AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Twins Extend Winning Streak to 14 Games

The Cleveland Indians avoided a shutout for the first time in three days, but that did not stop the Minnesota Twins from extending their club-record winning streak to 14 games.

The Twins overcame a four-run deficit and beat the Indians, 11-7, Saturday night at Cleveland to match the longest winning streak in the major leagues this season.

“We don’t want to see it end,” said Minnesota center fielder Kirby Puckett, whose two-run triple highlighted the Twins’ six-run third inning. “But it’s early. It’s still June. If this was September, then I could tell you something.”

The 11 runs were a season high for the Twins, who had 15 hits en route to equaling Texas’ 14-game streak in May as the longest of 1991. Six of the Twins’ 14 victories have been against the Indians.

Cleveland lost for the ninth time in 10 games but ended its string of three consecutive games without a run. The Indians, shut out for the previous 27 innings, scored five runs in the first two innings off starter Mark Guthrie.

Rookie Paul Abbott (2-0) got his second career victory, both of them in relief of Guthrie during the past week and both against the Indians. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up one run and three hits, walking five and striking out three.

Rookie Scott Leius drove in four runs as Cleveland starter Jeff Mutis (0-1) could not hold a 5-1 lead.

Milwaukee 6-3, Oakland 4-7--Rickey Henderson hit a three-run homer to cap a four-run fourth inning and Jose Canseco also homered in the nightcap to give the Athletics a split at Milwaukee.

Henderson, who stole four bases in the opener, homered against Kevin Brown (2-4) and left the game in the sixth inning after complaining of soreness behind his left knee.

Canseco hit his 12th home run in the seventh off reliever Mark Knudson to help Andy Hawkins (2-4) get the victory.

Greg Vaughn hit his 10th and 11th homers off A’s right-hander Dave Stewart (4-3) in the opener.

Jaime Navarro (6-4) gave up six hits in 7 1/3 innings before Dan Plesac finished for his second save.

Seattle 15, Detroit 2--The Mariners received a club-record 14 walks and Dave Cochrane drove in a career-high five runs at Seattle.

Kevin Ritz (0-2), John Cerutti, Steve Searcy and Mike Dalton issued 10 hits, 14 walks, hit two batters and had two wild pitches as the Mariners had their highest run total of the season.

Randy Johnson (4-6) walked six batters in his first start against the Tigers since pitching a no-hitter against them in the Kingdome on June 2, 1990. The 20 walks by the teams was a high in the American League this season. The previous high was 18 in the Seattle-Detroit game on June 5.

Johnson gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked six in six innings for his first victory since May 17.

Travis Fryman hit a two-run homer for the Tigers in the second inning.

Texas 4, New York 3--Julio Franco hit a two-run homer off Tim Leary (3-6) in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie at Arlington, Tex., as the Rangers won for the fifth consecutive time.

Rangers starter Kevin Brown (5-5) gave up eight hits in six innings but was charged with only one earned run. Jeff Russell pitched the ninth for his 14th save.

Kansas City 5, Chicago 3--Danny Tartabull’s two-run homer and solo shots by Kirk Gibson and Mike Macfarlane helped Mike Boddicker earn the victory at Chicago.

Boddicker (6-5) gave up two runs on six hits, walked two and struck out five in seven innings. Jeff Montgomery finished for his 14th save.

Frank Thomas homered for the White Sox.

Baltimore 8, Toronto 4--Bob Melvin went five for five, including a home run, and Mike Devereaux added a three-run homer against Willie Fraser as the Orioles ended a six-game losing streak with the victory at Toronto.

Melvin, whose run-scoring double put the Orioles ahead, 2-1, in the second, followed a run-scoring single by Randy Milligan in the fourth with a solo homer off Juan Guzman (0-2).

Joe Carter homered against Jeff Ballard (4-7), who gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings before Mark Williamson finished for his third save.