AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Fielder Hits Three Homers in Cleveland

No player has ever hit a ball into the center-field bleachers at Cleveland Municipal Stadium since it opened in 1932.

Cecil Fielder, however, came close Wednesday night.

Fielder hit three homers in the Detroit Tigers’ 6-4 victory over the Indians, including a three-run blast in the fifth inning that traveled an estimated 470 feet.

“I don’t understand what’s going on, but I hope it’ll keep going,” said Fielder, who leads the majors with 22 home runs and 53 runs batted in.

Fielder, who hit 38 home runs last season in Japan and signed with the Tigers as a free agent, hit solo homers off Greg Swindell (2-5) in the second and fourth innings before putting the Tigers ahead for good in the fifth with his towering three-run shot.

Fielder also had three home runs at Toronto on May 6. He is the first Tiger to hit three home runs in a game twice in the same season. Fielder also hit three home runs in a spring-training game.

Fielder was walked on four pitches by reliever Cecilio Guante in his final at-bat in the eighth.

Oakland 5, Texas 4--Jose Canseco hit his 20th homer and Dave Henderson hit his eighth as the Athletics ruined Nolan Ryan’s return from the disabled list at Arlington, Tex.

Ryan (4-3) pitched five innings in his first start since May 17 when back spasms sidelined him. He gave up five runs, only two of them earned, on four hits, struck out eight and walked three.

Scott Sanderson (7-2) allowed three runs in five innings. Dennis Eckersley, the fifth Oakland pitcher, worked the ninth for his 18th save in 18 tries.

Minnesota 12, Toronto 5--Kirby Puckett went five for five for the second time this season and the Twins equaled a season-high with 19 hits at Toronto.

Fred Manrique had four hits and Greg Gagne had three hits, including a two-run homer.

John Candelaria (7-1) pitched three innings in relief to earn the victory.

Chicago 5, Seattle 0--Melido Perez pitched a four-hitter at Chicago for the second shutout of his career. Perez (5-4) walked none and struck out seven in his first complete game. He is 3-0 lifetime against the Mariners.

Boston 4, New York 1--Mike Boddicker pitched a two-hitter at Boston for his sixth consecutive victory as the Red Sox spoiled Stump Merrill’s managerial debut with the Yankees.

Boddicker (7-3) struck out six and walked one in handing the Yankees their fifth consecutive loss and 10th in 11 games.

Baltimore 8, Milwaukee 7--Craig Worthington homered with one out in the ninth at Milwaukee to give the Orioles the victory.

Worthington’s homer off Bill Krueger (2-3) was his fourth.