AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Texas Keeps Supporting Brown

Even though Kevin Brown is unbeaten, he hasn’t pitched very well. But the 25-year-old right-hander does get offensive help.

The Texas Rangers supported Brown with 13 hits, including a two-run home run by Julio Franco, Saturday at Cleveland as he beat the Indians, 9-5, to improve his record to 5-0.

Brown has not made it through the eighth inning in any start and has an earned-run average of 4.15.

“I have really been fortunate,” said Brown, who was 12-9 last season as a rookie. “It’s almost a feeling of guilt. The guys just do the job for me.”

The fewest runs the Rangers have scored in one of Brown’s starts is six, and that came in his best performance, on April 11 when he gave up only three hits and two runs (one earned) in 6 2/3 innings to beat Milwaukee, 6-2.

In his other four starts, they have scored at least nine runs, and in his first start they got 11. In his five starts, the Rangers have scored 45 runs.

“These guys don’t give up,” Brown said. “I know that if I hang in there, they will come through. I don’t feel I’m throwing well. Today we’re down four runs and they come roaring back. I’m sure they’re getting tired of bailing me out.”

Franco, a former Indian, hit his home run in the seventh inning to break a 5-5 tie. It was the Rangers’ 13th victory, and in six of them they have had to come from behind. In five of those they were at least three runs behind.

The Rangers lost Ruben Sierra in the sixth inning. He scored from first base on Harold Baines’ double and injured his hamstring. Sierra has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games.

The Indians scored four times off Brown in the first two innings, but managed only one run after that. Greg Swindell left after five innings with a 5-3 lead, but the bullpen couldn’t hold it.

Brown, who pitched seven innings, gave up 10 hits and all five runs. Mike Jeffcoat blanked the Indians for 1 2/3 innings. Jeff Russell got the final out.

Minnesota 9, Milwaukee 5--For the 21st consecutive game Milwaukee scored first, but for the seventh time the Brewers, who are 14-7 and lead the East by two games, failed to win.

The game at Milwaukee was stopped because of rain for 25 minutes with the game tied, 5-5, in the eighth inning. The Twins had the bases loaded when play was halted.

On the second pitch after play resumed, Brian Harper hit a grand slam off bullpen ace Dan Plesac to end the Brewers’ four-game winning streak and extend the Twins’ winning streak to four games.

John Candelaria (3-0), who gave up a two-run homer to Rob Deer that gave the Brewers’ a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning, was the winner.

The 25-minute wait didn’t make Harper nervous.

“I just tried to relax and stay loose,” Harper said. “I took my bat and put on my jacket and took some practice swings.

“The first pitch I didn’t see too well. It was a ball. I wasn’t up there to take. You can’t do that with Plesac. I saw the next one.

“It’s one of my biggest thrills in playing ball. It’s my first slam and it meant the game.”

Boston 5, Oakland 1--Rickey Henderson hit Mike Boddicker’s first pitch for a home run, but the Athletics didn’t score again at Oakland.

Henderson, who had three other hits, extended his major league record for lead-off home runs to 42.

Boddicker (3-3) pitched seven innings to help end the Athletics’ five-game winning streak. It was Boston’s third victory in the last 22 games at Oakland.

Bob Welch (3-2) had given up one earned run and trailed, 2-1, until Dwight Evans hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning.

Toronto 5, Detroit 1--It was Todd Stottlemyre’s fourth consecutive victory, and it was a milestone for the right-hander.

Stottlemyre, in his third season, had never made it beyond the eighth inning until he pitched a complete game Saturday at Toronto. He lost his shutout in the ninth, but he pitched a seven-hitter.

In the second inning, Tony Fernandez hit the first of three home runs by Toronto. Two outs later, Jeff Robinson (1-3) beaned George Bell. Rookie John Olerud followed with his third home run.

It was only the fourth time in the last 13 games that the Blue Jays scored first.

Chicago 6, Kansas City 0--Eric King (2-0) pitched a five-hitter at Kansas City for the first complete game by a White Sox pitcher this season.

The White Sox are 13-7, while the Royals have lost 12 of their last 14 games and have a 6-16 record.

Sammy Sosa, who tied a White Sox record by striking out five times Friday night, had two hits, stole two bases and hit a sacrifice fly.

Seattle 5, Baltimore 2--Brian Holman pitched another strong game at Seattle, improved his record to 4-2 and moved the Mariners into fifth place in the West, ahead of the Angels.

Holman gave up six hits and struck out five in seven innings.

The Mariners took the lead with two runs in the third inning. Greg Briley drove in one with a fly and Ken Griffey Jr. singled in the other.