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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cruz’s Hr Helps Clemens Win 20th

Associated Press

American League

Roger Clemens became the first 20-game winner in the major leagues this season, reaching the milestone for the first time since 1990 as he led the visiting Toronto Blue Jays over the Kansas City Royals 5-3 Friday night.

Clemens (20-4), who has won 20 for the fourth time, also was a 20-game winner in 1986, 1987 and 1990. The three-time A.L. Cy Young Award winner allowed all three runs and seven hits in 7-1/3 innings, striking out four and walked one.

He moved past Young into 13th place on the career strikeout list with 2,820. His league-leading ERA rose from 1.78 to 1.80.

Jose Rosado (8-10) allowed five runs and 10 hits in seven-plus innings. He is 1-6 in nine starts since winning the All-Star Game.

Jose Cruz Jr. drove in three runs with a single and his 18th homer, a two-run drive in the eighth that put Toronto ahead 4-0. Joe Carter followed with his 19th homer.

Toronto broke a three-game losing streak, while the Royals have lost three in a row and five of six. Kelvim Escobar got three outs to remain perfect in 10 save chances.

Angels 8, Red Sox 5 Anaheim, Calif.

Tony Phillips drove in three runs as Anaheim beat Boston and Bret Saberhagen in the pitcher’s return from a two-year layoff.

Saberhagen, 33, a two-time A.L. Cy Young Award winner, who missed last season following shoulder surgery on May 28, 1996, gave up four runs and four hits in the first, but didn’t allow another hit over his next three innings.

He walked three, hit a batter, made an error on a pickoff throw, struck out three and left after four innings - and 86 pitches - trailing 4-3.

Nomar Garciaparra, who led off the game with a homer, then hit a two-run shot in the third. His 23 homers are the most ever by a rookie shortstop, topping the 22 by Ron Hansen with Baltimore in 1960. The homers extended his hitting streak to 24 games, the most by a Boston player since Wade Boggs hit in 25 straight in 1987.

Tigers 16, Brewers 1 Milwaukee

Bobby Higginson had a career-high five hits and Detroit scored 11 runs in the seventh.

Detroit finished with 22 hits, including 11 in the seventh inning, and Milwaukee tied a franchise record for most runs allowed in a frame.

Travis Fryman and Tony Clark had four RBIs apiece. Clark had two doubles in the seventh to tie a team record.

Rangers 17, White Sox 8 Arlington, Texas

Rusty Greer homered twice and drove in six runs as Texas overcame a two-homer, six-RBI night by Albert Belle.

Greer and Belle both hit grand slams on a night the teams combined for 29 hits, including a season-high 20 by the Rangers.

Greer hit a two-run homer in a five-run second and followed an inning later with his third career slam as Texas took an 11-2 lead.

It was Belle’s third slam this season, the 10th of his career.

Orioles 3, Twins 1 Baltimore

Scott Erickson beat his former team for the fourth time this season, allowing five hits in 8-1/3 innings.

Coming into this season, Erickson (15-5) was 0-2 against the team he pitched for from 1990-95. This year, the right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA against Minnesota, and his 15 victories are his most since he won 20 games in 1991.

Randy Myers got the final two outs for his 39th save.

Indians 5, Athletics 3 Oakland, Calif.

Rookie Jaret Wright allowed three hits in six innings to win for the first time in a month, and David Justice hit a two-run homer for Cleveland.

Marquis Grissom, who entered the game hitless in his last 14 at-bats, went 4 for 4 with an RBI triple for the Indians.

Clearing the bases

Twins DH Paul Molitor, who turned 41 Friday, went 0 for 4. … The Tigers last scored 11 runs in an inning in the first on Sept. 20, 1993 against Baltimore. … Clemens hasn’t allowed a home run in 32-1/3 innings.