AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Ryan Looks to Future After Beating Mariners

The way he is pitching, it is easily understandable why Nolan Ryan is planning on playing next season.

Ryan, 44, gave up one hit in seven innings Wednesday at Seattle to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

He gave up two hits in the eighth inning and lost his shutout, but he won his fourth in a row, the 314th victory of his career, and improved his record to 12-6 this season.

Although he has been on the disabled list twice this season, Ryan is once again making life difficult for American League hitters.

“I’m looking forward to next year,” Ryan said after striking out eight. “My intent is to finish strong. After the first couple of innings, I got in a good groove. With the lead they gave me, I didn’t have to be that fine.”

Ryan has struck out 5,495 batters. It was his 731st start, No. 3 on the all-time list.

He impressed the Mariners.

“From the third through the fifth inning he had as good stuff as I’ve ever seen,” Harold Reynolds said.

“He’s a Hall of Famer,” Mariner Manager Jim Lefebvre said. “You can’t spot him four runs. Once he gets in a groove, he’s on his way.”

Kevin Reimer hit his 19th home run and Ruben Sierra hit his 23rd. The league’s leading hitter, Julio Franco went one for four and remained at .341.

Chicago 6, Minnesota 1--The White Sox kept their slim hopes alive in the West when the lower portion of the lineup led the assault at Minneapolis.

Mike Huff, the No. 8 hitter, doubled, scored a run and drove in another, and Scott Fletcher, the No. 9 hitter, doubled and drove in two runs.

The White Sox trail Minnesota by eight games and the Twins’ magic number to win their first division title since 1987 is three.

Chicago’s hopes rest on the fact that the Twins have six of their remaining games against Toronto, which is trying to win the East.

Cleveland 6, Detroit 4--At Detroit, Doug Jones won his third consecutive game in his third major league start.

Jones needed help in the eighth inning, but his victory dropped the Tigers seven games behind Toronto with 11 games left. Cleveland beat the Tigers twice last week at Detroit.

Oakland 8, Kansas City 4--On the afternoon after they were eliminated, the Athletics looked like champions at Oakland.

Rickey Henderson and Mike Gallego hit home runs and Bob Welch (12-12) gave up five hits in 6 2/3 innings and ended his four-game losing streak.

New York 8, Milwaukee 6--Roberto Kelly hit a three-run home run in the 11th inning at Milwaukee to beat the Brewers.

Milwaukee trailed, 5-3, with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Greg Vaughn hit his 25th home run and the Brewers tied it when Dale Sveum walked with the bases loaded.