Ripken Paves Way As O’S Beat Brewers
American League
Cal Ripken ended a 3-for-31 slump with an RBI single in the 10th inning and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 on Saturday in Milwaukee.
After Roberto Alomar and Rafael Palmeiro walked, Ripken singled against Mike Potts (1-2) and B.J. Surhoff added a sacrifice fly. Randy Myers pitched the final inning for his eighth save as Arthur Rhodes (4-0) picked up the win with 2-2/3 innings of hitless relief.
Athletics 12, Twins 5
Oakland, Calif.
Terry Steinbach hit a three-run homer and added an RBI double, and Phil Plantier had three RBI singles to lead Oakland.
Jason Giambi, Mark McGwire, and Plantier - the third through fifth hitters in Oakland’s lineup - each had three hits.
Jays 9, Red Sox 8 (11)
Toronto
Sandy Martinez’s two-out, run-scoring single in the 11th inning gave Toronto a win over Boston.
After Juan Samuel drew a two-out walk from loser Brent Knackert (0-1), Heathcliff Slocumb came on and Samuel stole second before Martinez lined a pitch to the wall in right-center to score the winning run.
White Sox 7, Yankees 5
Chicago
Harold Baines hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Chicago a win.
Dave Martinez opened the ninth with a single off John Wetteland (0-1). Baines then hit Wetteland’s first pitch into the left-field bleachers for his seventh home run this season.
Rangers 11, Tigers 7
Arlington, Texas
Rusty Greer hit a grand slam in the first inning and had a career-best five RBIs as Texas beat Detroit.
Kevin Gross (5-3) was the beneficiary of eight runs in the first two innings as the Rangers won for the seventh time in eight games while sending the Tigers to their 20th loss in 23 games.
Indians 6, Angels 5
Anaheim, Calif.
Jack McDowell pitched a five-hitter over eight-plus innings, Jim Thome hit a three-run homer and Cleveland held on for a win.
McDowell (4-1) retired the first 10 Angels before Jim Edmonds doubled in the fourth.
Justin time?
Detroit is flailing with a starting rotation that came to Arlington, Texas, this weekend with a 6-17 record and 7.12 ERA.
But Tigers manager Buddy Bell and general manager Randy Smith are resisting the urge to promote Justin Thompson, the team’s top draft choice from 1991 who is 3-2 with a 2.51 ERA after seven starts at Class AAA Toledo.
Thompson, a lefty pitching above Class AA for the first time after missing the 1994 season with elbow problems, has walked 14 and struck out 37 in 46-2/3 innings.
“He’s been so dominant,” Bell conceded. “He’s going to be a good pitcher. But we’re talking about a 22-year-old kid everybody is waiting to see. It’s like he almost can’t be good enough, so we’re better off giving him the time he needs to develop right.”
Clearing the bases
Baltimore starter Kent Mercker left the game in the seventh with a contusion on his left knee. He had tried to field Fernando Vina’s bunt single in the seventh and got tangled up with second baseman Bill Ripken to the left of the pitcher’s mound. … Scott Erickson starts today for Baltimore instead of David Wells, who has an inflamed right big toe. Wells goes on Monday against Oakland.
White Sox pitcher Jason Bere and infielder Norberto Martin will begin their rehabilitation at Class AAA Nashville. Martin, who suffered facial fractures against California on April 9, reports to the Sounds on Monday. Bere, who was out since April 21 with tendinitis on the right elbow, will join the Sounds on Tuesday.
Tony Tarasco, hitting .238, was demoted, and in his place, the Orioles purchased the contract of veteran outfielder Luis Polonia, who joins the team today.