AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Weather Turns Hot, Boggs Is Hotter for Red Sox

The weather heated up in Boston and so did Wade Boggs’ bat.

The veteran third baseman drove in two runs with his third home run in two games and a single Saturday to lead the Red Sox to a 5-1 victory that ended the Oakland A’s four-game winning streak.

John Dopson, sidelined almost two years because of an elbow injury, gave up seven hits in eight innings in his second start since his recovery. Dopson, 28, was a 12-game winner for the Red Sox in 1989, his last injury-free season.

“I survived the cold spring, and now the hotter the better,” Boggs said after the temperature reached 90 for the second day in a row. “I hit the ball the same way when it was 40 degrees, but now that it’s warmer, the ball goes farther.”

Boggs, a five-time batting champion, actually started hitting better and helped the club more when he was moved to the No. 3 spot in the batting order. In 12 games batting third, he is hitting .409 with five doubles and nine runs batted in.

“I’m really not more confident batting third, because I’m always confident,” Boggs said. “But I do come up in different situations, though. The only thing I’m doing differently is using a lighter bat. I’m hitting the ball where it’s pitched, and I’m getting the bat head out.”

Dopson, who struck out three and walked none in his first victory since Oct. 1, 1989, was ecstatic.

“There were days I felt terrible and thought I’d never make it back,” he said. “I can’t express how I feel. I’m going to sit back and think about it for a while. I’m excited and looking forward to my next outing.”

Minnesota 6, Detroit 5--In a game at Detroit that was stopped three times for a total of 1 1/2 hours because of rain, Shane Mack proved to be a superior mudder, getting three hits and scoring three runs for the Twins.

“Late in the game, any ball that was hit on the ground was an adventure,” Twin first baseman Kent Hrbek said. “I was really surprised they started up again after the third delay. It was still raining, and the field was in ridiculous shape.”

Milwaukee 5, New York 4--The Yankees extended their string of extra-inning games to four, but Robin Yount’s home run in the 10th inning at New York gave the Brewers the victory.

The major league record for consecutive extra-inning games is five by Detroit in 1908. The Yankees, after winning the first two, have lost the last two.

Paul Molitor also homered for Milwaukee, and Don Mattingly and Roberto Kelly homered for New York. With two out in the ninth inning, Kevin Maas almost won it for the Yankees, but his drive to right field was caught at the fence.

Chicago 5, Toronto 2--The Blue Jays committed five errors, three by third baseman Kelly Gruber, at Chicago.

Although all the White Sox’s runs were earned, the errors put an extra burden on Jimmy Key (3-3).

The Blue Jays had only four hits off Greg Hibbard (5-2) in 6 1/3 innings, but Dave Winfield hit his eighth home run and Candy Maldonado his first.

Craig Grebeck had two hits, scored a run and drove in another.

The White Sox moved to within 1 1/2 games of Oakland in the West.

Texas 4, Kansas City 2--Kevin Brown (7-3) gave the Rangers’ struggling bullpen a much needed night off at Arlington, Tex.

Brown, in pitching his third complete game, gave up eight hits and struck out six. Before the game he had a 1-4 record with an earned-run average of 5.02 against the Royals.

The Rangers scored all their runs in the first inning, chasing Mike Magnante (1-4). Magnante faced nine batters, all but one reaching base. Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run home run to climax the inning.

Cleveland 5, Seattle 4--Seven Indian pitchers held the Mariners to four hits at Seattle, and Cleveland ended a six-game losing streak.

Albert Belle singled to open the eighth inning for his third hit, went to third on Mark Whiten’s double and scored on a grounder to second. Harold Reynolds’ throw home was too late to get Belle.