BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Erickson Wins 20th for Twins

Scott Erickson became a 20-game winner and the Minnesota Twins stopped Juan Guzman’s 10-game winning streak as the Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-1, Saturday night in a preview of next week’s American League playoffs.

Erickson (20-8), who will start Game 3, pitched six shutout innings. He gave up four hits, walked four and struck out two and again showed no ill effects from his earlier elbow problems. He is 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA in his last three starts.

Erickson became the 13th Twin to win 20 games. He joined Bill Gullickson and Tom Glavine as the other 20-game winners in the majors this season.

A crowd of 51,058 saw the Twins hand Guzman (10-3) his first loss since June 15.

Guzman, Toronto’s starter in Game 2 of the playoffs, pitched three innings and gave up one run on three hits. Guzman’s winning streak tied for second-longest in the majors this year. Erickson had the longest streak with 12.

Pittsburgh 4, Montreal 3--Barry Bonds’ run-scoring single capped a three-run eighth that included Bobby Bonilla’s 100th RBI and carried the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

Bonds’ RBI was his 114th, tying the career high he set last year. Bonilla tied the score with a single, his 100th RBI. He and Bonds became the first Pirate teammates to have consecutive 100-RBI seasons.

Cleveland 7, New York Yankees 5--Mark Lewis doubled home two runs in the 12th inning to help the Indians win a rain-delayed game at New York.

Rookie Bernie Williams had a career-high five hits for the Yankees.

Philadelphia 1, New York Mets 0--Terry Mulholland pitched his third shutout of the season as the Phillies won in Philadelphia to clinch third place in the National League East, the Phillies’ best finish since 1986 when they were second.

Mulholland (16-13) gave up eight hits, struck out four and walked none for his eighth complete game.

Chicago 3-7, St. Louis 2-5--The Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Cardinals in Chicago for the first time since 1972 as pinch-hitter Joe Girardi singled in two runs to help win the second game.

Hector Villanueva’s run-scoring single broke a tie in the eighth inning as the Cubs won in the first game. In the nightcap, the Cubs drew nine walks and six of those batters scored. Ced Landrum had four steals.

Oakland 12, Texas 5--Rickey Henderson stole four bases to take the American League lead and had a three-run homer among four hits as the Athletics got 15 hits in a victory at Arlington, Tex.

Dave Henderson also had three RBIs for the Athletics, who stole six bases. Rickey Henderson, who broke a tie with Toronto’s Roberto Alomar and reached 57 stolen bases, hit his three-run homer in the ninth inning.

Milwaukee 13, Boston 4--Greg Vaughn and Darryl Hamilton drove in three runs apiece as the Brewers won their fourth in a row, beating the fading Red Sox in Boston.

Baltimore 7, Detroit 3--Chito Martinez hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Orioles won.

Seattle 10, Chicago 0--Pete O’Brien hit two homers and drove in four runs at Seattle, and Bill Krueger (11-8) set a career high for victories.

San Diego 10, Cincinnati 7--Dann Bilardello drove in three runs and Tim Teufel two as the Padres had 17 hits while rallying to beat the Reds at San Diego.