Baseball Roundup : Red Sox Leg Out a Victory

Wade Boggs, once considered no more than a singles hitter, is finding more ways to beat you.

Boggs had four hits and added two defensive gems but made the biggest play with his legs to spark a six-run 11th inning that carried the Boston Red Sox to a 9-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles Monday night at Baltimore.

Boggs singled to start the 11th off Don Aase (5-7), and put himself in position to score the go-ahead run by taking second on a short passed ball. He came home on a double by Bill Buckner, who picked up his 88th run batted in.

“Boggsy did some heads-up base-running,” Manager John McNamara said. “They all contributed, but that started the whole thing when he took off. Then Bucks’ hit, but you can’t diminish anything that happened in the inning.

“We just battled. We battled back after they came back and tied it.”

Dwight Evans added a two-run double, and Rich Gemdan capped the inning with a three-run homer.

The victory was the ninth straight for the Red Sox and increased their lead over idle Toronto to seven games in the American League East. Boston’s magic number is 19.

The victory went to Calvin Schiraldi (3-1) even though he allowed the Orioles to tie the score on a two-run pinch single by Juan Beniquez in the ninth.

Houston 3, Cincinnati 1--Glenn Davis, Kevin Bass and Billy Hatcher each hit two-out RBI singles, and Nolan Ryan pitched six strong innings at Houston as the Astros dealt a blow to any NL West hopes the Reds still have.

The victory moved the Astros nine games ahead of second-place Cincinnati.

Ryan (10-8) allowed only singles to Buddy Bell and Dave Parker and struck out 10 Reds, the 161st time he has struck out 10 or more.

Charlie Kerfeld pitched the final three innings and picked up his seventh save.

Houston jumped to a 2-0 lead against Chris Welsh (5-6) in the first inning when Davis and Bass singled home runs.

Montreal 9, New York 1--Rookie Bob Sebra pitched a five-hitter, and Mitch Webster’s two-run homer highlighted a 16-hit attack as the Expos routed the Mets at New York.

The defeat ended the Mets’ four-game winning streak.

Sebra (4-3) lost his shutout bid with two out in the ninth when Darryl Strawberry hit his 20th home run. Sebra struck out seven and walked one in his second complete game.

Bob Ojeda (16-5) had his four-game winning streak halted.

Pittsburgh 3, St. Louis 2--Bob Patterson won his first major league start, and Mike Diaz drove in two runs as the Pirates edged the Cardinals at Pittsburgh.

Patterson (1-2) allowed five hits in seven innings. Hipolito Pena allowed one hit in three innings to get his first major league save.

Sid Bream doubled home a run off Danny Cox (9-12) and scored on a single by Diaz in the first, and Diaz drove home another run with an infield out in the third.

Chicago 7, Philadelphia 4--Leon Durham hit a three-run homer, and Keith Moreland drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly and a single as the Cubs defeated the Phillies at Chicago.

Milt Thompson hit a two-run homer, and John Russell added a solo shot for the Phillies.

Lee Smith got his 26th save for the Cubs.

Kansas City 5, Minnesota 0--Dennis Leonard pitched a three-hitter, and Jim Sundberg hit a solo homer as the Royals beat the Twins at Kansas City.

Leonard (7-11) got his second shutout of the season, the 23rd of his career and his first victory since June 4.

Bert Blyleven (15-10), who has 25 career victories over the Royals, suffered his first loss since July 27 and lost a six-game winning streak.

San Francisco 4, San Diego 3--Ex-Dodger Candy Maldonado hit three doubles and drove in two runs to help rookie Terry Mulholland to his first major league victory as the Giants turned back the Padres at San Francisco.

Mulholland (1-6), despite walking the first two hitters he faced, lasted 5 innings to win for the first time in 8 starts and 11 appearances. San Diego starter Ed Whitson (1-7) allowed four runs in four innings.