AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : This Time McGwire Saves, Not Jones, as A’s Break Losing Streak

It figured that when the Oakland Athletics finally ended their losing streak they would do it with a home run. It has been their best weapon in recent years.

But the way they avoided their fifth consecutive defeat Wednesday night at Cleveland almost defies belief.

They were trailing, 6-5, with two out in the ninth inning and, though they had a man on base they were facing Doug Jones, the hottest reliever around.

Mark McGwire was at bat.

Jones had pitched 20 2/3 scoreless innings this season and had 13 saves in 13 opportunities. Furthermore, it had been 241 innings since a right-handed batter hit a home run off Jones.

McGwire, who was the middle man in a three-in-a-row home run burst in the fourth inning, hit the auxiliary scoreboard in the second deck for the home run that provided the A’s with a 7-6 victory.

Before McGwire hammered his 11th home run, Jones looked sharp. Rickey Henderson opened the ninth with an easy grounder to short. Carney Lansford looped a single to right, but Jose Canseco struck out.

Jones was philosophical about the ending of his scoreless string.

“I’ve thrown 100 of those same pitches that should have been hit out,” he said. “Finally someone did it.”

The last right-handed hitter to hit a home run off him was Larry Parrish of Texas on July 24, 1987.

“I saw it and reacted,” McGwire said. “It was up, not his normal changeup. When he keeps it down, it’s almost impossible to hit.”

An error by second baseman Willie Randolph, in his second game for the Athletics, set up three unearned runs in the third. Candy Maldonado, one pitch after Bob Welch brushed him back, hit a three-run home run to make it 4-0.

Canseco, McGwire and Ron Hassey hit consecutive home runs off rookie Jeff Shaw to cut the lead to a run in the fourth. Canseco has 13 home runs, four in the last three games.

Dennis Eckersley, in need of work because the A’s were behind in recent games, pitched two innings to get the victory. He has not given up a run in 15 innings.

Chicago 4, Baltimore 2--The Athletics probably are not too concerned, but the White Sox are keeping the pressure on the leaders in the West.

Carlos Martinez drove in two runs with a home run and a double at Chicago and the White Sox won their fifth in a row and 10th in 11 games. The White Sox (19-10) are nine games over .500 for the first time in seven years and remained two games behind Oakland.

Rookie Jerry Kutzler (2-0) gave the White Sox a strong six innings, giving up just three hits and two runs, only one earned. When Kutzler walked Joe Orsulak to open the seventh, another rookie Scott Radinsky pitched two shutout innings and Bobby Thigpen pitched the ninth for his 10th save.

Boston 7, Kansas City 1--The Royals seem determined to stay behind the Angels in the West.

With Mike Boddicker (5-3) striking out 10 in eight innings at Kansas City and Ellis Burks driving in three runs with a triple and a home run, the Red Sox romped.

The Royals, expected to furnish competition for Oakland in the West, fell to 11-21 and are 11 1/2 games out of first place.

With the Royals trailing, 3-0, in the seventh, the Red Sox loaded the bases with nobody out and Mark Davis came in to pitch. He got Mike Greenwell and Tom Brunansky on short fly balls, but Dwight Evans hit a two-run double and Davis wild-pitched another run home.

Seattle 4, Toronto 2--Brian Holman pitched another strong game and Jeffrey Leonard hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning for the Mariners.

“He got us some big runs,” Seattle Manager Jim Lefebvre said of Leonard. “But I think the difference in the last two games was our ability to play the game the way it should be played.”

Holman (6-2) held the Blue Jays to six hits at Toronto before needing help in the eighth.

“Every time I pitch they should have a camera on,” Holman said. “They could make a highlight film from the defense they played behind me.”

Lefebvre juggled three relief pitchers before Mike Schooler retired the side in the ninth to get his 11th save in his 12th opportunity.

Detroit 12, Texas 0--The Tigers didn’t need Cecil Fielder’s power with Jeff Robinson pitching a four-hitter at Arlington, Tex., in a rout of the crippled Rangers,

Fielder had a couple of doubles and a single to lead a 17-hit attack.

The Rangers, with three regulars out, have lost eight of 10.

“They’re probably missing 50% of their offense,” Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson said. “That’s very hard. I know how it feels when you’re without your artillery. If you have to play that way for long, you’re in for a long season.”

Texas again was without three key offensive contributors--right fielder Ruben Sierra, catcher Geno Petralli and third baseman Steve Buechele.

Tracy Jones and Alan Trammell hit home runs in a five-run fifth inning to back Robinson.

Minnesota 0, New York 0 (postponed)--Andy Hawkins retired 13 consecutive Twins at New York before rain forced postponement and wiped out the right-hander’s achievement.