American League Roundup : Stone Shows Yankees After Leach Is a No-Show

Jeff Stone worked hard before the game, not expecting to play.

When Stone, a late replacement for the missing Rick Leach, found himself in the lineup, he still had the strength to drive in four runs as the Texas Rangers trounced the New York Yankees, 13-2, Monday night at New York.

“I did about 100 pushups and about 16 laps in the outfield because I didn’t expect to play,” Stone said.

Stone was not in the original lineup but was inserted as the designated hitter when Leach didn’t show up at Yankee Stadium. A spokesman for the Rangers said Leach’s whereabouts were unknown, although he made the trip to New York after Sunday’s game in Boston.

“I talked to Rick at about 2:30 (p.m.) and he asked me what time the bus was leaving,” Stone said. “He sounded fine and there was no problem.

“It was kind of strange, but I had a job to do.”

Stone, who entered the game four for 19 this season, hit a three-run triple as the Rangers scored seven times in the fifth inning and added a run-scoring double in a four-run sixth.

Stone was released by Baltimore this spring and signed to a minorleague contract by the Rangers. He was recalled from Oklahoma City on April 11 when Buddy Bell went on the disabled list.

While a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, Leach disappeared from Aug. 25-27, 1987, after an argument with his wife.

A Ranger spokesman said the club called Leach’s wife when he failed to show up Monday, but she didn’t know his whereabouts. She also said she did not know of any problem Leach might have.

Rookie Kevin Brown (3-1) pitched seven strong innings to beat New York for the second time in a week. Brown beat the Yankees, 4-1, last Wednesday with a two-hitter.

He allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings this time. Ken Rogers and Jeff Russell each pitched one scoreless inning.

The Rangers, who had 16 hits, four by Ruben Sierra, sent 12 batters to the plate in the fifth, when they had six hits.

Andy Hawkins (3-4) allowed nine hits and nine runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Pete Incaviglia, who entered the game in a four-for-25 slump, hit his fifth homer for Texas.

Oakland 6, Baltimore 1--At Baltimore, Mike Moore allowed four hits in seven innings and Terry Steinbach extended his hitting streak to 15 games, longest in the majors this season, as the Athletics handed the Orioles their fifth consecutive loss.

The A’s have won 31 of their last 48 games in AL East ballparks.

Moore (4-2) has allowed more than two runs only once in seven starts. Craig Worthington spoiled his shutout bid with a home run in the seventh inning, his second of the season. Greg Cadaret finished with two hitless innings.

Steinbach and Walt Weiss each had three of the A’s 13 hits.

The Athletics took a 2-0 lead against Bob Milacki (1-3) in the first inning when Luis Polonia singled and scored on a double by Dave Henderson, who scored on Steinbach’s single.

Stan Javier doubled home two runs, and Weiss singled home two more as Oakland broke it open in the eighth.

Meanwhile, it was the 1,118th consecutive game played by the Orioles’ Cal Ripken, who moved past Billy Williams into fourth place on the all-time list. Ripken’s streak began May 30, 1982.

Toronto 10, Seattle 1--Dave Stieb scattered six hits over eight innings and Tony Fernandez, Junior Felix and Fred McGriff each drove in three runs as the Blue Jays trounced the Mariners at Toronto.

Stieb (3-0), who gave way to Tom Henke in the ninth, lost his shutout when Harold Reynolds hit a run-scoring single in the seventh.

Toronto chased Mike Dunne (1-2) by scoring six runs on six hits and six walks in 3 1/3 innings.

Minnesota 4, Boston 2--Kirby Puckett, who had been hitless in 15 at-bats, had a run-scoring double and Shane Rawley scattered eight hits in 7 2/3 innings as the Twins downed the Red Sox at Boston.

Rawley (2-4) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second and ended a four-game losing streak with his first victory since his debut with the Twins on April 6.

Minnesota gave Manager Tom Kelly his 200th major league win.

Mike Boddicker (2-3) walked Al Newman to open the game and Puckett doubled him home.

IRON MEN The leaders in consecutive games played:

Player Games Lou Gehrig 2,130 Everett Scott 1,307 Steve Garvey 1,207 Cal Ripken 1,118 Billy Williams 1,117