American League Roundup : Phil Puts the Niekros One Up on Perrys

The celebration had to be from long distance, but Phil and Joe Niekro are finally the winningest brothers in major league history.

The 530th victory for Phil and Joe will not go down as one of their gems, but, after each watched the other lose last week, any win was welcome.

Phil, 48, the oldest player in the major leagues, gave up nine hits and six runs in 5 innings Monday night at Cleveland, but the Indians hammered out a 9-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

In his start last week, Phil pitched a four-hit complete game but lost, 1-0.

The Indians knocked Dan Petry out with seven runs in the first three innings, but the Tigers chased Niekro with four runs in the sixth to cut the margin to 7-6. A bases-loaded, three-run double by Darrell Evans sent Phil out of the game.

Because the Indian bullpen has been mostly an arson squad, it appeared the Niekros would have to wait a little longer. But three relief pitchers held the Tigers to just one hit the rest of the way, with Scott Bailes getting the last four outs for the save.

Phil didn’t know his mother was at the game. He thought she was home taking care of his father, who is ill in Lansing, Ohio.

Joe was in the Yankee dugout at Yankee Stadium when the news came in that the Indians had pulled out the victory for Phil. He took a bow to big applause.

“Joe was pitching with me, and my father was out there pitching with me,” Phil said. “And I know my mother was thinking about all those times Joe and I were out in the back yard playing catch with our dad, learning the knuckleball.

“I thought my mother was home holding hands with Dad. I had no idea she was here.

“This wasn’t one of my best games, but I’ll take it. We did something we hope will stand for a long time.”

The victory, the 314th for Phil, was his first since May 1 and ended a five-game losing streak. In most of the defeats, he pitched better than he did in this one.

Evans, who came close to spoiling the night for Phil, was one of the Tigers who stayed behind to congratulate Phil.

“I just wanted to tell Phil, it was nice to be a part of it,” Evans said. “It’s the kind of thing you’ll remember the rest of your life.”

Tony Bernazard and Brook Jacoby hit home runs to help build the big lead for Niekro and help the family break the tie with Jim and Gaylord Perry.

Minnesota 9, Boston 5--In his previous start, Roger Clemens pitched like a Cy Young Award winner when he beat Phil Niekro and the Indians, 1-0. In this game at Boston, Clemens was horrible.

For the first time in his career, Clemens lost to the Twins after beating them eight times. Also, for the first time, he gave up three homers in a game.

Two of them came in the seventh, by Dan Gladden and Gary Gaetti, when the Twins chased Clemens with a six-run inning. Clemens gave up seven runs and eight hits in 6 innings.

Boston’s Dwight Evans hit his 300th career home run and ninth of the season. Evans joined teammates Jim Rice and Don Baylor on the 300-homer list.

Tom Brunansky hit a home run off Clemens and a two-run home run off reliever Wes Gardner.

Oakland 9, Baltimore 6--Pitchers are so worried about the power pair of rookie Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, they sometimes forget the Athletics have other hitters.

Tony Phillips and Mike Davis each drove in three runs at Baltimore to send the Orioles to their fourth defeat in a row, despite three more home runs. Davis hit his 13th for the Athletics.

Mike Young, Larry Sheets and Terry Kennedy homered for the Orioles, who hit a record 56 home runs in May.

Seattle 2, Toronto 0--Dick Williams has his surprising Mariners just 1 1/2 games out of first place in the West.

Scott Bankhead and Bill Wilkinson combined on a four-hitter at Toronto to give the Mariners their fourth victory in a row. No Toronto runner reached third as Bankhead improved his record to 6-3 with seven strong innings.

Milwaukee 3, Kansas City 2--Dale Sveum hit a 400-foot home run at Milwaukee to help Bill Wegman (4-5) pitch the Brewers to their third win in a row.

Wegman went 7 innings, and reliever Dan Plesac got the last five outs to register his 12th save.

Texas 11, Chicago 9--Oddibe McDowell hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 12th at Arlington, Tex., to give the Rangers a wild victory over the White Sox.

The White Sox, who blew a big early lead, had taken a 9-7 lead in the top of the 12th when Ivan Calderon hit a two-run home run. WINNINGEST BROTHER COMBINATIONS

Family Totals Niekro 530 Perry 529 Clarkson 383 Mathewson 373 Galvin 361 Coveleski 296 Forsch 261 Barnes 214 Dean 200 Pfeffer 189 Reuschel 181 Pascual 175

Family Individuals/Years Played Niekro Phil 314 (1964-present), Joe 216 (1967-present) Perry Gaylord 314 (1962-83), Jim 215 (1959-75) Clarkson John 326 (1882-94), Dad 39 (1891-96), Walter 18 (1904-08) Mathewson Christy 373 (1900-16), Henry 0 (1906-07) Galvin Pud 361 (1879-92), Lou 0 (1884) Coveleski Stan 215 (1912-28), Harry 81 (1907-18) Forsch Bob 147 (1974-present), Ken 114 (1970-84) Barnes Jesse 153 (1915-27), Virgil 61 (1919-28) Dean Dizzy 150 (1930-47), Paul 50 (1934-43) Pfeffer Jeff 158 (1911-24), Big Jeff 31 (1905-11) Reuschel Rick 165 (1972-present), Paul 16 (1975-79) Pascual Camilo 174 (1954-71), Carlos 1 (1950)