American League Roundup : Homers Push Toronto Past Yankees, 11-0

The battle for first place in the American League East Monday night at Yankee Stadium turned out to be more of a home run derby between the Toronto Blue Jays’ George Bell and Fred McGriff.

Bell was the winner, hitting two and driving in four runs as the Blue Jays romped, 11-0, to move a half-game ahead of the Yankees.

But McGriff’s two-run homer in the fifth was the most impressive.

Believed to be the longest home run hit at Yankee Stadium since its renovation in 1976, it landed in a runway in the upper deck in right field, about 13 rows up.

“If there is one guy in the major leagues who is stronger and hits the ball farther than me, it’s him,” Bell said of McGriff.

The offensive outburst made a winner of Dave Stieb, who combined with Mark Eichhorn on a three-hitter as the Blue Jays won their sixth straight game.

Stieb (5-3), who has won five of his last six decisions, struck out three and walked five in seven innings for his first victory over the Yankees since Aug. 9, 1983. He allowed only a single to Gary Ward in the second and a single to Willie Randolph in the sixth.

Eichhorn recorded the final six outs after Stieb walked the first two batters in the eighth.

“With the hitters he was going against, I think this was his best game of the season,” Toronto Manager Jimy Williams said of Stieb. “He used all his pitches, but being able to command them is the big thing.”

Said Stieb: “Runs--that’s the key for me. It means I can go out there and work on my stuff and not have to pinpoint everything. The walks don’t hurt as much.”

Bell hit a three-run homer during a seven-run fifth inning and added a solo shot in the ninth, giving him 20 home runs and 50 runs batted in.

Minnesota 5, Kansas City 3--Pinch-hitter Gene Larkin’s bases-loaded triple in the seventh inning at Minneapolis helped the Twins to their third straight victory.

The win moved the Twins to within one game of the first-place Royals in the West and spoiled the return of Royal Manager Billy Gardner, making his first appearance in the Metrodome since the Twins fired him in 1985.

With the score tied, 2-2, Roy Smalley led off the seventh with a single and went to second on Tom Brunansky’s infield single before being replaced by pinch-runner Greg Gagne. Steve Lombardozzi laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Gagne beat first baseman Steve Balboni’s throw to third to load the bases.

Dan Quisenberry relieved starter Mark Gubicza (3-7) and got a force play at home. But Larkin, a rookie batting for Al Newman, cleared the bases with his triple.

Randy Niemann (1-0) got his first victory for Minnesota, and Jeff Reardon struck out the side in the ninth for his 11th save.

Oakland 9, Chicago 3--Carney Lansford and Reggie Jackson each hit three-run homers, and Tony Phillips added a solo blast for the A’s at Oakland.

Steve Ontiveros (1-1), making his second major league start, held Chicago to two runs and three hits in five-plus innings. Jay Howell worked 1 innings and struck out five for his 10th save.

Floyd Bannister (3-5), who has one victory since May 1, took the loss despite pitching a five-hitter over seven innings.

Lansford capped a four-run second with his fourth homer of the season. Jackson hit a pinch-hit homer in the eighth, giving him five home runs this season and 553 in his career.

Seattle 6, Texas 0--Left-hander Mark Langston pitched his second career two-hitter, and Jim Presley drove in four runs with a homer and a double for the Mariners at Seattle.

Langston (7-5) pitched to 30 batters, only three over the minimum. He yielded Ruben Sierra’s bounding single with one out in the fourth, but picked him off first. Steve Buechele got Texas’ second hit, a one-out single in the ninth, and was the only Ranger to reach second base. He advanced when third baseman Presley booted Scott Fletcher’s grounder.

Langston walked one--Sierra with two out in the first--and struck out nine to increase his league-leading total to 106. Langston’s other two-hitter came on Aug. 29, 1984, against Detroit.

Presley hit a two-run homer in the fifth to give Seattle a 4-0 lead. He added a two-run double in the seventh.

Boston 6, Baltimore 2--Spike Owen and Ellis Burks each had two doubles at Baltimore, helping the Red Sox end a three-game losing streak.

Bob Stanley (3-7), ending a five-game losing streak, scattered 10 hits over 6 innings before giving way to rookie Tom Bolton. Bolton struck out Fred Lynn on three pitches to end a threat.

Stanley, who was 0-6 on the road this season, had not won since April 22.