American League Roundup : Toronto Steamrolls to Its 11th Straight Win, 8-2

Even when the breaks go against the Toronto Blue Jays, they still figure a way to win. And the Baltimore Orioles figure out a way to lose.

Scheduled Toronto starter Dave Steib developed tightness in his right shoulder warming up after a 33-minute rain delay Saturday night, but John Cerutti filled in and pitched a five-hitter as Toronto extended its club-record winning streak to 11 with an 8-2 victory over the Orioles. It was the Orioles 10th straight loss.

Steib, who had won three straight, had to be replaced five minutes before the game, but the limited notice didn’t bother Cerutti.

“It was such short notice, I was just thinking about getting ready physically,” said Cerutti, who warmed up for 10 minutes and then didn’t give up a hit for 4 innings. “We’ve got a good ballclub and we’re going good. That is something that happens to a club when you’re going good.”

Cerutti, who was scheduled to pitch Sunday, struck out four and walked four in earning his second complete game.

The Blue Jays took a 3-0 lead by scoring once in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Tony Fernandez, who was 4 for 5 with three runs scored, hit his third homer of the year with one out in the third off Baltimore starter Scott McGregor (2-6).

Toronto scored four unearned runs off reliever Luis DeLeon in the eighth. Gruber, who also had three hits, added his fifth homer with one out in the ninth for Toronto’s final run.

Oakland 10, Texas 8--Rookie Terry Steinbach hit two home runs and drove in five runs, and Mark McGwire hit his 20th homer to lead the A’s past the Rangers in Arlington, Tex. It was Oakland’s fifth straight victory.

Steinbach drove in a run with a ground ball, hit a three-run homer in the fourth and a solo shot in the seventh.

Steve Ontiveros (2-1) the third of five Oakland pitchers, went 1 innings for the win. Jay Howell, the last Oakland pitcher, got the final three outs for his 12th save.

Oakland starter Moose Haas had a two-hitter and an 8-3 lead entering the sixth, but after giving up leadoff singles to Scott Fletcher and Ruben Sierra, he was replaced by Gene Nelson.

Nelson, who gave up three runs and four hits, immediately allowed RBI singles by Pete Incaviglia and Pete O’Brien, cutting the lead to 8-5.

After Larry Parrish struck out, Oddibe McDowell tied the game with a three-run homer to left. McDowell, who also had a single, extended his consecutive game hitting streak to 10.

Steinbach gave Oakland a 9-8 lead with one out in the seventh, hitting his second homer of the night and sixth of the season.

The Athletics added a run an inning later when Mike Davis scored on an error by O’Brien at first base on Jose Canseco’s grounder.

McGwire’s homer leading off the fourth broke a 1-1 tie and began a four-run inning in which Ranger starter Ed Correa walked Carney Lansford and Reggie Jackson and then gave up Steinbach’s first homer.

New York 4, Milwaukee 1--Gary Ward and Ron Kittle hit home runs, and Rick Rhoden and Dave Righetti combined on a six-hitter as the Yankees beat the Brewers at New York.

Ward hit his eighth homer, a two-run shot, off Juan Nieves (4-4) in the first inning, and Kittle hit his seventh of the season and second in two nights against the Brewers in the fifth.

Rhoden (7-4) walked three and struck out five and allowed six hits over seven innings before being replaced by Righetti, who earned his 13th save with two innings of hitless relief.

Milwaukee’s lone run came in the sixth when Mike Felder led off with a triple and scored on Robin Yount’s single.

Detroit 6, Boston 4--Darrell Evans hit a three-run homer that snapped a sixth-inning tie and carried the Tigers to a victory over the Red Sox at Detroit.

With the score tied, 3-3, Alan Trammell walked, Pat Sheridan singled and both scored on Evans’ ninth home run off Steve Crawford (2-2).

Dan Petry (3-4) who had given up 12 runs while lasting a total of six innings in his previous two starts, pitched seven innings and allowed seven hits. Willie Hernandez, who pitched 1 innings, picked up his first save.

Trammell led off the fourth with his eighth home run, extending his hitting streak to 18 games, longest in the American League this season. In the Boston third, Wade Boggs extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single.

Chicago 6, Minnesota 2--Richard Dotson pitched seven shutout innings, and Ivan Calderon drove in two runs and scored one, helping the White Sox end a five-game losing streak with a win over the Twins at Chicago.

The loss ended the Twins’ seven-game winning streak.

Dotson (4-4) beat Les Straker (2-3), who was replaced after 7 innings by Randy Niemann. Bob James took over for Dotson in the eighth and picked up his eighth save.

James allowed Kent Hrbek’s 13th homer of the year, with one out in the eighth for Minnesota’s first run. Tom Brunansky led off the ninth with his 14th homer for the Twins’ other run.

Dotson allowed six hits, walked two and struck out three.

Cleveland 6, Seattle 1--Phil Niekro pitched 5 scoreless innings and Carmen Castillo’s two-run double highlighted a three-run sixth at Seattle as the Indians handed the Mariners their fourth straight loss.

Niekro (5-5) won his third straight game allowing five hits, striking out two and walking two. Mark Langston (7-6) took the loss for the Mariners, striking out 10 batters to increase his major league leading total to 116.