AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Fielder’s Two Homers Aren’t Enough for Tigers

When Cecil Fielder returned from Japan in 1990 and started hitting home runs for the Detroit Tigers, he was regarded by some as a flash in the pan--someone who wouldn’t last.

But the first baseman has proved to be for real.

With another season like the previous two, Fielder could become only the second player in history to lead the major leagues in home runs and runs batted in for three consecutive seasons. The only other player to do that was Babe Ruth, who started his three-year run in 1919.

Fielder hit two home runs and drove in six runs Wednesday at Detroit, after hitting a solo home run in the season opener Monday.

But his slugging wasn’t enough to save the Tigers from a 10-9 defeat at the hands of Eastern Division favorite Toronto. Roberto Alomar and Pat Borders hit home runs for the Blue Jays.

After hitting 38 home runs in the Japan Central League in 1989, Fielder joined the Tigers and hit 51 home runs and drove in 132 runs in 1990. Last year, he hit 44, tying Jose Canseco, and drove in 133.

“I try to be the same every day,” Fielder said. “I try not to get too juiced or too down. I think that’s the key.”

The six runs Fielder drove in were a personal best for a single game.

By the time Fielder hit his first home run, a three-run shot in the fifth, the Blue Jays already had eight runs. When he hit a two-run homer in the eighth, it still left the Tigers a run short.

Oakland 4, Kansas City 3--Rickey Henderson homered with two out in the 13th inning to lift the Athletics at Oakland.

After the Royals had overcome a 3-0 deficit, Henderson drove a 3-1 pitch from Neal Heaton into the left-field seats. It was the Athletics’ second straight victory over Kansas City, which tied the score on George Brett’s leadoff homer in the eighth.

Jeff Parrett, Oakland’s sixth pitcher, worked two innings to earn the win. Heaton had worked 6 2/3 innings in relief before Henderson’s homer.

Milwaukee 9, Minnesota 5--B.J. Surhoff hit his first grand slam with two out in the ninth inning at Milwaukee to beat bullpen ace Rick Aguilera.

It appeared that the Twins would win John Smiley’s debut. When the left-hander, who won 20 for Pittsburgh last season, departed after five innings, he led, 4-3.

Aguilera, who had 42 saves last season, came in to protect a 5-4 lead. After giving up the tying run, he had to get Surhoff to send the game into the 10th.

The Twins also lost Shane Mack. After hitting a home run in the fifth inning, he was hit above the left flap on his batting helmet in the sixth by reliever Mike Fetters and suffered a concussion.

Although he was carried off on a stretcher, Mack was reportedly up and walking around his hospital room.

Cleveland 4, Baltimore 0--Paul Sorrento hit the first home run at Baltimore’s new park and Dave Otto and Rod Nichols combined on a three-hitter. Sorrento hit a three-run shot in the first inning in the second game played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The Orioles were without Glenn Davis, who has a rib cage injury.

Texas 13, Seattle 1--Dean Palmer homered for the third game in a row at Seattle and the Rangers pounded out 17 hits.

In the three victories to open the season, the Rangers have scored 29 runs. The Rangers, after giving up 10 runs in the opener, have given up only one in two games.