American League Roundup : Oakland Beats Baltimore Third Straight Time, 3-1

The Baltimore Orioles, who have led the American League East for much of the season, are facing a big test in the Oakland Athletics. And they haven’t been faring too well.

Jose Canseco hit his fourth home run in his eighth game of the season to lead the Athletics to a 3-1 victory Saturday at Oakland, their third in a row over the Orioles, who have lost four in a row and must play 11 more games before returning home.

The losses have been tough ones. The Orioles have scored runs in only three of their last 39 innings. They were shut out by the Seattle Mariners in their last home game, then were beaten by the A’s Dave Stewart, 5-2, Thursday night. The toughest defeat, however, came Friday night, when they led, 2-1, in the ninth, only to have their bullpen ace, Gregg Olson, lose control and the game, 3-2.

Saturday, Canseco opened the sixth inning with a home run to left field, putting the Athletics ahead, 3-1.

Pitcher Bob Welch improved to 11-5 with relief help from Rick Honeycutt and Dennis Eckersley, as the A’s kept the pressure on the Angels in the West.

“These games against Oakland and California were just as important a couple of months ago as they are now,” Oriole Manager Frank Robinson said. “We just have to ride this thing out and come out of it. We just can’t put anything together offensively.”

A’s Manager Tony La Russa, who has kept his team in contention despite a series of injuries, is having trouble hiding his smile.

“It’s nice to have our guys back, but it will be truly like old times when we start stringing some wins together like we are now,” he said.

Canseco, out almost 3 1/2 months with a wrist injury, said he’s feeling fatigued, but AL pitchers haven’t discovered it.

“I’m still strong enough to do some damage,” he said. “I’m 60% or 70% right now.”

Possibly of even more importance is the return of Eckersley. Making his fourth appearance since coming back from a shoulder injury, Eckersley had two strikeouts in his one inning of work. Eckersley, who earned his 16th save, has pitched four consecutive perfect innings.

Oakland relief pitchers have retired the last 19 they’ve faced.

Chicago 10, Boston 6--At the All-Star break, Jeff Torborg admitted that his first season as manager of the White Sox has been a bitter experience.

During a workout before the start of the second half of the season, Torborg told his players, “Let’s go out and prove we’re not as bad as people think.”

That’s just what they are doing.

Ivan Calderon hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning at Boston to bring the White Sox from behind and send them on to their eighth victory in a row.

“We’re on a roll,” Torborg said. “It’s been a team effort. The pitching has come around. But in a game like this, when it finally went sour, the hitters picked us up. That’s what puts you on a roll.”

The White Sox matched a season-high with 17 hits, including three apiece by Dave Gallagher and Harold Baines. But they trailed, 6-4, going into the seventh.

Gallagher singled, and Steve Lyons doubled off Dennis Lamp. The Red Sox brought in left-hander Rob Murphy to face Calderon, a right-handed batter. Calderon drove a pitch by Murphy into the screen atop the Green Monster in left field for his 11th home run.

Carlos Martinez triggered another three-run rally with a home run in the eighth inning.

“That’s pretty much the way it has been going all year,” said Manager Joe Morgan, whose Red Sox have lost seven of their last 11 games. Morgan was ejected for arguing a balk call with the White Sox at bat in the fourth inning.

Toronto 7, Seattle 1--The Blue Jays are making a move at the faltering Orioles in the East.

Lloyd Moseby drove in five runs at Seattle, four with a grand slam in the ninth inning, to lead the Blue Jays to their 10th win in the last 14 games. The Blue Jays are now six games behind the Orioles.

It was Moseby’s third career slam.

Cleveland 1, Kansas City 0--Brook Jacoby broke up a pitching battle between Tom Candiotti and rookie Tom Gordon with a two-out double in the ninth inning at Kansas City.

The hit drove in Pete O’Brien and ended Gordon’s seven-game winning streak. Candiotti, in his second start since coming off the disabled list, held the injury-riddled Royals to four hits in eight innings to improve his record to 8-6.

Bo Jackson had three singles, but the Royals, without Jose Tartabull and Jim Eisenreich and with ailing George Brett limited to pinch-hitting, had no offensive help for Bo. Brett hurt his knee Friday night, but the injury is not believed to be serious.

Gordon had a five-hitter until the ninth but fell to 11-3.

Texas 2, New York 1--This would have been a good week for the Yankees to start their move to overtake Baltimore .

The Orioles have lost four in a row. The Yankees have done even worse.

Ruben Sierra homered and tripled at Arlington, Tex., and the Yankees lost their fifth consecutive game.

Dave LaPoint (6-8) also gave up a home run to Steve Buechele.

Mike Jeffcoat (5-2) held the Yankees to five hits until the seventh, when the Ranger bullpen bailed him out of a bases-loaded, no-out situation.

Minnesota 6, Milwaukee 1--Kirby Puckett had his 43rd multiple-hit game of the season to lead the Twins’ 14-hit attack before 52,908 fans at Milwaukee.

Roy Smith (5-4) retired the first 12 Brewers and went seven innings to win for the first time since May 30.