AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Blue Jays Get Help From a Rookie Pitcher

Juan Guzman isn’t familiar with the history of the Toronto Blue Jays’ failures.

After all, he didn’t make it to the major leagues until June 3.

Guzman, brought up when Dave Stieb was lost for the season, made another strong bid to stop the Blue Jays’ collapse Sunday at Oakland.

He held the Athletics to two hits in eight innings and overcame shaky defense to pitch the Blue Jays to a 3-2 victory.

With Boston losing, the stumbling Blue Jays regained a 1 1/2-game lead in the American League West.

Pat Borders hit a two-run home run against Ron Darling (3-5), but what proved to be the winning run came in the seventh when Darling walked Rance Mulliniks with the bases loaded.

It was the eighth victory in a row for Guzman, who hasn’t lost since he was pounded by Baltimore in his first two starts in early June.

Although Guzman walked two batters in the third inning, faulty support gave the A’s the two runs. In the third inning, Borders’ passed ball let in the run.

A comedy of errors nearly finished Guzman and the Blue Jays in the bottom of the seventh.

Terry Steinbach, who had the second A’s hit, was on second base when Mark McGwire hit a grounder to third. Kelly Gruber scooped it up, but he bounced his throw off first baseman John Olerud. Second baseman Roberto Alomar, backing up on the throw, tried to get Steinbach at the plate. He, too, threw wild and McGwire, representing the tying run, was on second.

Guzman retired Mike Gallego to end the agony.

Toronto, 4-7 in its last 11 games, all against the West, plays 12 more games, six against the Angels and six against Minnesota.

New York 7, Boston 5--The Red Sox drive to the top of the East was running on schedule.

Jeff Reardon, one of the top closers in the majors, was only one strike from his 41st save.

But Roberto Kelly homered over the Green Monster at Boston for his 17th of the year to send the game into extra innings. And, in the 10th, Bernie Williams doubled in two runs off Dan Petry to end Boston’s four-game winning streak.

It was the Red Sox’s fourth loss in 19 games and the eighth time in 48 tries that Reardon failed to get the save.

“It’s a tough loss, especially since we had a ton of breaks,” Manager Joe Morgan said. “Reardon was all right, except that Kelly clocked one.”

Reardon started the ninth inning after the Red Sox forged ahead with two runs in the eighth. Carlos Quintana’s single tied the game and catcher Matt Nokes’ passed ball allowed the go-ahead run to score.

Reardon disposed of Steve Sax on a fly and Jim Leyritz lined to short. Kelly’s home run marked the first time Reardon failed to get the save in nine opportunities since Aug. 17.

“All the Yankees have to play for is to be the spoiler and they were today,” Reardon said. “We can’t win every ballgame. Granted this was a big one, but there’s plenty of time left.”

Wade Boggs, who missed two games with a strained right shoulder, returned and went two for five, raising his average to .333. Julio Franco of Texas leads the league with .341.

Milwaukee 9, Detroit 5--The collapse of the Tigers’ shaky pitching staff couldn’t have come at a worse time.

George Canale drove in three runs, two with his second home run of the season, and the Brewers completed a sweep of a three-game series at Detroit. The Tigers have lost six in a row and missed an opportunity to close in on Toronto, leader of the East.

“This hasn’t been a surprise, it’s been a tragedy,” Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson said. “Everybody is playing hard, but nothing is happening.”

The Brewers scored 22 runs in the three games. Even Walt Terrell, who had won seven in a row before losing, 3-1, at Cleveland Tuesday, couldn’t stop the hot Brewers. He gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Minnesota 9, Texas 4--When the Twins went into the weekend series with the Rangers at Minneapolis, they were in a slump and the White Sox were making a move.

But when Jack Morris pitched a strong seven innings for his 17th victory the Twins had a three-game sweep and a stranglehold on the pennant in the West.

With the Angels slowing the White Sox, the Twins moved eight games in front with just 12 games remaining.

Morris gave up only five hits in seven innings and, with Texas making four errors, it was a romp.

“We came into the weekend tentative and playing poorly,” veteran first baseman Kent Hrbek said. “We seem to have settled down and we just have to play our game.”

Kansas City 2, Seattle 1--Bret Saberhagen (12-8) pitched a three-hitter at Seattle and struck out 11 in his seventh complete game.

He lost his no-hitter when Greg Briley singled with two out in the fifth inning and lost his shutout when Pete O’Brien homered in the seventh.

Cleveland 2, Baltimore 1--Rookie Mike Mussina took a three-hitter and a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning at Cleveland and lost it.

A single, a sacrifice, another single and a squeeze bunt tied the game. Then Carlos Baerga won it with a two-out double. It was the Orioles’ fourth loss in the past five games.