AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mariner Rookie Fleming Gets No. 10

Dave Fleming, a 22-year-old left-hander, has come out of relative obscurity to become the sensation of the American League.

Fleming became the league’s first 10-game winner when he limited the Minnesota Twins to four hits as the Seattle Mariners scored a 1-0 victory at Minneapolis on Friday night. It was the Mariners’ fifth consecutive victory.

In his previous start, on Sunday, Fleming, who pitched Georgia to the NCAA championship in 1990, had his worst outing, giving up six runs and nine hits in two innings.

But this was undoubtedly the finest effort of his rookie season. The Twins are easily the best-hitting team in baseball with a .286 average; they also have scored more runs than any other team.

Fleming (10-2), whose fastball rarely exceeds 80 m.p.h., got the only run he needed from Greg Briley, who led off the game with his second home run of the season. Kevin Tapani (6-5) gave up only two hits thereafter.

Three times the Twins led off an inning with a single, but not one of the runners got past second base.

“That’s the best I’ve felt all year,” said Fleming, who also shut out Boston last month. “We had a run before I even had to go out there. To think that would hold up was definitely a surprise.”

The Twins’ Kirby Puckett was hitless in four at-bats. The league’s leading batter had hit safely in 15 games in a row.

Baltimore 10, New York 7--The Orioles blew a four-run lead but bounced back into first place with the help of Mike Devereaux’s grand slam at Baltimore.

Cal Ripken Jr. and Randy Milligan hit solo home runs for the Orioles, who had to overcome a five-run third inning during which Danny Tartabull hit a three-run home run.

The Orioles moved in front in the East by three percentage points.

Devereaux’s grand slam during the second inning made up for a dropped fly that gave the Yankees a run during the first.

Detroit 8, Chicago 3--Rob Deer is batting only .217, but he is challenging Mark McGwire for the league home run lead.

Deer’s 21st home run of the season and his second of the game at Chicago capped a five-run 13th inning that gave the Tigers the victory.

The Tigers, who had back-to-back home runs during the fourth inning by Cecil Fielder and Deer, have won five out of six. The White Sox have lost six in a row.

Kansas City 11, Toronto 4--Gregg Jefferies drove in five runs at Kansas City to help the Royals knock the Blue Jays out of first place.

Toronto, the best fielding team in the league, committed four errors.

Mark Gubicza (7-4), aided by the errors and a 12-hit attack, gave up two runs in eight innings to get the victory.

An error by third baseman Jeff Kent with two out and the bases loaded during the fifth inning paved the way to six unearned runs and a 7-1 Kansas City lead. Jefferies’ three-run home run put the Royals in command.

Cleveland 5, Milwaukee 3--Albert Belle hit a three-run home run to highlight a five-run third inning at Milwaukee that carried the Indians to victory.

Belle’s 16th home run hit the right field foul pole and enabled Scott Scudder to improve to 5-6.

The Brewers’ Robin Yount had two doubles and a single and needs 56 hits to reach 3,000.

Texas 4, Boston 1--Juan Gonzales hit his 10th home run of June and Rafael Palmeiro hit his first home run in more than a month for the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Gonzalez, who has 17 home runs, needs one more this month to set a club record.

Bobby Witt (8-5) gave up five hits in seven innings and won for the fifth time in six decisions.