AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : With Canseco Down, A’s Steinbach Steps Up

Terry Steinbach of the Oakland Athletics has been the leading vote getter among catchers for the All-Star game all season. Until recently, the votes were for past performance, not for this season.

But Steinbach, who has had three big seasons behind the plate for the World Series champions, is known for coming through when needed.

When Jose Canseco went out with a back injury, Steinbach was batting .190 and had driven in only 12 runs. But in the last 13 games Steinbach has helped to make up for the loss of the A’s top slugger.

Steinbach hit a grand slam and drove in six runs Wednesday at Detroit as the Athletics salvaged the final game of the series with the Tigers, 12-7.

Mark McGwire also homered for the Athletics who made it easy for Bob Welch (11-2) to win his eighth consecutive decision.

Welch gave up six hits and one earned run in six innings before turning the chore over to the bullpen with a 12-2 lead.

With Canseco, who may return Saturday, out of the lineup, Steinbach has batted .417, hit two home runs and driven in 14 runs. He has raised his average to .246.

“We learned that we had to pick it up when Canseco was out the first half of last season,” Steinbach said. “We all seem to take turns doing the job. We have quite a few guys who can do it.”

Just before Canseco went out, Manager Tony LaRussa wanted to give his catcher a rest. Except for two games in which he has pinch-hit, Steinbach has either been the catcher or the designated hitter.

He was the DH for this game because Ron Hassey is the regular catcher for Welch.

“He came ready to go,” Hassey said of Welch. “I think he realized in the two previous games he didn’t have his best stuff. Today he was in control.”

Toronto 11, Boston 0--The Blue Jays restored their lead in the East to two games, but the game at Toronto was closer than it looks.

When Tom Henke, in relief of Dave Stieb (10-2), struck out Dwight Evans to end the eighth inning, Evans was the potential tying run.

But the Blue Jays scored eight runs in the bottom of the eighth.

In the sixth inning, at the request of Boston Manager Joe Morgan, umpire Larry Barnett examined Stieb’s hat and glove and inspected the ball but found no evidence of tampering.

Stieb, who gave up eight hits in 7 2/3 innings, struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter. He lowered his league-leading ERA to 2.26.

New York 5, Milwaukee 4--Early this month, the Brewers were leading the East. They are slumping so badly that this was their second loss in a row at home to the woeful Yankees, who have the worst record in the majors.

The Yankees trailed, 4-2, and had only six singles off former Dodger Dennis Powell when they rallied in the eighth to tie. Jesse Barfield singled in the tying run.

In the ninth, with two out, Roberto Kelly hit a high fly to left that the wind carried into the seats just inside the flagpole.

“I thought it was a routine out,” losing pitcher Chuck Crim said. “I was walking to the dugout. I thought the inning was over.”

The Brewers are 5-12 in the last 17 games.

Baltimore 3, Cleveland 1--Randy Milligan scored the Orioles’ first run after a single in the fifth inning at Cleveland, then won it with his 11th home run in the ninth inning.

Pete Harnisch (7-3) gave up only five hits in eight innings. Gregg Olson, a loser Tuesday night, struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to register his 15th save in 16 opportunities.

The loser was Jesse Orosco (3-3), who relieved Tom Candiotti in the seventh.

Seattle 3, Kansas City 2--Ken Griffey hit an inside-the-park home run with two out in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 tie at Kansas City.

Griffey lined an opposite-field drive to the base of the wall in left field that caromed past Jim Eisenreich some 90 feet toward center.

Brian Holman (8-5), who has been struggling, pitched a strong eight innings to win it.

Texas 8, Minnesota 0--Kevin Brown (9-4) pitched a four-hitter at Arlington, Tex., for his first shutout to give the Rangers a three-game series sweep.

Geno Petralli broke out of a four-for-31 slump with a two-run double in the first inning and the Rangers were never headed.

The slumping Twins have lost 12 of their last 13 games.