AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Ryan Gets Hit Hard in Return

Nolan Ryan was wild and got hit hard in his return from the disabled list as the Chicago White Sox beat the Texas Rangers, 12-1, behind Craig Grebeck’s six RBIs Thursday night at Chicago.

“It can’t get worse than that,” Ryan said. “The few strikes I threw, they hit. I never had command.”

Jack McDowell (5-0), the first five-game winner in the majors, threw a three-hitter to beat the 45-year-old Ryan, who had not pitched since opening day because of a strained left calf and an inflamed right Achilles’ tendon.

George Bell helped Chicago with the third five-hit game of his career, his first since 1990.

Ryan (0-1) gave up seven runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings, walked five, struck out three and threw a wild pitch. He left with the bases loaded and reliever Floyd Bannister allowed all the runners to score on Grebeck’s double.

The runs were the most Ryan had given up since July 25, 1990, against the New York Yankees, and they equaled the most he has given up with the Rangers. He made 64 pitches, only 28 for strikes.

“Obviously the problem was my control,” Ryan said. “I was wild in the strike zone and out of the strike zone. I never got in a groove to throw strikes. I was getting behind the hitters and not getting my breaking ball over. My change was inconsistent.”

Ryan walked Robin Ventura and Frank Thomas in the third, and Bell’s single loaded the bases. Ventura scored for a 4-1 lead when Dan Pasqua struck out on a wild pitch, and Ryan reloaded the bases by walking Karkovice.

Bannister then relieved and got Lance Johnson to ground back to the mound, but Grebeck doubled off the left-field wall.

Ranger Manager Bobby Valentine was pleased that Ryan “came out of it healthy.”

“You have to get in a good groove and it’s hard in this weather,” Valentine said.

McDowell struck out three and walked one in his second complete game.

Oakland 10, Detroit 6--Rickey Henderson and Mark McGwire each had two-run doubles in an eight-run seventh inning as the Athletics rallied to win at Detroit.

The A’s trailed, 6-2, entering the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out, Willie Wilson grounded to shortstop, but Alan Trammell booted the chance at an inning-ending double play.

Mark Leiter walked in a run, another scored on a passed ball, and right fielder Rob Deer stumbled twice on fly balls that dropped for two-run doubles.

In all, the A’s sent 13 batters to the plate, got five hits, five walks and an error.

Vince Horsman (1-0) who retired the only batter he faced, picked up his first major league victory, and Leiter (2-1) took the loss. Dennis Eckersley, the sixth Oakland pitcher, got one out for his eighth save in as many chances.

Milwaukee 3, Toronto 2--Kevin Seitzer ended an 0-for-21 slump with an eighth-inning single to drive in the winning run at Milwaukee.

The Brewers had managed only four hits off Toronto starter Juan Guzman, but got three runs in the eighth off reliever Duane Ward (1-1). Ward had saved four games in four attempts before Thursday.

Darryl Hamilton singled and stole second--the Brewers had a club-record seven steals in the game. Greg Vaughn then singled and, when right fielder Joe Carter bobbled the ball, Hamilton scored.

Robin Yount singled and Franklin Stubbs walked to load the bases. Vaughn was tagged out after getting too far off third for the second out, but Seitzer followed with a single, scoring Yount.

Seitzer and Stubbs worked a double steal for the Brewers’ third run of the inning.

Candy Maldonado singled with two out in the ninth, scoring Joe Carter to make it 3-2, but Hamilton’s throw from right field got Dave Winfield at the plate to end the game.