AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : McGwire Slams Record Book, Red Sox, 6-2

Of all the sluggers in baseball’s Hall of Fame, none have matched the feat that Mark McGwire achieved Wednesday with a grand slam in the 10th inning at Oakland.

McGwire’s 400-foot-plus shot made him the first player to hit 30 or more homers in his first four full seasons and gave the Oakland Athletics a 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

“I was watching (the home run ball) because I knew it was something nobody’s ever done,” said McGwire, who in his first three seasons hit 49, 32 and 33 homers. “It’s just unbelievable.”

McGwire, who sat out Tuesday night’s loss after starting 48 consecutive games, struck out in his first three at-bats against Boston’s Dana Kiecker before walking in the eighth.

Rickey Henderson opened the 10th by walking as a pinch-hitter in his first appearance after missing seven games with a strained hamstring. After he was replaced by a pinch-runner, Doug Jennings reached base on a fielding error by shortstop Luis Rivera, and Dave Henderson was intentionally walked by reliever Daryl Irvine to load the bases.

Irvine threw one ball in the dirt to McGwire and was replaced by left-hander Rob Murphy. McGwire hit Murphy’s first pitch, a fastball over the middle, for his fourth career grand slam, boosting his RBI total to 78 and handing Irvine (1-1) the loss.

Dave Stewart (17-8) won his sixth consecutive decision.

Texas 2, Kansas City 1--Bobby Witt won a team-record ninth consecutive decision and Gary Pettis’ RBI single ended 17 scoreless innings for the Rangers in a win over the Royals at Kansas City.

Witt (12-8) struck out 11 in his fourth complete game. He has won nine of 11 starts and has a 1.75 earned run average during the streak.

Witt took a three-hit shutout into the ninth, but Gerald Perry doubled with two out and scored on Jim Eisenreich’s single.

George Brett singled in the fourth inning for his 2,654th career hit, tying him with Ted Williams and Lafayette Cross for 50th place on the all-time list.

Milwaukee 7, Detroit 3--Rob Deer homered and drove in four runs to lead Milwaukee past the Tigers at Detroit.

Milwaukee’s Tom Edens went four innings in his first AL start, giving up two runs on five hits. Paul Mirabella (4-2) pitched 2 2/3 innings for the victory. Dan Plesac got one out for his 18th save.

Chicago 4, Toronto 3--Sammy Shea homered and Ivan Calderon had a double, an RBI and scored a run to lead the White Sox over the Blue Jays at Chicago.

Leading, 3-0, in the fifth, Calderon doubled, took third on a groundout and beat shortstop Tony Fernandez’s throw home on a grounder by Fisk.

Jack McDowell (9-6) gave up five hits in eight innings, struck out five and walked none. Bobby Thigpen pitched the ninth for his 38th save in 44 chances.

John Candelaria (7-5) lost in his second start for the Blue Jays.

Cleveland 5, Minnesota 4--Chris James’ RBI single capped a three-run rally in the seventh inning and Mitch Webster homered to lead the Indians past the Twins at Cleveland.

Jesse Orosco (4-4) got two outs for the victory. Doug Jones pitched two innings for his 32nd save.

Relievers Tim Drummond (1-4) and Terry Leach had control problems and played a key role in Cleveland’s comeback.

Drummond (1-4) gave up a single and two walks to load the bases. Then Leach hit Carlos Baerga, forcing in a run, and Candy Maldonado followed with an RBI single that tied it, 4-4. James singled home the go-ahead run.

Cleveland starter Mike Walker allowed four runs, on five hits and five walks in 6 1/3 innings.

Seattle 2, Baltimore 0--Randy Johnson pitched a four-hitter and Alvin Davis homered and drove in the Mariners’ runs at Seattle.

Johnson (11-7) pitched his second shutout and fourth complete game, striking out nine.