Birds Beat Yanks In First Matchup
Brady Anderson homered Monday on the first pitch of the game from Andy Pettitte, then doubled off the Yankees ace during a six-run rally in the seventh inning that sent the visiting Baltimore Orioles over New York 8-6ay.
The Orioles were just 4-14 against the Yankees last season, including a five-game loss in the A.L. championship series. But Baltimore, leading the A.L. East, won the first meeting this year, even though manager Davey Johnson was ejected in his return from a two-day absence caused by a family illness.
B.J. Surhoff had three hits and drove in three runs for Baltimore. His single began the seventh, Anderson’s two-run double tied it 6-6 and finished Pettitte. Surhoff’s two-out, two-run single off Graeme Lloyd capped the comeback.
The Orioles won for the seventh time in nine games. New York has lost six of seven.
Toronto 8, Texas 1
Toronto
Roger Clemens became the league’s first nine-game winner, allowing four hits in seven innings to lead Toronto over Texas.
Clemens (9-0) gave up one run and struck out seven, lowering his league-leading ERA to 1.81.
Ruben Sierra went 3 for 3, and Ed Sprague and Orlando Merced homered.
Indians 10, White Sox 4
Chicago
Cleveland, facing Albert Belle for the first time since he left as a free agent for $55 million, scored six runs in the second inning and Orel Hershiser pitched seven strong innings after a shaky start to beat Chicago.
Belle extend his hitting streak to 21 games with an eighth-inning single. The moody two-time American League RBI leader signed a five-year deal with the White Sox last November.
Cleveland’s eighth victory in nine games allowed the Indians to go five games over .500 for the first time all season.
Athletics 2, Royals 1 (11)
Kansas City, Mo.
Scott Spiezio singled home Jose Canseco with one out in the 11th inning to lift Oakland over Kansas City.
Kansas City starter Kevin Appier struck out a season-high 10 in nine innings, but failed in his fourth attempt to earn his 100th career win.
Tigers 6, Angels 0
Detroit
Omar Olivares pitched a four-hitter for his second shutout and Travis Fryman drove in two runs, leading Detroit over Anaheim.
Olivares (3-3) won for the first time since blanking Cleveland 6-0 on May 10. He struck out four and walked two.
Red Sox 3, Brewers 2
Boston
Tim Naehring doubled home two runs with one out in the ninth inning as Boston rallied to defeat Milwaukee.
Blanked on two hits through the first seven innings by Milwaukee starter Ben McDonald, the Red Sox scored one run in the eighth, and two more in the ninth off relief ace Doug Jones (3-1) for just their fifth victory in 20 games.
It’s time to share
New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner will take a $2.8 million revenue-sharing hit this week, while the Detroit Tigers and Montreal Expos each will gain about $2.2 million in extra cash.
The first payments and checks for baseball’s new revenue sharing plan are due Sunday, and figures obtained by The Associated Press show the Yankees will pay the most and the Tigers and Expos will receive the most.
Thirteen teams will pay and 13 will receive money.
Clearing the bases
Seattle’s Randy Johnson has gone 65 straight without dropping consecutive decisions… . The Yankees have won the season series against Baltimore every year except 1989 in the last 14 years… . Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra was back in the lineup after missing four games with tightness in his left hamstring… . Detroit’s Brian Hunter of the Tigers has reached base in 10 straight games… . Tony Phillips has started at five different positions since joining the Angels in a May 18 trade with the White Sox.