Hershiser Proves You Can’t Go Home
American League
Orel Hershiser received a rude welcome in his first Southern California appearance since leaving the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mercifully, it didn’t last long.
Garret Anderson helped send Hershiser to his earliest shower in four seasons, driving in two runs and leading the California Angels to a 6-5 victory Tuesday night that ended the Cleveland Indians’ seven-game winning streak.
“To me, home is still 40 minutes away,” Hershiser said. “Yeah, I’m back in Los Angeles, but Dodger Stadium is the place where things happen.”
A lot of bad things happened to Hershiser (7-5) in his fourth start since coming off the disabled list.
Hershiser, who bought 70 tickets for family and friends, lasted just 2-1/3 innings. He gave up five runs, five hits and four walks in his fourth since coming off the disabled list.
Anderson, who led off the second inning with his eighth home run, put California ahead 4-3 with an RBI single that chased Hershiser.
The 1988 Cy Young winner hadn’t left a game so early since pitching one inning against Houston at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 16, 1991, the year he returned from reconstructive shoulder surgery.
The Angels did everything right as they won for the 10th time in 13 games. Troy Percival had another strong outing a as setup man for Lee Smith, who rebounded from Monday night’s 10-inning loss with a scoreless ninth inning and his 23rd save.
Yankees 8, Royals 1
Kansas City
Randy Velarde had his first career five-hit game and Paul O’Neill hit two homers to lead New York past Kansas City for its seventh straight win.
Orioles 4, Rangers 3
Baltimore
Bret Barberie singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning and Baltimore handed Texas its ninth straight loss.
White Sox 8, Red Sox 3
Boston
Frank Thomas broke a tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly and Chicago scored four more runs in the ninth to beat Boston.
Tigers 6, Athletics 3
Detroit
Lou Whitaker and Kirk Gibson drove in two runs apiece and Detroit beat Oakland.
Twins 7, Blue Jays 3
Toronto
Rookie Frankie Rodriguez scattered five hits over seven innings, and Chuck Knoblauch and Marty Cordova homered as Minnesota beat Toronto.
Longhorns lose QB
Shea Morenz, a two-sport star at the University of Texas, has signed a contract with the New York Yankees.
Morenz had one year of baseball eligibility and two years of football eligibility at Texas. He was the Yankees’ first-round draft pick.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Morenz played quarterback in the fall and outfielder in the spring.
With Morenz leaving, the Longhorns football team begins practice next month with only one experienced quarterback, James Brown.
Clearing the bases
The Rangers’ losing streak is their longest since April 1987 when they also lost nine in a row. … The first five Yankees to bat in the first inning got hits and four of them scored. … Kevin Appier (11-7) was making his seventh attempt at his 12th victory, his last win coming June 23. … Boston had no extra base hits after getting 19 in its previous five games. … Detroit’s win was just its second in 12 games while Oakland’s third straight loss made the A’s 2-9. … Cecil Fielder returned to the Detroit lineup after missing five games with back spasms. … Joe Carter’s run-scoring double in the fourth gave him his 500th RBI as a Blue Jay, but Carter was 4-for-52 entering the game.