AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Blue Jays Show Depth as Wells Defeats Orioles

For the last several years, the Toronto Blue Jays have been threatening to become the best in the American League. Three times they have been best in the East, but they haven’t made it to the World Series.

With the addition of Jack Morris to an already strong pitching staff, the Blue Jays hope to do more than merely repeat as division champions.

David Wells, battling to stay in the rotation as the No. 5 starter, took a step in the right direction Sunday at Toronto as the Blue Jays beat Baltimore, 3-1, to run their record to 6-0.

Wells, who might go to the bullpen when Dave Stieb returns, gave up only four hits in seven innings to help the Blue Jays continue their best-ever start.

“Somebody has to go down, and I’ve had the experience in the pen, so it might as well be me,” Wells said.

Wells hit three batters. A pitch hit Brady Anderson in the head.

“I wasn’t trying to hit anybody,” Well said. “Brady is a friend of mine, so I’m glad he wasn’t hurt.”

Joe Carter homered for the Blue Jays.

New York 5, Detroit 1--The Blue Jays are unbeaten, but are ahead of the Yankees only because they have played one more game.

Mel Hall had two hits and drove in three runs and the Yankees completed a weekend sweep at Detroit over the winless Tigers. The Yankees are 5-0, the Tigers 0-6.

Chicago 6, Oakland 4--Jack McDowell weathered three home runs, two of them by Mark McGwire, and handed the Athletics their first loss after five victories at Oakland.

McGwire, who batted .201 last season, has hit home runs in four consecutive games and already has five. Jose Canseco added his third.

Texas 4, Minnesota 3--Juan Gonzalez drove in all four runs at Minneapolis to help Kevin Brown win his second complete game in a row.

Gonzalez, 22, hit a three-run home run during the first inning and singled home the tie-breaking run in the eighth.

Seattle 2, Kansas City 1--Erik Hanson sent the Royals to their sixth loss without a victory, their worst start ever, in the game at Seattle.