American League Roundup : Carter Hits Three More Homers, Gives Indians Big Lift, 10-1

With Julio Franco gone and Cory Snyder hurting, Joe Carter knows it is up to him to trigger the Cleveland Indians’ offense.

Lately, he seems more than equal to the assignment.

The big outfielder capped a week of power hitting by belting three home runs and driving in six runs Wednesday at Minneapolis to lead the Indians to a 10-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

The fourth three-home run game of his career put Carter in fast company, tying Lou Gehrig for the American League record.

Carter, who homered twice Tuesday night, became the 15th major leaguer to hit five home runs in consecutive games. Johnny Mize had six three-homer games, but only two in the American League. Carter has five homers in his last six official at-bats. The five homers in two games is a club record.

In the last six games, he is batting .542, even though he was hitless in one. He is 13 for 24, has scored 12 runs and driven in 14. Among his hits are six home runs, two doubles and a triple.

Carter hit two-run home runs in the first and third innings and a solo shot off German Gonzalez in the eighth for his 19th home run. Although Carter’s third-inning homer was 432 feet to center, it wasn’t the longest of the night. Teammate Joey Belle hit a 455-foot blast for his first major league home run in the sixth.

The home runs made it easy for John Farrell (5-9) to win for the first time since June 26. He pitched a two-hitter, giving up an unearned run and ending the Twins’ four-game winning streak.

Monday night, Carter said he was jumping at the ball when he went hitless in four at-bats. Now he has his feet firmly planted.

“I thought he was going to be the player of the week in one night,” the Twins’ Al Newman said.

“Maybe, with five more nights like that I can catch Kevin Mitchell,” Carter said. “Pete O’Brien deserves an assist. He noticed that I was jumping at the ball. I took extra batting Tuesday night and seem to be in a groove.”

Seattle 7, Baltimore 0--The Mariners picked up a dividend in the Mark Langston trade in this game at Baltimore. Brian Holman, one of three promising pitchers acquired by the Mariners, pitched seven scoreless innings to help snap the Orioles’ five-game winning streak.

Holman, Randy Johnson and Gene Harris are 8-6 with a combined 3.52 earned-run average since the deal on May 25.

“I’ve been saying all along it was a heck of a trade for us,” Manager Jim Lefebvre said. “All three of them have been fantastic.”

Greg Briley hit two home runs and Scott Bradley had another to pace the Seattle 13-hit attack.

The Orioles begin a 14-game trip tonight at Oakland and by the time they finish it in Boston Aug. 2, they should have a good idea of their chances of winning the East.

Chicago 11, New York 5--Earlier this week Carlton Fisk passed the 2,000-hit mark and helped keep the White Sox win streak alive. In the first game of this scheduled doubleheader at Chicago, Fisk hit his 329th home run and drove in four runs as the White Sox extended the streak to six games.

Rain, which forced postponement Tuesday night, struck again in the fifth inning of a scoreless tie in the nightcap, forcing another postponement. Unless it has a bearing on the pennant race, it will not be made up.

The Yankees missed another chance to gain ground on Baltimore and trail the Orioles by 7 1/2 games.

Owner George Steinbrenner watched the latest debacle and said, “We’re still in the race. But if we only play .500 ball the rest of the way they’ll be some guys looking for work next year.”

Milwaukee 7, Kansas City 1--Chris Bosio held Bo Jackson hitless and George Brett to a single at Kansas City as the Brewers ended their six-game losing streak.

The Brewers had 17 hits and stole five bases. Robin Yount extended his hitting streak to 10 games and stole his club record 17th consecutive base.

Bosio (10-6) pitched a five hitter.

Boston 4, Texas 0--Mike Boddicker held the Rangers to three hits in 6 1/3 innings at Arlington, Tex., to win his fourth in a row. Rob Murphy finished by striking out five in 2 2/3 innings.