Mcdowell: No-No To Oh-Oh

American League

The first trip home wearing Yankee pinstripes, or at least New York greys, quickly progressed from a sweet to only bitter memory for pitcher Jack McDowell.

The former Notre Dame High School pitcher, performing in his backyard at Anaheim (Calif.) Stadium, had a no-hitter through seven innings Wednesday before everything unraveled.

McDowell lost his no-hitter in the top of the eighth, when Chili Davis reached base on an infield single. McDowell caught second baseman Pat Kelly’s throw before Davis reached first but appeared to pull his foot off the bag.

The play proved disastrous as the California Angels proceeded to score three runs off McDowell in a 3-1 victory.

As seven-inning no-hitters go, this one goes in the dominating category.

There were no tough decisions for the scorekeeper or questionable calls by the umpires.

The Angels seemed to be in a cooperative mood. Only one, Davis, hit a ball out of the infield through the first seven innings. No. 3 hitter Tim Salmon struck out three times.

But the Angels knew what might happen.

“You mention Jack McDowell and my blood pressure rises,” left fielder Tony Phillips said. “You have to be ready because he’ll shove it up your rear if you aren’t. You can’t get too up for him or afford to give him a strike.”

The near no-no, before an announced crowd of 15,497, came a night after Angels pitcher Chuck Finley had a perfect game going into the sixth.

But at least Finley still got a victory out of his effort. McDowell only saw his record drop to 1-2.

Until he briefly argued after Davis’ infield hit, McDowell seemed completely relaxed on the mound.

“If he’s on, I don’t know if there’s anything you can do,” Angels manager Marcel Lachemann said.

But the Angels broke through in the eighth. After Davis got aboard, J.T. Snow sacrificed. Greg Myers then doubled Davis home and scored on Spike Owen’s single.

Gary DiSarcina singled in Owen for the 3-1 lead.

Athletics 5, Orioles 3

Oakland, Calif.

Dennis Eckersley became the sixth pitcher in major-league history to save 300 games, pitching the ninth of Oakland’s win over Baltimore.

Sox 10-6, Rangers 8-13

Chicago

Benji Gill capped a seven-run third inning with a three-run homer, and Texas beat Chicago to salvage a split of a doubleheader that took more than 7 1/2 hours.

The White Sox captured the opener by scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth with Kruk, in his Chicago debut, driving in the go-ahead run.

Brewers 7, Indians 5

Cleveland

B.J. Surhoff had two of his team’s seven hits during a seven-run fourth, giving former replacement pitcher Ron Rightnowar his first big-league win as Milwaukee beat Cleveland.

Tigers 14, Twins 3

Detroit

Travis Fryman broke a 1-for-15 slump with four hits and Detroit had 18 hits in its fifth straight victory, a drubbing of Minnesota.

Royals 8, Blue Jays 5

Toronto

Jon Nunnally tripled in the go-ahead run and then stole home in the fifth, and Wally Joyner and Gary Gaetti homered in Kansas City’s win over Toronto.

Clearing the bases

Chicago pitcher Scott Radinsky, who underwent treatment for Hodgkin’s disease and missed all of last season, earned his first victory since Sept. 29, 1993. … Eddie Murray’s two hits for Cleveland gave him 2,965, moving him past Sam Crawford for 21st on the career hit list. … Minnesota has not won a series this season. … Toronto hasn’t won more than two consecutive games this season.