AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Ryan Pitches Six-Hit Shutout, Strikes Out 10

Nolan Ryan pitched a six-hitter and struck out 10 Tuesday night in recording his 61st shutout as the Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox, 2-0, at Arlington, Tex., to end an eight-game losing streak.

It was the first complete game by a Texas pitcher since Ryan’s no-hitter over Toronto on May 1.

Neither Ryan (4-4) nor Chicago’s Alex Fernandez (2-6) allowed a run until the sixth inning, when the Rangers scored twice on Mike Stanley’s RBI single and a bases-loaded walk to Mario Diaz.

Ryan struck out 10 or more for the 210th game of his career, and third time this season. He tied Tom Seaver for eighth on the all-time shutout list.

Despite spending 15 days on the disabled list, Ryan almost regained the AL strikeout lead. He has 86, two behind Boston’s Roger Clemens.

Boston 8, Seattle 5--Ellis Burks hit two home runs and Jack Clark one as the Red Sox won at Seattle to take over first place in the American League East.

Danny Darwin (3-3) helped Boston pull ahead of Toronto by one percentage point--.535 to .534. He gave up four runs and seven hits before leaving in the sixth inning. Jeff Reardon pitched the ninth for his 16th save.

The Red Sox took a 3-0 lead against Scott Bankhead (2-5) in the first on Wade Boggs’ run-scoring double and Clark’s second homer in two nights and sixth of the season.

Burks, who also homered the previous night, hit his first Tuesday off Russ Swan in the fifth after Mike Greenwell’s infield single to put Boston ahead 6-1. Burks’ second homer, his sixth, came with two-out in the ninth.

Kansas City 11, Baltimore 0--The Royals had 16 hits, including a three-run double by Carmelo Martinez, and scored six runs in the third inning, their biggest inning of the season, to beat Orioles at Baltimore.

Mark Gubiza (2-3) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out three in six innings.

Cleveland 2, Toronto 1--Ken Dayley hit Alex Cole with a pitch to force home the winning run in the 12th inning at Cleveland as the Indians ended a five-game losing streak.

Brook Jacoby led off with a single and took second on a bunt single by Chris James before Turner Ward sacrificed. Dayley relieved Jim Acker (1-4) and walked Beau Allred on four pitches before hitting Cole in the back with a 2-2 pitch to force in pinch-runner Carlos Baerga.

Shawn Hillegas (2-0) pitched two hitless innings in relief of Greg Swindell, striking out three. Swindell went 10 innings--the longest stint by a Cleveland pitcher since 1988--allowing one run on seven hits.

Minnesota 5, New York 3--The Twins, playing at home, got a bases-loaded single from Kent Hrbek in the eighth inning and rallied to extend their winning streak to 10 games.

Kevin Tapani (4-6) won his second consecutive start despite allowing home runs to Mel Hall and Roberto Kelly.

Detroit 5, Oakland 1--Bill Gullickson and Mike Henneman combined on a four-hitter and Mickey Tettleton drove in a pair of runs to lead the Tigers at Oakland.

Gullickson (7-3) allowed one run on four hits, walked two and struck out one over 7 2/3 innings. Henneman relieved with two on and two out in the eighth and struck out Dave Henderson. He pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth save.