lead the majors with a .344 average (33-for-96). … Cleveland catcher Tony Pena had thrown out seven of the last eight runners attempting to steal against him, but the Twins went 4 for 5… . Detroit has been outscored in every inning this season.

Through their first 95 games this season, the Kansas City Royals used 90 different batting orders… . Chicago is now 4-4 since Frank Thomas went on the disabled list with a stress fracture in his left foot.