AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Blue Jays Extend Royal Slump to 15 of 16

Playing the Blue Jays in Toronto didn’t figure to make it easy for the Kansas City Royals Friday night.

Despite a two-run home run by George Brett to climax a three-run ninth-inning rally, the Royals fell short again, 4-3.

It was the eighth loss in a row and the 15th loss in 16 games this season for the Royals.

Juan Guzman, in winning for the 13th time in his last 14 decisions, had a two-hit shutout going into the ninth. After he gave up doubles to Keith Miller and Wally Joyner, Tom Henke came in to give up the homer to Brett, then retired the final batter for the save.

Guzman, traded to the Blue Jays for Mike Sharperson in 1987, has been a success for the Blue Jays. He came up during midseason last year, lost his first two decisions, then won 10 of his next 11. He has won all three starts this season.

“I felt strong and I could have finished,” Guzman said. “But Cito (manager Gaston) came out and told me I was up around 120 pitches. I guess that’s enough. There are still many games left.”

Tom Gordon gave up three runs and seven hits in seven innings and drew the praise of frustrated Manager Hal McRae.

“He did a great job,” McRae said. “There were some positive things that came out of this game. Not a win, mind you, but some good signs.”

The Blue Jays’ Roberto Alomar went three for three, scored a run and drove in two.

Minnesota 6, Oakland 5--Brian Harper’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning at Minneapolis capped a Twin rally.

With Mark McGwire hitting his major league-leading ninth home run, the Athletics took a 5-0 lead for Ron Darling.

The Athletics routed John Smiley, who was making his fourth start without a victory for the Twins.

But the Twins got to Darling with single runs, then tied the score in the fifth on an RBI double by Pedro Munoz and a two-run triple by Scott Leius.

Munoz started the winning rally by drawing a walk against Rich Gossage (0-1). Harper fouled off four pitches with the count 1-and-2 before getting the winning fly ball to right.

Chicago 9, Detroit 1--Most teams would rather be home, but not the Tigers. After sweeping a three-game series in Texas, they returned home to face Jack McDowell.

McDowell became the first pitcher in the majors to win four consecutive starts. He had a no-hitter until the fifth and in seven innings gave up two hits, one a home run by Mickey Tettleton.

The loss gave the Tigers an 0-7 record at home.

The White Sox scored four runs in the second inning and four more in the fourth inning. Steve Sax figured in both rallies, driving in three runs.

Boston 3, Texas 1--Frank Viola only had to be good for six innings at Boston, and he picked up his first victory for the Red Sox.

Viola (1-2) gave up three hits before rain forced an end to play after 5 1/2 innings.

“I wasn’t pressing at all and I’ve been throwing the ball well,” Viola said.

“Our pitchers have been doing the job. When our bats get going, we’re going to take off.”

Phil Plantier hit a two-run double to highlight a three-run third inning that made a winner of Viola.

New York 5, Baltimore 0--Rain also was a problem in New York, but not for Greg Cadaret, who stopped the Orioles’ seven-game winning streak.

In a game twice delayed by rain, Cadaret (2-0) gave up three hits in seven innings, extending his shutout string to 18 innings. In his previous start, the veteran left-hander was the last Yankee to pitch a complete game since the middle of last season.

Second baseman Andy Stankiewicz hit his first major league home run and drove in two runs.

Milwaukee 5, Cleveland 0--Rain delayed the start of the game at Cleveland for more than 30 minutes and the Indian hitters never did get ready.

Left-hander Dan Plesac held them hitless for 5 2/3 innings in his first start and they got only two all night.

It rained lightly during nearly the entire game. Under similar conditions at Milwaukee on Thursday night, the Brewers beat Roger Clemens.

In this one, Greg Vaughn hit the first home run by a Brewer in almost two weeks.

“It was a miserable night to hit,” Plesac said. “That made it a good night for pitching.”