Ripken Homers To Beat Angels
Cal Ripken’s two-run homer in the eighth inning lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-3 victory Sunday over Anaheim.
Ripken’s 14th homer greeted Anaheim reliever Mike James (4-4), who had just replaced Darrell May. May walked Geronimo Berroa to lead off the inning, then got Rafael Palmeiro on a fly to right.
The Angels went up 3-2 in the seventh on an RBI single by Tim Salmon, who also homered in the second inning.
Baltimore starter Jimmy Key, who got off to an 8-0 start, failed to get a decision for his fourth start in a row, and has won just one of his last seven starts. Key allowed two runs on six hits before leaving with runners at first and third and two out in the seventh.
Salmon then hit a grounder deep to third off reliever Armando Benitez. Ripken fielded the ball, but had no play. Benitez (2-3) pitched 1-1/3 innings for the victory, and Randy Myers got the final three outs for his 34th save.
A’s 4-5, Brewers 3-9 Oakland, Calif.
Brian Banks hit his first career grand slam and had a career-high five RBI and three hits as Milwaukee salvaged a split of a doubleheader.
Jason McDonald, who was promoted to Oakland earlier in the day, hit a two-out double in the ninth as the A’s won the first game.
In the nightcap, winner Bryce Florie (3-3) pitched five strong innings, allowing two earned runs.
The Athletics had their season-high four-game winning streak snapped in the second game.
Milwaukee had lost five straight road games.
Yankees 9, Twins 6 Minneapolis
Chad Curtis hit his first career grand slam, leading New York to its 10th win in 13 games.
Curtis hit a solo homer Saturday night, but was still in a 4-for-21 slump when he faced Travis Miller with one out and the bases loaded in the third inning.
Curtis hit the first pitch 390 feet to left field for a 7-0 lead. It was New York’s fourth grand slam of the season, and it pushed the Yankees a season-high 21 games over .500.
Rangers 7, Indians 6 Cleveland
Former Spokane Indians outfielder Warren Newson hit two of the team’s five solo home runs as Texas handed Cleveland its sixth loss in seven games.
Rusty Greer, Juan Gonzalez and Lee Stevens also hit solo shots for the Rangers. Brian Giles and David Justice homered for Cleveland.
Giles hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth off John Wetteland. Omar Vizquel followed with a double, but Wetteland struck out Manny Ramirez for his 25th save.
Red Sox 6, Royals 4 Boston
Nomar Garciaparra hit a two-run homer early in the game, then doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning.
After the Royals rallied with two runs in the top of the eighth to tie it at 4, Mike Benjamin singled with one out in the Boston half.
Garciaparra followed with his RBI double down the left-field line and Mo Vaughn singled home another run.
Tigers 4, Blue Jays 2 Toronto
Orlando Miller hit a pinch-hit, two-run double in the eighth inning.
Loser Robert Person (5-8) hit Damion Easley to start the eighth, and Phil Nevin followed with a walk. Pinch-hitter Jody Reed added a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position for Miller, who lined reliever Dan Plesac’s first pitch to left.
In the ninth, Detroit added a run on Bob Hamelin’s 14th home run.
Clearing the bases
The Blue Jays have had five or fewer hits in a game 23 times this season. … Anaheim’s Eddie Murray singled in the sixth inning for career hit No. 3,254, moving him to 10th on the career list ahead of Nap Lajoie. … Ripken’s homer was his 920th career extra-base hit, tying him with Willie McCovey for 34th. … Boston DH Reggie Jefferson went 0 for 5, ending his career-high 22-game hitting streak. … After converting six of their first 18 save opportunities, Detroit’s bullpen has been successful in 25 of its last 29.