AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Four Years Later, Howe Gets Another Save

Former Dodger Steve Howe got his first save in four seasons, and Jeff Johnson got his first major league victory as the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-0, Wednesday night at Toronto.

Jimmy Key (10-3) lost for the first time in eight starts since May 7, and Toronto suffered its fourth consecutive defeat. Key, who won six consecutive decisions, gave up 10 hits in eight innings, struck out six and walked none. Kevin Mass’ run-scoring grounder in the eighth ended Key’s scoreless streak at 20 innings.

The Yankees won their second in a row, finishing the six-hitter with Howe, suspended six times for drug and alcohol abuse. Howe, whose last save was Sept. 12, 1987, for Texas against the Angels, pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two.

Howe was released by the Rangers on Jan. 19, 1988, after violating his aftercare program by using alcohol. He pitched in the minor leagues last season.

Kansas City 15, Texas 2--Kirk Gibson hit a grand slam--the first in his 203 home runs--as the Royals got a season-high 20 hits and beat the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Gibson homered off reliever Joe Bitker in a five-run sixth as the Royals sent 11 men to the plate and took a 9-1 lead. Gibson had the most home runs without a grand slam in major league history.

Kevin Seitzer, Kurt Stillwell and George Brett had three hits each as the Royals set a season-high in runs. Kansas City has nine or more runs in four consecutive games.

Storm Davis went three innings for his first save since April 10, 1984, when he pitched for Baltimore against Kansas City.

Cleveland 4, Chicago 3--The Indians ended a six-game losing streak as Carlos Baerga drove in two runs with a homer and a single at Chicago.

Charles Nagy (3-7) gave up seven hits and three runs in five innings. Rod Nichols allowed two hits in four innings for his first major league save.

Greg Hibbard (4-6) allowed four runs and eight hits in eight innings for the White Sox, who have lost six of eight games.

Baerga, who homered twice Tuesday night, had an RBI single in the first, hit his eighth home run in the fifth and walked twice.

Minnesota 8, Baltimore 4--Gregg Olson threw three wild pitches in the ninth inning, fueling a five-run rally that led the Twins past the Orioles at Baltimore.

The Twins, who had a 15-game winning streak snapped by Baltimore Monday night, used four hits, three wild pitches and an error by Olson to win for the 20th time in 22 games.

Jack Morris (9-5) went the distance for the fourth time this season and has won six consecutive games, last losing on May 19.

Olson (0-3) took his first-ever loss at Memorial Stadium.

The Twins began their comeback when Brian Harper, Gene Larkin and Mike Pagliarulo hit consecutive singles to tie the score.

One out later, the runners moved up on a wild pitch, and pinch-hitter Randy Bush was walked intentionally to load the bases. Olson threw another wild pitch, allowing the go-ahead run to score. Olson retrieved the ball and threw wildly to home, allowing another run to score.

Oakland 5, Detroit 4--Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire homered in the same game for the second time in four days as the Athletics beat the Tigers at Detroit to end a three-game losing streak.

Oakland scored in each of the first three innings. Canseco hit his 14th homer in the fifth and McGwire hit his 12th in the eighth. The two had not homered in the same game this season until last Sunday at Milwaukee.

Cecil Fielder had three RBIs for the Tigers, who left the bases loaded in the second and third innings and stranded 13 runners.

Gene Nelson (1-1), the second of five Oakland pitchers, pitched three innings of one-hit, one-run relief for his first victory since last Aug. 18. Dennis Eckersley got four outs for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Rickey Henderson doubled to start the game and scored on a two-out single by Harold Baines, breaking a 19-inning scoreless streak for the A’s.

Seattle 4, Boston 3--Roger Clemens continued to struggle and Seattle scored three unearned runs with the help of two Boston errors as the Mariners beat the Red Sox at Boston.

Clemens (9-4) lost for the fourth time since starting the season 6-0, allowing nine hits in 7 2/3 innings. He walked a season-high six and struck out three, equaling his season low.

Clemens, who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first by getting Edgar Martinez on a line-drive out, couldn’t overcome the Red Sox defense in the fifth. Omar Vizquel reached on shortstop Luis Rivera’s fielding error. Harold Reynolds hit an apparent double play grounder to Jody Reed, but the second baseman chased Vizquel back toward first and threw the ball into the Boston dugout, allowing the runners to reach second and third.

Briley got a bad-hop RBI single off Rivera’s glove and Ken Griffey Jr. followed with a two-run double, his third consecutive hit.