Pettitte Gets 15th Win; Yanks Continue To Roll

American League

Andy Pettitte became the American League’s first 15-game winner and Tino Martinez hit a three-run double Wednesday, giving the New York Yankees a 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Bernie Williams, who missed Tuesday night’s game because of a sty in his right eye, went 2 for 2 with a solo homer for the Yankees. He also walked twice and scored two runs in the meeting of division leaders.

Pettitte (15-5), second in the majors to John Smoltz’s 17 wins, improved to 9-0 in day starts. He pitched six innings and gave up two runs on nine hits, including a solo homer by Ivan Rodriguez.

Athletics 6, White Sox 5

Chicago

Mark McGwire hit his 36th homer and Scott Brosius hit a go-ahead double in the eighth inning as Oakland sent Chicago to its sixth loss in seven games.

McGwire’s 31st homer in 56 games traveled an estimated 470 feet, 18 feet longer than the homer he hit Tuesday night, and is the longest ever by an opponent at new Comiskey Park. Dan Pasqua, then playing for the White Sox, had 484-foot homer in 1991, the year the ballpark opened.

Twins 11, Orioles 4

Baltimore

Minnesota completed its first three-game sweep at Baltimore since 1983, beating the Orioles behind a 15-hit attack and solid pitching by Frankie Rodriguez.

Eddie Murray hit his second home run in three games since returning to the Orioles on Monday. It was his 493rd homer, tying him with Lou Gehrig for 15th on the career list.

Red Sox 12, Royals 2

Boston

Mike Greenwell and Jose Canseco drove in three runs each, and Jamie Moyer won his third straight start.

Boston stopped a three-game losing streak behind Moyer (7-1), who became the second Red Sox pitcher to win three straight starts this season. He gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked one.

Indians 10, Blue Jays 0

Toronto

Dennis Martinez, activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, allowed three hits in five shutout innings, and Omar Vizquel and Carlos Baerga homered.

Martinez (9-5), who had a strained tendon in his right elbow, struck out two and walked two. It was his first start since June 28 and his first victory since May 31.

Vizquel went 2 for 5 and gave the Indians a 10-0 lead with a three-run homer in the sixth, his career-high seventh of the season.

Royals near agreement with Appier

Kevin Appier and Kansas City have reached a tentative agreement on a three-year deal, compromising on a no-trade clause that had been the sticking point in negotiations.

Appier, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season, had said he was willing to accept less money to stay in Kansas City if the Royals could assure him that he would stay in Kansas City.

White Sox release McCaskill

Chicago released veteran right-handed pitcher Kirk McCaskill after Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to Oakland and called up Luis Andujar from Triple-A Nashville to start Thursday’s game against Texas.

McCaskill, 35, was 5-5 with a 6.97 ERA in 29 games, including four starts. He joined the White Sox in 1992 as a starter, but was eventually sent to the bullpen. He has started only five games the last three seasons.

Carter, Gaston get extensions

Outfielder Joe Carter, 36, and manager Cito Gaston, 52, agreed to contract extensions through the 1997 season.

Gaston joined the Blue Jays as hitting coach on Nov. 4, 1981. He became interim manager May 15, 1989, replacing Jimmy Williams, and was hired as the permanent manager two weeks later.