AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Blue Jays Take Lead, or Do Red Sox Lose It?

The Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox have built reputations for blowing opportunities. It seems as if neither wants to win the AL East this season.

Neither team has shown signs of taking charge of the division title race, with one team slumping, then the other.

The Blue Jays are indicating they may be ready to change popular opinion. Some will say it’s really another skid by the reeling Red Sox.

Junior Felix hit a three-run home run Wednesday night at Toronto and the Blue Jays held off the New York Yankees, 7-6, and take over sole possession of first place.

The Red Sox have lost eight of 11, but the Blue Jays have won six in a row and the manner in which they have won is impressive.

In this game Toronto almost blew a 7-1 lead, but the Blue Jays cut down Jim Walender trying to score from first on a double in the eighth that would have tied the game.

Bullpen ace Tom Henke restored order, striking out two of the three batters he faced to earn his 30th save.

In the first four games of the streak, the Blue Jays, after being unable to pull out close games all season, won them in their last at-bat, twice coming from behind. They have won five by one run and the other by two in the streak to the top.

“Right now, we’re probably having a better run of consistency than we’ve had all year,” said pinch-hitter Rance Mulliniks, who played a role in three of the victories.

“We’ve got 12 games left and if we stay consistent, I like our chances.

“When we were swept in New York in late August, we fell seven games behind in the loss column. I thought we were good enough to catch up, but I sure didn’t expect to get there so fast. It’s wonderful.”

Baltimore 8, Boston 4--Roger Clemens may return too late to save the Red Sox’s hopes.

Sam Horn hit a three-run home run to break a tie in the fifth inning at Baltimore and the Orioles knocked the Red Sox out of first place for the first time since July 30.

Greg Harris (13-8) took the blame for this loss.

“I just was a stupid idiot tonight,” Harris said. “In a game this important, you can’t let Sam Horn beat you. I let everybody down. It will take some time to live this down.”

Said Horn: “With two strikes, I was just trying to hit the ball up the middle. I knew I hit it hard, but I had no idea it would go out.”

Clemens, out since Sept. 4 with a shoulder problem, will pitch Sunday.

Oakland 7, Chicago 3--The White Sox had been a dominating team in Oakland this season. They were going for a 6-0 sweep.

It was up to Dave Stewart to do something about it. In three previous appearances this season, the hard-throwing right-hander had not beaten Chicago.

Furthermore, in June he had belittled the White Sox, especially his opponent in this game, young Jack McDowell.

Stewart (21-10), who engaged McDowell in a shouting match, was equal to the occasion. While the A’s knocked out McDowell (13-8) after he retired only four batters, Stewart gave up only five hits and one earned run in six innings.

McDowell’s downfall began when he made the mistake of loading the bases for Terry Steinbach with two out in the first. The catcher has thrived on such situations this season.

Steinbach delivered two runs with a booming double. With the bases full this season, Steinbach is 11 for 18 with a grand slam and 23 runs batted in.

Stewart was a gracious winner.

“(McDowell) is learning how to be a professional,” Stewart said. “He’s going to be good. One of these days, he’s going to be one of the better pitchers. As we get to know each other, we’ll respect each other more.”

Mark McGwire hit his 38th home run and the A’s, leading by nine games, reduced their magic number to five.

Rickey Henderson, limping a bit after being hit on the foot by a pitch Tuesday night, was one for three and remained at .325.

Texas 6, Seattle 5--Jeff Kunkel scored the go-ahead run on Bill Swift’s wild pitch in the eighth inning and the Rangers rallied from four runs down to beat the Mariners at Seattle.

Swift relieved Matt Young (8-16) with two out and the bases loaded in the eighth, and threw his second pitch to the backstop.

John Barfield (4-2) pitched the seventh inning for the victory. Kenny Rogers got the last five outs for his 15th save.

With one out in the Seattle first, Ken Griffey Sr. singled and Ken Griffey Jr. followed with his 22nd homer, a line drive that bounced off the facing of the second deck in right field.

Seattle scored four runs off Nolan Ryan in the first and Texas came back with four in the fourth.

Ryan left with tightness in his right Achilles’ tendon in the sixth.

Minnesota 1, Kansas City 0--George Brett went two for five to take over the batting lead, but he couldn’t get a victory for the Royals at Minneapolis.

Shane Mack’s two-out single in the 11th inning scored Dan Gladden from third base.

Although he struck out with the bases loaded in the 10th, Brett moved into the lead at .3256, to .3252 for Henderson.

Cleveland 6, Milwaukee 3--Rookie Jeff Manto homered, triple and singled at Cleveland to lead the Indians to their seventh win in eight games.

Doug Jones got the last three outs for his club-record 38th save.