Alomar Pushes Hit Streak To 30

American League

Marquis Grissom hit an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday, giving the Cleveland Indians an 8-7 victory and a three-game sweep over visiting Kansas City, the Royals’ eighth straight loss.

Cleveland catcher Sandy Alomar extended his hitting streak to 30 games, the longest in the A.L. in 10 years. He is four games shy of the major-league record for catchers set by Benito Santiago of the Padres in 1987.

Alomar, the A.L.’s leading hitter, hit a chopper to third in the second inning. Scott Cooper bare-handed it and threw to first on one bounce, but Alomar was already past the bag.

Alomar is one game away from the longest hitting streak in club history. Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie hit in 31 straight games in 1906.

It is the longest in the A.L. since Paul Molitor hit in 39 straight for Milwaukee in 1987 and the longest in the majors since Jerome Walton of the Chicago Cubs had a 30-game streak in 1989.

Blue Jays 2, Yankees 0 Toronto

Roger Clemens became the A.L.’s first 13-game winner, pitching a four-hitter.

Clemens (13-3), who was chosen to his sixth All-Star team, had 10 strikeouts and one walk in his first shutout since he struck out 20 Detroit Tigers in a 4-0 win on Sept 18, 1996. Clemens, who hasn’t won this many games since 1992 with Boston, lowered his league-leading ERA to 1.69 in his fourth complete game of the season.

Clemens, who retired the last 11 batters, struck out at least 10 for the fifth time this season and 73rd time in his career.

Athletics 9, Rangers 8 Arlington, Texas

Tony Batista, who was recalled from the minors on July 2, hit a three-run homer and knocked in four runs for Oakland.

Oakland snapped a three-game losing streak and Texas’ four-game winning streak.

Matt Whiteside (1-1) gave up the game-winner to Batista - who had been playing for Triple A Edmonton - in the sixth inning after a single and an error. It was Batista’s fourth homer of the season and just his 11th RBI. Mark McGwire also produced a run-scoring double in the four-run inning.

White Sox 6, Red Sox 5 Chicago

Frank Thomas, who will miss the All-Star Game to rest sore rib muscles, hit a two-run double.

Thomas doubled in the third to put the White Sox ahead 3-2, and they went on to their third straight win and 11th in 16 games.

James Baldwin (6-9) gave up 10 hits over five innings, striking out three, to win for the third time in four starts. Roberto Hernandez got three outs for his 20th save.

Tigers 14, Orioles 9 Detroit

Brian Johnson had a homer and three RBIs and Travis Fryman also homered as Detroit won its third straight from Baltimore after 11 straight losses to the Orioles.

Scott Erickson (11-4) endured the worst start of his career for Baltimore, allowing 12 runs, 11 earned, and 10 hits in 4-1/3 innings. It was the first time ever he has given up double-digit runs and was just his third loss in 16 career decisions against Detroit.

Rafael Palmeiro homered, tripled and singled for the Orioles.

Brewers 6, Twins 2 Milwaukee

Ben McDonald pitched six solid innings and Milwaukee chased LaTroy Hawkins early.

Pitching on three days’ rest, McDonald (7-6) surrendered two runs on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Only one Twins batter - leadoff hitter Chuck Knoblauch - gave him trouble.

Milwaukee batted around in the third, getting six straight hits.