Baseball Roundup : On Fifth Try, A’s Stewart Wins 20th, 4-3

On his fifth attempt, Dave Stewart finally became the first 20-game winner in the majors this season, but it wasn’t easy.

The former Dodger right-hander gave up four hits in six innings Wednesday night at Oakland, and the Athletics hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

The A’s trailed, 1-0, but scored four runs in the fifth inning. Mark McGwire, still seeking one more home run to reach 50, drove in his 117th run with a grounder, tying the Oakland rookie RBI record set last season by Jose Canseco.

After the Indians pulled within 4-2 with a run off Stewart in the sixth, Eric Plunk took over in the seventh. Eddie Williams hit his first home run in the ninth, but Plunk saved the victory for Stewart, a strong candidate for the American League Cy Young Award.

After winning his 19th on Sept. 7, it seemed Stewart would never reach 20. In his last outing, he gave up only one run in nine innings, but the score was tied, and the Athletics lost in the 10th.

Until this season, Stewart hadn’t won more than nine games in one season.

Boston 7, New York 0--Roger Clemens continued his strong bid to win his second consecutive Cy Young Award by improving his record to 19-9 at New York.

In posting his major league-leading sixth shutout, Clemens gave up 10 hits and struck out 13 to gain his 11th win in his last 13 decisions. It was his 17th complete game.

After leaving training camp because of a salary dispute, Clemens got off to a 4-6 start. He is 15-3 since then.

The Red Sox jumped on rookie Al Leiter in a six-run fourth.

“I think Roger is the most dominating pitcher in the league,” said teammate Ed Romero, who drove in two Red Sox runs. “He just keeps firing.”

Kansas City 7, Seattle 3--Willie Wilson drove in two runs at Kansas City, including the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, and stole three bases.

With 57 stolen bases, the fleet outfielder has pulled into a tie with Harold Reynolds of the Mariners for the AL lead.

Texas 2, Minnesota 1--It was a meaningless game for the Twins at Arlington, Tex., but it wasn’t meaningless for Bobby Witt.

Witt pitched a four-hitter for his first complete game in the majors. He set a major league record by failing to go the distance in his first 55 starts.

Atlanta 3, Houston 1--The Astros should have let Mike Scott go the distance at Houston. Last year’s National League Cy Young Award winner held a 1-0 lead and had allowed only three hits when the Astros brought Dave Smith in to pitch the ninth.

Gerald Perry singled home the tying run, and Ozzie Virgil singled in the other two.

Pittsburgh 5-8, Chicago 3-10--The Pirates foiled Rick Sutcliffe’s bid for his 19th victory in the opener at Pittsburgh but, despite three home runs by Darnell Coles in the nightcap, couldn’t complete a sweep.

Coles, who had only two home runs in more than 100 at-bats for the Pirates, drove in six runs with his three home runs.