Alomar’s Hr Lifts Tribe Over Tigers
American League
Sandy Alomar homered with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning Friday night, giving host Cleveland yet another dramatic win as the Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 6-5.
It was the 22nd win in their last at-bat this season, and seventh on a game-ending home run for the Indians, who are 9-0 in extra innings.
Alomar’s heroics came after Cleveland’s Jose Mesa blew a save for the first time all season, stopping his record streak at 38 in a row when Chad Curtis sent the game to extra innings with a two-out, solo home run in the ninth.
Albert Belle celebrated his 29th birthday by homering twice to become the first Cleveland player to hit 30 home runs in four consecutive seasons.
The Tigers have lost 10 of 11 games at Jacobs Field since it opened last year.
Alomar won it by driving a 1-1 pitch from Felipe Lira (8-9) onto the home run porch in left for his sixth of the season.
Winning pitcher Julian Tavarez (9-2) retired all six batters he faced, striking out three.
Orioles 11, Angels 2
Anaheim, Calif.
Rafael Palmeiro hit a three-run homer to highlight a five-run third inning, and Scott Erickson pitched a six-hitter as Baltimore beat California.
Erickson (9-10) improved his career record against the Angels to 9-1 with his third complete game in 10 starts since joining the Orioles after a July 7 trade with Minnesota.
Athletics 6, Red Sox 1
Oakland
Doug Johns allowed two hits in seven innings in his third major league start, and Scott Brosius homered twice as Oakland beat Boston to break the Red Sox’s six-game winning streak.
White Sox 8, Blue Jays 7
Toronto
Rookie Ray Durham hit his first major league grand slam and Lance Johnson added a two-run homer in a seven-run sixth inning as Chicago beat Toronto.
Brewers 6, Twins 3
Milwaukee
John Jaha hit a three-run homer and rookie Scott Karl won for the fourth time in his last five starts as Milwaukee defeated Minnesota.
Royals 9, Rangers 4
Kansas City
Rookie Joe Vitiello’s three-run homer helped Mark Gubicza beat Texas at home for the first time in nine years, leading Kansas City past the Rangers.
Clearing the bases
Roberto Alomar’s first-inning single extended his career-high hitting streak to 19 games, the second longest in the American League this season… . Milwaukee, which leads the majors with eight grand slam home runs, is batting .333 with the bases loaded… . The Toronto Blue Jays sent pitcher Juan Guzman to Triple-A Syracuse for a medical rehabilitation assignment with soreness in the area of his right armpit… . The Twins have allowed a major league-leading 164 home runs… . Chicago’s free-agent class of 1995 dwindled once again when outfielder Mike Devereaux, who had the second-highest batting average among the regulars, was dealt to Atlanta for minor-league prospect Andre King… . Cecil Fielder’s home run string ended. He had homered in the Tigers’ previous four games.