American League Roundup : Saberhagen Two-Hits Milwaukee

Kansas City’s Bret Saberhagen faced only 27 batters--giving up two harmless singles--to lead the Royals to a 3-0 victory over the struggling Milwaukee Brewers Friday night at Milwaukee.

Saberhagen didn’t allow a walk and struck out four in improving his record to 3-3. Both of the Brewer hits were wiped out by double plays.

It marked the second career shutout for the 21-year-old pitcher. In his last start, he was rocked for five runs, eight hits and two walks in 3 innings by the New York Yankees.

“Tonight’s the best I’ve thrown all year,” he said. “I lost my changeup for about three or four games. I wasn’t working well in the early innings, but I went to it more in the later innings, and it was working better.”

The Brewers hit only seven pitches out of the infield off the right-hander.

Jim Sundberg, who was traded by the Brewers to Kansas City in the offseason, had three hits and two runs to lead the Royals offensively. Dane Iorg hit a solo homer off Danny Darwin (3-3) in the fourth inning.

Chicago 4, Texas 2--Carlton Fisk spoiled the managerial debut of Texas’ Bobby Valentine with a towering three-run homer in the fourth inning at Chicago.

The loss was the seventh straight for Texas, while Chicago won for the fifth time in six games.

The 35-year-old Valentine, who was a third-base coach for the New York Mets, became the youngest manager in the major leagues when he took over with Texas Thursday night after Doug Rader was fired.

Fisk’s homer was his seventh of the season and 237th of his career, moving him ahead of Gabby Hartnett of the Chicago Cubs for fourth place among catchers.

Minnesota 7, Toronto 6--The Twins, who trailed, 6-0, before scoring a run in the eighth inning at Minneapolis, got five more in the ninth to tie, and then Tom Brunasky singled home Mickey Hatcher with none out in the 11th to give the Twins the victory.

Toronto starter Dave Stieb had hurled a three-hitter before leaving the game with a stiff right arm after seven innings. Stieb has now pitched 23 scoreless innings against the Twins.

“When you’re down, 6-0, to Stieb, you figure the game’s about over,” Brunansky said.

Boston 5, Cleveland 0--Roger Clemens pitched a five-hitter, and Wade Boggs had three hits at Cleveland as Boston snapped a four-game losing streak. The Indians have lost five straight.

Clemens (4-4) struck out 10 and walked two while pitching his third complete game and first shutout. The 22-year-old right-hander leads the American League in strikeouts with 58.

Singles by Marty Barrett, Jackie Gutierrez and Boggs loaded the bases for Boston with nobody out in the third against Bert Blyleven (2-4). Blyleven then walked Dwight Evans to force home a run, and Jim Rice followed with a sacrifice fly, his 1,100th career RBI, to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.

Cleveland’s Julio Franco was back at shortstop after spending eight games at second, and Tony Bernazard, who is hitting .319, was back at short. Johnnie LeMaster, who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants, had been playing short. He was benched.

Baltimore 11, Seattle 3--Fritz Connally hit a grand-slam homer, and Cal Ripken added a three-run shot as part of a 13-hit attack by the Orioles at Seattle.

Connally connected for his second major league home run in the first inning, when the Orioles sent 11 men to the plate and scored six runs.

Detroit 10, Oakland 2--Darrell Evans drove in four runs with a homer and a single to back pitchers Jack Morris and Aurelio Lopez and lead the Tigers at Oakland.

Lance Parrish and Tom Brookens also had four hits in the Tigers’ 16-hit attack.

Morris (5-4) worked six innings for the victory, while Lopez finished up for his third save.

The Tigers jumped on starter Don Sutton (3-4) for seven runs and nine hits in the second and third innings.