AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Cuyler’s Grand Slam Helps the Tigers Fight Off the Indians, 9-2

After the Detroit Tigers swung their hot bats, Cleveland’s Sandy Alomar swung his leg and fists.

The Tigers got a grand slam from Milt Cuyler and Cecil Fielder’s three-run homer during the first inning on the way to a 9-2 victory over the Indians Monday night at Detroit.

John Doherty relieved Mark Leiter for Detroit during the sixth inning and hit Glenallen Hill with his first pitch. He nearly beaned Alomar with his second, starting a brawl.

Alomar charged Doherty and kicked him in the stomach with his right foot as the benches and bullpens emptied.

“I was just trying to get out of the way, and not get hurt,” said Doherty, who was ejected along with Alomar. “I was on the bottom of the pile, but Hill was protecting me. He could have hit me a billion times, but he didn’t.”

The incident stemmed from the bottom of the fifth, when Mickey Tettleton had to dodge two head-high fastballs from Dennis Cook.

“They were pitching inside, that’s all,” Tettleton said. “I had no problem with that.”

Cuyler’s second career grand slam came after Fielder homered against Scott Scudder (4-6) during the first.

Leiter (4-3) gave up one run and nine hits in five innings. The Indians stranded seven runners while Leiter was pitching and failed to score twice with the bases loaded.

Rookie Kurt Knudsen finished for Detroit, giving up two hits in four innings for his first save.

Scudder got Tony Phillips to start the game, but gave up singles to Lou Whitaker and Travis Fryman, and Fielder’s 11th homer.

The Tigers loaded the bases again with two walks and a single. Cook came in and struck out Scott Livingstone, but Cuyler hit the first pitch into the left-field stands for his first right-handed grand slam.

Detroit made the score 8-0 during the second when Whitaker led off with his 199th career homer.

Albert Belle hit his 12th homer for the Indians.

Texas 14, Seattle 3--Kevin Brown became the third nine-game winner in the major leagues and Juan Gonzalez homered for the fourth time in five official at-bats for the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Brown (9-3) gave up three unearned runs during the fourth inning. He joins Boston’s Roger Clemens and Atlanta’s Tom Glavine as the winningest pitchers in the majors. One shy of his 1991 victory total, Brown gave up five hits in six innings before being relieved by rookie Danny Leon to start the seventh.

Seven players drove in runs for the Rangers, who had a season-high 18 hits.

Gonzalez followed his three-homer performance Sunday against the Minnesota Twins with his 13th homer, a 440-foot solo shot during the third against starter Clay Parker (0-2). Ruben Sierra added a two-run homer during the sixth and Kevin Reimer also homered for the Rangers.

Toronto 16, New York 3--Jeff Kent tripled, homered and drove in four runs to lead the Blue Jays at New York.

Todd Stottlemyre (5-4), who had lost his three previous decisions, gave up three hits and one run in six innings for the Blue Jays, who scored eight runs during the fourth inning and won for the seventh time in 10 games. Manuel Lee also drove in four runs as the Blue Jays set season highs with the 16 runs and 21 hits, including nine for extra bases.

Blue Jay second baseman Roberto Alomar left during the third after suffering a slightly sprained left knee on a play at the plate.

Devon White led off the game with his seventh home run.

Kent hit a two-run homer during the fifth, his second.

Kevin Maas hit his seventh homer during the ninth for the Yankees.

Baltimore 5, Boston 2--Randy Milligan homered during a four-run second inning at Baltimore and Bob Milacki beat the Red Sox for the first time in seven career starts.

Milacki (5-3) gave up four hits and two runs in the opening two innings, then shut out Boston on three hits until giving way to Storm Davis with two out in the eighth. Gregg Olson pitched the ninth for his 15th save.

Cal Ripken Jr. was hitless in four at-bats, ending his hitting streak at 16 games.

Wade Boggs hit his fourth homer for the Red Sox, who have lost seven of 10.

Kansas City 9, Minnesota 6--Keith Miller had four hits, including a homer, and drove in four runs at Kansas City as the Royals won their sixth consecutive game.

The Twins blew a 5-1 lead and helped the Royals to a five-run sixth by committing errors on three successive plays as Kansas City scored all of its runs with two out.

Tom Gordon (1-6), who had lost 10 consecutive decisions, pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief for the victory. Jeff Montgomery pitched the ninth for his 13th save.

Kevin McReynolds singled to start the sixth, extending his hitting streak to 14 games.

Kent Hrbek hit his sixth home run for the Twins.

Milwaukee 6, Oakland 2--Robin Yount moved into 21st place on the all-time list with three hits at Milwaukee as the Brewers won for the ninth time in 11 games.

Yount, who has 2,931 hits, singled three times to move past Jake Beckley and Rogers Hornsby on the career list.