Baseball Roundup : Athletics Finish Off John, 6-2

Dave Parker hit a two-run homer as the Athletics defeated the New York Yankees, 6-2, Thursday at Oakland.

The A’s scored five runs off Tommy John, who lasted just 4 1/3 innings--his shortest stint of the season. John (2-7) has lost four straight games.

Dave Henderson’s run-scoring single with one out in the fifth inning snapped a 2-2 tie, and John left after walking Mark McGwire. Terry Steinbach then lined reliever Chuck Cary’s first pitch into left field for a two-run single as the A’s improved their record against American League East teams to 71-34 stretching back to the start of last season.

Bob Welch (6-2) struggled through five innings but got the victory with help from three relievers. Todd Burns pitched a perfect final 2 1/3 innings for his second save.

Parker’s homer, his fourth, was a towering shot to right after McGwire’s leadoff double in the fourth.

After hitting .194 in April, Parker is 11 for 27 and has boosted his average to .237, with 18 runs batted in, silencing, at least temporarily, reports that he would be traded or benched.

Baltimore 3, Cleveland 2--Bob Melvin’s bases-loaded single in the 10th inning lifted the Orioles over the Indians at Baltimore.

Melvin’s fly ball over the drawn-in outfield scored Brady Anderson from third base. It was the only hit in the inning for the Orioles, who loaded the bases on walks, two of them intentional by Keith Atherton (0-3).

Texas 6, Minnesota 5--Pete Incaviglia’s run-scoring single with two out in the 11th inning lifted the Rangers over the Twins at Arlington, Tex.

Julio Franco got into scoring position by singling with two out off reliever German Gonzalez (3-2) and then stealing second. He scored on Incaviglia’s drive to left-center field.

Seattle 9, Milwaukee 5--Alvin Davis hit a three-run home run as the Mariners beat the Brewers at Seattle.

The Mariners have won 11 of their last 15 games.

The Brewers rallied for three runs in the ninth, but Mike Schooler got the last two outs for his 10th save.

After one-out singles by Harold Reynolds and Mickey Brantley in the third inning, Davis hit his fifth homer off Brewer starter Chris Bosio (5-3).

St. Louis 4, Houston 3--Pinch-hitter Denny Walling singled home Willie McGee in the 10th inning as the Cardinals beat the Astros at Houston.

The Cardinals broke a five-game losing streak, while the Astros had a five-game winning streak snapped.