Belle Finds Home Run Swing

American League

Albert Belle broke out of a slump with his first home run since opening day and Doug Drabek won for the first time since last Sept. 26 as the Chicago White Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-3 Wednesday night at Comiskey Park and stopped a three-game losing streak.

Belle entered the game in a 1-for-27 slump that had lowered his average to .163 and helped Chicago break on top in the first.

Brewers 7, Yankees 4 Milwaukee

Fernando Vina had three hits, including a tie-breaking, two-run single, as Milwaukee handed New York its fourth straight loss.

At 5-9, the Yankees dropped to four games less than .500 for the first time since July 21, 1995. The four-game skid is their worst since losing five straight last Aug. 25-29.

Rangers 2, Royals 0 Kansas City, Mo.

Lee Stevens hit a home run for the second straight night and John Burkett shut down Kansas City.

Texas’ John Wetteland pitched the ninth for his fourth save as the Royals were shut out at home for the first time since Sept. 27, 1995.

Blue Jays 4, Athletics 3 Toronto

Otis Nixon singled home the winning run in the ninth inning as Toronto beat Oakland and stopped a three-game losing streak.

Twins 4, Angels 2 Minneapolis

Chris Latham doubled home a run with his first major-league hit, and Minnesota turned five double plays.

Minnesota’s Rich Robertson (2-0) allowed two runs and five hits in 5-2/3 innings, walked four and hit a batter.

Red Sox 11, Indians 6 Boston

Mo Vaughn, whose power stroke has been missing most of the season, hit two three-run homers as Boston beat Cleveland.

The Red Sox won their fourth consecutive game, outscoring opponents 35-10 in that span, while Cleveland lost its fourth in a row.

Clearing the bases

Vince Coleman, sixth on baseball’s career stolen base list, was cut by the Detroit Tigers, who designated him for assignment. Coleman was dropped to make room for Phil Nevin, who had been on the 15-day disabled list. Coleman, 35, was 1 for 14 (.071) with no homers, RBIs or steals in six games. … Texas catcher Mickey Tettleton has a deep bruise on the inside of his left knee and is expected to be out about two weeks. … The Twins’ Roberto Kelly, just off the disabled list following off-season shoulder surgery, made his 1997 debut and was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts as the DH.