American League Roundup : Brock Gets in Swing, Homer Helps Beat A’s

Greg Brock isn’t worried about home runs in his first season with the Milwaukee Brewers. If they come, so be it.

“I’m not hitting as many homers, but it’s nothing I can control,” he said Thursday night after hitting his 10th of the season, a three-run shot that helped the Brewers to a 12-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics at Milwaukee.

Brock had three hits to boost his average above .280. He also has 51 runs batted in.

“Anytime you try to hit homers you get in trouble,” Brock said. “I’m just happy making contact and the balls are going through. I’m just swinging the bat and hoping for the base hits.”

Brock’s homer in the third came right after Oakland starter Joaquin Andujar (3-3) balked with the bases loaded to send home in the Brewers’ first run. That gave the Brewers a 4-2 lead, and Milwaukee added four runs in the next inning, with Paul Molitor’s two-run homer chasing Andujar and giving a big cushion to Chris Bosio (6-2).

Reggie Jackson hit his 13th home run of the season. Oakland played without major league home run leader Mark McGwire, who was given the night off.

Toronto 4, Minnesota 3--Joe Niekro, 0-3 with a 10.33 earned-run average against the Blue Jays coming into this game at Toronto, escaped without taking the loss but could do nothing to solve the Exhibition Stadium hex on the Twins.

Niekro, who lasted 7 innings, was gone by the time Lloyd Moseby hit a two-out single in the ninth to drive in Garth Iorg with the winning run.

The Blue Jays have won six straight against the Twins and 19 of the last 21 at Toronto.

Dave Stieb (9-5) went the distance for Toronto, striking out eight to win his third straight and seventh of the last 10.

Baltimore 2, Kansas City 1--Rookie Eric Bell pitched a five-hitter and Cal Ripken drove in two runs with a fifth-inning single to lead the Orioles at Baltimore. It was the Orioles’ ninth straight win.

Bell (8-7) struck out a career-high 12 and fanned each Kansas City batter at least once in his first major league complete game. His 12 strikeouts surpassed his previous high of nine last week in Kansas City.

The Orioles’ winning streak is their longest since August of 1982, when they won 10 in a row. Baltimore has won 12 of its last 15 games and six straight from Kansas City, which had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Danny Jackson (4-12) took the loss. Jackson gave up six hits, all singles, in pitching his fifth complete game of the season.

Cleveland 4, Texas 2--Tom Candiotti pitched a four-hitter and Brook Jacoby hit a two-run homer to lead the Indians over the Rangers at Cleveland.

Candiotti (3-10) won for the first time in five decisions. He allowed four singles and struck out seven.