MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Reardon Relieved After Joining 300 Club

Now that he’s a member of the 300-save club, Boston relief pitcher Jeff Reardon can consider himself one of the best pitchers in baseball.

When Reardon retired the Milwaukee Brewers in order in the ninth inning at Boston Monday night, he preserved a 3-0 Red Sox victory and joined Rollie Fingers, Rich Gossage and Bruce Sutter as the only relievers with 300 saves.

“Before this there were only three guys, and they were considered some of the best pitchers in baseball,” Reardon said.

Reardon, who got his 13th save in 14 chances this season, is tied with Sutter behind Fingers (341) and Gossage (307).

“I just wanted to go out and get this one over and not have to think about it anymore,” Reardon said.

Chris Bosio (4-5) lost despite pitching a six-hitter in his second complete game. He struck out six and walked none.

Steve Lyons, making his first start in center field since rejoining Boston in April, gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the fourth with his second home run of the season. Robin Yount appeared to catch Lyons’ fly to center, but the ball bounced over the fence when Yount hit the wall near the Red Sox bullpen.

Boston added two runs in the seventh. Clark led off with his fourth home run, his first since April 27 at Kansas City. Mike Greenwell was safe on second baseman Willie Randolph’s error and scored from first on Mike Marshall’s hit-and-run single to right.

Matt Young (3-1) got the victory despite walking five in six innings. He gave up four hits and struck out four before Jeff Gray relieved in the seventh with a runner on first and a 2-0 count on Dale Sveum. Gray then retired the side.

Detroit 11, Baltimore 5--Pete Incaviglia, who hit the fourth grand slam of his career and drove in five runs in the win over the Orioles at Detroit, never got discouraged, even though he had good reason to when his batting average dipped to .139.

Incaviglia has hit .406 in his past 10 games and has lifted his average to .221.

“I never really got down,” said Incaviglia, who signed with Detroit after being waived by the Texas Rangers during spring training.

The Tigers won their second in a row following an eight-game losing streak. Baltimore has lost three in a row.

Jerry Don Gleaton (2-1), the third of four Detroit pitchers, went 3 2/3 innings for the victory.

Seattle 8, Kansas City 6--Greg Briley scored the tie-breaking run on a wild-pitch in the ninth inning at Kansas City as the Mariners won for the seventh time in their past eight games.

Briley singled with two outs off Seattle pitcher Jeff Montgomery (1-2) and moved to third on a single by Harold Reynolds. After the wild pitch, Ken Griffey Jr. singled to score Reynolds for the two-run margin.

Russ Swan (1-0) pitched three innings of two-hit relief and Mike Jackson, Seattle’s fourth pitcher, got three outs for his fourth save.

Kansas City starter Bret Saberhagen allowed five runs and seven hits in seven-plus innings.

Toronto 1, Oakland 0--David Wells outdueled Bob Welch and Mookie Wilson drove in the only run with a two-out double in the sixth inning of the Blue Jays victory over the Athletics at Oakland.

Wells (5-3) won his fourth consecutive start, allowing two hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking four. Duane Ward pitched a one-hit eighth and Tom Henke pitched a hitless ninth for his third save.

Welch (4-3) pitched a four-hitter for his second complete game, struck out three and walked one. Each of his complete games have been losses.

Cleveland 3, New York 1--Eric King pitched six strong innings for his first win in five home starts and Chris James hit a two-out, two-run double in the fifth inning sending the Yankees to their fifth loss in the past six games.

It was only the third win in the past 13 games for the Indians, who are 4-13 at home.

King (4-4), who had been 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA at home, gave up one run and four hits in six innings. Shawn Hillegas pitched three scoreless innings for his first save. He allowed two hits and struck out five.

King benefited from an umpire’s ruling that took away an apparent two-run homer from Don Mattingly in the third inning.

Mattingly lined a ball into the right-field seats that first-base umpire Mike Reilly initially ruled was fair. Alvaro Espinoza scored from third as Mattingly circled the bases, but after Cleveland Manager John McNamara complained, the umpires conferred and ruled the ball was foul--prompting an unsuccessful argument by Yankee Manager Stump Merrill.

Espinoza returned to third base from the dugout and scored when Mattingly singled for a 1-0 lead.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

San Diego 7, Atlanta 3--Ed Whitson thought he deserved some credit for pitching a complete-game 11-hitter at Atlanta.

It was the second complete game for the Padre pitcher who had offensive help from Tony Fernandez, Tony Gwynn and Fred McGriff who each hit home runs.

“Any time you get a complete game, its something you can tip your hat to,” Whitson said. “I was just glad I could give the bullpen a night off. They needed it.”

Whitson (3-4) struck out four and walked none.