AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUPS : Royals End Rangers’ Seven-Game Streak, 12-5

George Brett’s three-run homer in the fifth inning powered the Kansas City Royals past Texas, 12-5, Tuesday night at Arlington, Tex., ending the Rangers’ seven-game winning streak.

It was Brett’s 283rd home run, and 31st against Texas. Brett has homered more against the Rangers than against any team, and is second on Texas’ all-time opponents list, trailing only Reggie Jackson’s 45.

Brett’s second home run of the season put Kansas City ahead, 8-5. He drove in four runs as the Royals won for the sixth time in eight games.

Kevin Appier (4-7) won despite giving up five runs in five innings. Luis Aquino pitched four scoreless innings for his first major league save.

Texas reliever Kenny Rogers (4-6) gave up seven runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Minnesota 9, Baltimore 2--Scott Erickson improved his record to 11-2 and lowered his earned-run average to 1.51, both best in the majors, as the Twins beat the Orioles at Baltimore.

Erickson gave up a leadoff single to Mike Devereaux in the first inning and did not yield another hit before being replaced by Carl Willis at the start of the seventh. Erickson walked five and struck out three in winning his franchise-record 11th consecutive decision.

Willis got his first save since 1985 and Kent Hrbek had two hits and two RBIs for Minnesota, which had its 15-game winning streak snapped by Baltimore on Monday.

New York 4, Toronto 2--Scott Kamieniecki won his major league debut and the Yankees stopped a six-game losing streak at Toronto.

Kamieniecki gave up two runs on nine hits in six innings. He struck out six, walked four and helped himself by picking off two runners.

Three Blue Jays were picked off base in toronto’s third consecutive defeat.

Kamieniecki, 27, gave up a single to Devon White to lead off the game, but then picked him off. In the fifth, Kamieniecki trapped Joe Carter off second base with the Yankees leading, 3-2.

Kamieniecki left after walking Roberto Alomar to start the sixth. John Habyan relieved and promptly picked off Alomar, a costly out for the Blue Jays because Kelly Gruber followed with a double.

Steve Howe pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings and Steve Farr got two outs for his seventh save.

Mike Timlin (5-4) gave up three runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Detroit 2, Oakland 0--Frank Tanana shut out the Athletics for 8 2/3 innings and Cecil Fielder hit a run-scoring double as the Tigers won at Detroit.

Tanana (4-6), seeking his third shutout of the season, took a two-hitter into the ninth. He left after Terry Steinbach and Harold Baines hit two-out singles, and Mike Henneman got Jamie Quirk on a grounder for his 10th save.

Bob Welch (6-4) lost despite a three-hitter, and had his streak of 13 consecutive June victories ended. Fielder’s double broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning.

The A’s were shut out for the second consecutive game and have lost three in a row. Tanana struck out five and reached the 2,500 mark.

Neither team had a hit until Skeeter Barnes beat out a bunt for a single with two out in the Detroit fifth. Tanana held the A’s hitless until Dave Henderson singled with one out in the sixth.

Seattle 2, Boston 1--Dave Cochrane singled home the go-ahead run as the Mariners scored twice in the ninth inning to beat the Red Sox at Boston.

After Danny Darwin and Tony Fossas combined to shut out Seattle on five hits for eight innings, the Mariners rallied against Jeff Reardon (0-2).

Reardon, who has 17 saves in 20 chances, relieved to start the ninth and Alvin Davis singled with one out. Pinch-hitter Greg Briley also singled, and pinch-runner Alonzo Powell scored on right fielder Kevin Romine’s throwing error.

Omar Vizquel was walked intentionally, but Cochrane lined a single to center, scoring Briley.

Bill Krueger (4-2) gave up nine hits in eight innings. Mike Jackson pitched the ninth for his 10th save.

Chicago 6, Cleveland 5--Robin Ventura’s grand slam in the sixth inning carried Charlie Hough and the White Sox to victory at Chicago and extended the Indians’ losing streak to six games.

Ventura hit his third home run of the season and first grand slam of his career against Tom Candiotti (7-5). All four runs, however, were unearned.

With two out in the sixth, Ozzie Guillen singled and Don Wakamatsu reached when shortstop Felix Fermin fumbled his grounder for an error. Tim Raines was hit by a pitch to fill the bases for Ventura, who hit a 2-and-0 pitch into the right-field seats for the first grand slam by the White Sox in new Comiskey Park.

Hough (4-3) also had trouble with the home run ball in the battle of knuckleball pitchers. Carlos Baerga hit two home runs and Mike Aldrete also connected for Cleveland.