American League Roundup : McGwire, A’s Beat Toronto in Grand Style, 8-5

Mark McGwire has built his reputation as a power hitter partially because of his success at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium, where in 12 games he has six home runs and 18 runs batted in.

McGwire, who entered Tuesday night’s game with a career average at Exhibition Stadium of .361, hit a grand slam with two out in the ninth inning off reliever Tom Henke to give the Oakland Athletics an 8-5 victory over the Blue Jays.

“I think every pitcher knows when he owns you,” McGwire said. “I’m going up in that situation knowing I’ve struck out every time against him. I’m looking for anything to hit. Fortunately I got a fastball I could handle and I hit it out of the ballpark.”

Toronto has lost four consecutive games and eight of its last nine. Oakland has won 11 of its last 13 games to take the AL West lead by a half-game over the Texas Rangers.

Reliever Duane Ward (1-4) struck out the first two batters in the ninth before allowing singles to Luis Polonia and Dave Henderson.

“If anyone won the ball game, it was those two guys,” McGwire said. “He (Ward) had Luis (Polonia) 0-and-2 and then he fouls off about five pitches then he gets a base-hit. He had Henderson 0-and-2. He fouls off a couple pitches and then drops in a hit. But that’s the way this club plays. We’re going to get those key hits when we need them.”

Henke relieved and walked Dave Parker to load the bases and McGwire then hit his sixth homer of the season and second career grand slam on an 0-and-1 pitch.

Rick Honeycutt (1-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings, and Eric Plunk got the last out for his first save.

Pat Borders’ run-scoring single gave the Blue Jays a 5-4 lead in the eighth after Rance Mulliniks hit a grand slam off Bob Welch in the first.

Kansas City 5, New York 3--Luis de los Santos hit a two-run, go-ahead single in the seventh inning and Mark Gubicza pitched a six-hitter, leading the Royals to their fourth consecutive victory in a game at New York.

De los Santos, playing in his first game of the season since his weekend recall from the minors, hit a single to left after Tommy John (2-4) loaded the bases. It snapped New York’s four-game winning streak and gave the Royals their ninth victory in 11 games.

Gubicza (2-2) struck out six and walked none in his second consecutive complete game, both against the Yankees.

Jesse Barfield went one for three in his Yankee debut, getting a single in the second. He was acquired Sunday from Toronto for left-handed pitcher Al Leiter.

Boston 4, Minnesota 2--Ellis Burks hit a three-run homer in a four-run eighth inning to lead the Red Sox past the Twins at Minneapolis.

The struggling Twins suffered their ninth loss in 10 games.

Burks’ homer off reliever Jeff Reardon spoiled a strong performance by Minnesota starter Fred Toliver, who pitched a no-hitter for 5 2/3 innings.

Rich Gedman began the decisive rally by singling to left against Toliver and gave way to pinch- runner Marty Barrett. Sam Horn, pinch-hitting for Jody Reed, walked against reliever German Gonzalez (2-1).

Wade Boggs, who broke up Toliver’s no-hit bid with two out in the sixth, singled home Barrett. Reardon relieved Gonzalez and retired Ed Romero on a grounder to first before Burks hit his fifth homer.

Boston’s John Dopson (3-1) allowed six hits in eight innings. Lee Smith worked the ninth inning for his third save.

Chicago 6, Milwaukee 1--Ron Kittle and Ivan Calderon hit two-run homers as the White Sox ended Chris Bosio’s four-game winning streak by beating the Brewers at Chicago.

Bosio (4-1), who allowed 12 hits in 7 1/3 innings, remained winless against Chicago, falling to 0-5.

The struggling Brewers have five consecutive losses, scoring only five runs in that span.

Eric King (2-3) gave up five hits, including a run-scoring single to Robin Yount in the first inning. He walked seven and struck out three in eight-plus innings. The run ended a string of 25 consecutive scoreless innings by Milwaukee.

Seattle 7, Detroit 2--Jeffrey Leonard hit a grand slam and Mike Dunne limited the Tigers to six hits over seven innings for his first AL victory as the Mariners won at Seattle.

It was the second slam this season for Leonard, who is tied with Glenn Davis of Houston and Bo Jackson of Kansas City for the major league lead with eight homers.

Dunne (1-1), acquired from Pittsburgh on April 21, walked three and struck out one. Mike Jackson, the third Seattle pitcher, got the final four outs--two on strikeouts--for his second save.

After two-out singles by Harold Reynolds and Henry Cotto in the third, Alvin Davis walked on four consecutive pitches, setting up Leonard’s sixth career slam, off Charles Hudson (0-2).

Cleveland 8, Texas 3--Cory Snyder hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs, and Greg Swindell pitched a strong 7 1/3 innings to lead the Indians in a rain-delayed game at Arlington, Tex.

The Rangers led, 2-1, in the sixth inning when Snyder hit his fifth homer of the season, off Jamie Moyer (3-1).

Swindell (3-0) allowed Texas seven hits, struck out six and did not walk a batter as the Indians swept the two-game series, knocking the Rangers out of the AL West lead.