AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Yankees in Class by Themselves

Baseball’s last two undefeated teams, the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays, met Monday night at Toronto, and the Yankees came out on top, 5-2.

“Let’s be realistic,” Yankee left fielder Mel Hall said. “We know we’re going to lose one sooner or later. Let’s just hope it’s later.”

The Yankees came into the game 5-0, the Blue Jays 6-0.

Monday night’s game was only the third time since 1900 that teams with 3-0 records or better had met.

Fifty years ago, on April 17, 1942, the Yankees and Boston Red Sox played when they were both 3-0, with the Yankees winning, 1-0. And last Friday night, the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox were 3-0 going into a game won by the A’s, 6-5.

In the Yankees’ victory over Toronto, Hall and Danny Tartabull had the big hits for the Yankees in the ninth inning. Hall doubled just inside the third base line to drive in Roberto Kelly to break a 2-2 tie, and then Tartabull hit Todd Stottlemyre’s next pitch over the fence in right for a two-run homer.

Four Yankees pitchers combined on a six-hitter, with Steve Howe (1-0) getting the victory.

With the bases loaded and two out in the eighth, John Olerud bounced back to the mound and Howe raced to the bag for the unassisted out.

Chicago 1, Seattle 0--Frank Thomas, ending an 0-for-11 slump, had a run-scoring triple to right field during the third inning, and Greg Hibbard and Bobby Thigpen stopped the Mariners on six hits in the White Sox’s home opener before 42,290.

A flood that virtually closed downtown Chicago seemed to have little effect on the crowd at Comiskey Park, about five miles away. Streets and subways to the stadium were clear, although there were about 2,000 empty seats in the corners of the upper deck.

Hibbard (2-0) retired 13 in a row during one stretch. He gave up four hits, walked two and struck out two in eight innings.

In the ninth, Thigpen worked around a leadoff single by Kevin Mitchell and a two-out single by pinch-hitter Ken Griffey Jr. for his third save in four chances. Griffey did not start because of a bruised foot.

Russ Swan (0-2) gave up only three hits in 7 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out four.

Oakland 6, Kansas City 1--Coming home didn’t make any difference to the Kansas City Royals, who at 0-7 are the major leagues’ only winless team.

Kansas City had never lost more than two in a row to start a season. Oakland’s Mike Moore (1-0), who finished last season with five consecutive victories, gave up one run and five hits in 7 1/3 innings, walked three and struck out three.

Jose Canseco’s fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot, put Oakland ahead in the seventh inning, 3-1. Carney Lansford added three doubles and drove in two runs.

Detroit 7, Cleveland 5--The Tigers scored their first victory, at Cleveland.

The Tigers’ 0-6 start had matched their worst since 1959.

Cleveland left fielder Albert Belle, on a tough play, dropped Tony Phillips’ deep fly with two out in the ninth, letting two decisive runs score.

Phillips hit a drive to deep left that turned Belle sideways. It was in and out of his glove for a two-base error, Cleveland’s third error of the inning.

Baltimore 8, Boston 6--Randy Milligan doubled home the tie-breaking run in the eighth inning as the Orioles spoiled the home opener for the Red Sox.

After the Red Sox made the score 6-6 with three runs in the seventh, Brady Anderson opened the Baltimore eighth with a double against Tony Fossas (0-1). Reliever Danny Darwin got two outs before Milligan lined his third hit and his second double.

The Orioles added a run in the ninth when Leo Gomez doubled and later scored on Chris Hoiles’ sacrifice fly.

Boston starter Frank Viola gave up six runs on eight hits and three walks in three-plus innings.