AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Twins Reap Dividends in 8-2 Win

Although Frank Viola is doing well for the New York Mets, the Minnesota Twins are doing pretty well with the players they received in trading him last season.

David West, one of the young pitchers obtained from the Mets, pitched a three-hitter Wednesday night at Detroit. With Gary Gaetti hitting two three-run home runs, it was an 8-2 romp.

Kevin Tapani, another starter, and bullpen ace Rick Aguilera also went to the Twins.

West, 25, pitched his first complete game and improved his record to 2-3.

Gaetti, slow to get started this season, had only one home run and five runs batted in before breaking loose. His first home run hit the foul pole down the right-field line. The Tigers argued that the ball hit below the yellow line and should not have been a home run.

Oakland 2, New York 0--The Yankees didn’t feel too bad in the opener of the three-game series when the World Series champion Athletics’ big guns, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, beat them.

But to be swept in the last two by second-line pitchers and hitters fighting slumps was too much.

Scott Sanderson (3-1) went seven innings to beat the Yankees at New York, and Dave Henderson, in a five-for-47 slump, hit a home run for the only run needed.

Mike Gallego, who came out of a one-for-31 skid to win Tuesday’s game, drove in the other run.

The A’s had two shutouts in the sweep and have a 16-5 record.

Tim Leary (1-2) pitched another good game for the Yankees. He went the distance, giving up eight hits and striking out six.

Cleveland 3, Toronto 0--Candy Maldonado homered in the seventh inning at Cleveland to break a scoreless tie between John Cerutti (1-4)and Bud Black (3-0).

The Indians scored two more runs in the eighth to beat the Blue Jays for only the second time in the last 12 games.

Black gave up seven hits before Doug Jones came in to get the last two outs for his seventh save.

Seattle 9, Boston 2--Erik Hanson (3-0) is becoming the stopper for the Mariners.

After the Mariners lost three in a row, including two in Boston by a combined 19-2, Hanson restored order with a strong seven innings.

Pete O’Brien, hitless in 22 at-bats, and Edgar Martinez hit consecutive home runs in the second.

Ken Griffey Jr. had two of the Mariners’ 16 hits and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Texas 6, Chicago 3--Charlie Hough survived a rocky first inning at Chicago to pitch his first complete game and stop the White Sox’ five-game winning streak.

A two-run pinch-triple by Geno Petralli broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth.

The White Sox scored all their runs in the first inning. Dan Pasqua singled in one and Carlos Martinez singled in two.