AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Brett Back on Beam, Passes Ruth in Hits

George Brett gave his wife an assist for his getting back into the swing of things.

The Kansas City veteran passed Babe Ruth on the all-time hit list in the Royals’ comeback 7-6 victory over the Texas Rangers Sunday at Kansas City.

Brian McRae’s bloop single capped a two-run ninth inning for the Royals, but it was Brett’s three hits, a run scored and another batted in that kept the Royals in the game.

Brett, 39, moved into 28th on the list one week after the death of his father, Jack Brett.

Brett has 2,874 hits, Ruth had 2,872.

“The first day back after my father’s funeral was a little tough for me emotionally,” Brett said. “I was just going out there, and for some reason I kept swinging at balls I wouldn’t usually swing at.

“I went home and visited with my wife, and she said, ‘Hey, you’ve got to forget about it and just start playing.’ The last two games I helped the team win.”

In his first game back Friday night, Brett was 0 for 4. Saturday, he had two hits, scored two runs and drove in one. Sunday, he doubled and scored in the second inning, singled home a run in the third and singled again in the seventh.

“To pass Babe Ruth is a big thrill,” Brett said. “I passed some people whose names you might have heard now and then, but definitely not in Babe Ruth’s class. To have two more hits than Babe Ruth, it really makes you feel good. Unfortunately, they’re not all home runs like his.”

Gregg Jefferies, who extended his hitting streak to 17 games, singled to start the ninth inning against Jeff Russell (2-2). With one out, Kevin McReynolds doubled. Brett was given an intentional walk. Jim Eisenreich’s sacrifice fly tied the score, and McRae won it with his two-out single to the opposite field.

Boston 7, Seattle 1--Roger Clemens (8-3) gave up six hits in eight innings at Seattle to get his fifth consecutive victory. Seattle’s Randy Johnson, who had struck out seven batters, was hit on his pitching arm by Mike Greenwell’s liner and left the game in the fifth, trailing, 2-1. X-rays were negative.

In the seventh, Greg Briley misplayed an easy fly ball in center that set up a three-run inning and made it easy for Clemens.

Minnesota 4, Detroit 1--Ten days in the bullpen worked wonders for Scott Erickson.

A 20-game winner last season, Erickson pitched the Twins into first place in the American League West with a strong six innings at Minneapolis.

Erickson gave up a run-scoring double by Cecil Fielder in the first, then settled down and improved his record to 3-4.

After he gave up six runs to Toronto May 20, Manager Tom Kelly moved him to the bullpen because Erickson had a 5.37 earned-run average.

“I think he’s in a better frame of mind,” pitching coach Dick Such said. “If he keeps changing speeds and throwing strikes, I don’t see why he can’t keep pitching like this.”

Toronto 3, Chicago 2--There are reports that Manager Gene Lamont has fallen into disfavor with the White Sox front office and fans.

He probably didn’t endear himself to any of them when he went to bullpen ace Bobby Thigpen in the ninth inning at Toronto after knuckleball pitcher Charlie Hough held the Blue Jays to two infield hits and an unearned run and had a 2-1 lead.

“This club definitely likes the hard stuff better,” said Dave Winfield after his home run triggered the two-run rally that won it.

Jack Morris (5-3) wasn’t quite as sharp as Hough, but his three-hitter was good enough for the victory.

Baltimore 4, Oakland 2--The last time Rick Sutcliffe faced the Athletics, he was behind, 6-0, by the second inning.

When Brady Anderson led off Sunday’s game at Oakland with a home run, it was already a different game for Sutcliffe.

He gave up eight hits but only two runs to improve his record to 7-4.

Anderson’s home run was his third in three games and his ninth of the season. His 37 runs batted in are easily the best of any leadoff hitter.

The Orioles had eight homers while winning two of three in the series. Last week, the Athletics swept three games in Baltimore.

Milwaukee 2, New York 1--The Yankees have trouble believing that B.J. Surhoff is batting only .173.

Surhoff, who hit a three-run home run to key an 8-3 victory Friday night, singled home the winning run at Milwaukee with two out in the ninth inning.