BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Candiotti Leads Indians to Beat Toronto

Tom Candiotti took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, and the Cleveland Indians held on for a 4-3 victory over Toronto today with the help of consecutive homers by Cory Snyder and Candy Maldonado.

Candiotti (3-0) struck out nine and walked three as the Indians avoided a sweep in the four-game series. He wound up allowing three runs on three hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Candiotti did not allow a hit until George Bell blooped a leadoff single to left in the seventh. Fred McGriff followed with a single, and Greg Myers pulled the Jays to within a run one out later when he drove Candiotti’s 2-1 pitch over the 400-foot sign in center field.

Jesse Orosco came on to get the final two outs of the seventh. Doug Jones pitched the final two innings for his fifth save, aided by a double play after allowing a leadoff single to John Olerud in the ninth.

Dave Stieb (3-1) allowed four runs on five hits in six innings for Toronto.

Snyder and Maldonado started the Cleveland second with homers. Brook Jacoby then doubled, moved to third on a single by Keith Hernandez and scored when Toronto shortstop Tony Fernandez made a wild throw to first on a routine grounder by Joey Belle.

Jacoby singled in the fourth, moved to second when Hernandez walked and went to third when third baseman Kelly Gruber’s throwing error loaded the bases. Jacoby scored on Sandy Alomar Jr.’s fielder’s choice grounder.

Fernandez’s 15-game hitting streak came to an end as he went 0 for 4.

Cincinnati center fielder Eric Davis is undergoing more tests on a sprained right knee to determine how long he’ll be out of action.

Davis sprained the knee sliding into third base Tuesday night in Philadelphia, and he missed Wednesday’s game with the Phillies. With an off day today before opening a weekend home stand against the Montreal Expos, the Reds were able to bring Davis to Cincinnati for tests by team physician Michael Lawhon.

Trainer Larry Starr checked Davis on Wednesday and began treatments of ice, muscle stimulation and intermittent pressure.

“He has a tender right knee and there’s mild swelling,” Starr said.

Phillies team physician Phillip Marone examined Davis and said he had an isolated right medial collateral ligament sprain.

Starr said that Davis would have an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, taken to determine the extent of the injury.

“We’ll have a better idea after he sees Dr. Lawhon,” Starr said.

Manager Lou Piniella moved Billy Hatcher from left field to Davis’ spot in center for Wednesday’s game, and started Rolando Roomes in left. Piniella said if Davis has to miss several games, he may try second baseman Mariano Duncan in left field and put backup Luis Quinones at second base.

Davis said he injured the knee because the condition of the base path made him alter his slide while stealing third base. Piniella said he agreed with Davis’ contention that the Phillies had “muddied up” the base paths to negate the Reds’ speed.

“I think what clubs are doing is mushing it up,” Piniella said. “They did that in Houston the last night we were there.

“The first step or so, that’s where you’re affected. You can complain to the league. . . . We’ll see if it continues.”