AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Twins Pick Up an Improbable Victory in 11th

It has been this kind of season for the Minnesota Twins.

After stranding eight runners in the first six innings and getting only one run through eight against the Red Sox at Boston Friday night, Randy Bush homered off Jeff Reardon in the top of ninth to tie the score, 2-2.

In the 11th inning, Chuck Knoblauch singled with two outs off Greg Harris (6-9) and Mike Pagliarulo lifted a fly near the left-field foul line for the apparent third out.

But when things are going good, as they are for the Twins, good things happen. Steve Lyons, inserted in left field in the 10th, came in and third baseman Mike Brumley went back for what appeared to be an easy catch.

But Lyons dropped to his knees and missed a sliding catch and the ball fell behind him, allowing Knoblauch to score from first base and give the Twins a 3-2 victory.

Steve Bedrosian (3-2) pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings to get the victory and Rick Aguilera got three outs for his American League-leading 25th save.

Wade Boggs had four hits for the Red Sox.

Kansas City 17, Detroit 0--It was the Royals’ worst loss ever. Their previous worst was an 18-3 loss to the Angels on Sept. 18, 1986.

The loss at Kansas City came five days after the Royals beat the Tigers, 18-4, at Detroit.

Even the pitchers were the same, Bill Gullickson of the Tigers and Tom Gordon of the Royals. But this time, the Tigers scored four runs in the second inning, added four in the third and then scored seven runs in the seventh.

Gullickson (12-5), who lasted 2 2/3 innings last Sunday, gave up five hits in seven innings and John Cerutti completed the six-hitter.

Gordon (5-8) walked five in the first three innings and wound up giving up eight runs on six hits in six innings.

Tony Phillips had a big night, collecting three of Detroit’s 16 hits and driving in a career-high five runs.

Detroit’s Cecil Fielder hit his 24th home run in the third inning.

Toronto 7, Texas 2--Todd Stottlemyre pitched seven shutout innings and newcomer Cory Snyder drove in three runs as the Blue Jays won at Arlington, Tex.

Stottlemyre (10-3) allowed five hits and tied a personal-high with eight strikeouts in winning for the first time since June 30.

The Blue Jays have won 14 of 17.

Texas starter John Barfield (4-4) gave up nine hits and five runs in four innings as the Rangers lost their fifth consecutive game and eighth of nine since the All-Star break.

Plate umpire Terry Cooney was carried off the field on a stretcher when he twisted his left ankle, which was injured earlier in the week. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays and replaced by second base umpire John Hirschbeck.

Baltimore 4, Seattle 1--In his 1,500th consecutive game, Cal Ripken, after receiving his All-Star game MVP trophy, hit his 20th homer, a two-run shot in the third inning, to help the Orioles beat the Mariners.

Ripken’s homer made him only the eighth player to hit 20 home runs in each of his first 10 seasons.

“Without a doubt, this was a special night,” Ripken said. “I know I downplay it and try not to get caught up in it, but there’s a side of me that is very proud of the 1,500 consecutive games and the way the fans treated me tonight.”

Ripken’s consecutive games streak is the second longest in history behind Lou Gehrig’s 2,130. The 30-year-old shortstop hasn’t missed a start since May 30, 1982.

New York 3, Oakland 0--Rookie Jeff Johnson allowed three hits and stretched his shutout streak to 16 innings as the Yankees won at Oakland.

Johnson, who gave up four hits in 8 1/3 shutout innings against the Angels on July 13, struck out five and walked two in eight innings. Johnson (3-3) was making his eighth big league start and held Oakland hitless for 4 2/3 innings.

Carney Lansford, returning from an injury to his left knee, made his first appearance of the season for Oakland and went 0 or 4 as the designated hitter. Lansford had surgery in January after tearing ligaments in a New Year’s Eve snowmobile accident near his Oregon home.

Chicago 14, Milwaukee 3--Robin Ventura hit two home runs and two doubles and drove in a personal-high six runs as the White Sox won at home.

Milwaukee pitcher Chuck Crim and catcher B.J. Surhoff were ejected by plate umpire Tim Welke during Chicago’s six-run sixth inning after Crim hit Tim Raines with a pitch and Surhoff argued Crim’s ejection.