AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Ryan Throws Orioles Curve in 6-2 Victory

Nolan Ryan has lost a little something off his fastball. But the hitters haven’t been able to take advantage, because his curveball is getting better.

The 45-year-old right-hander gave the curve the credit Sunday at Baltimore after turning in his sixth consecutive sharp performance.

Ryan held the Orioles to four hits and two runs over seven innings in the Texas Rangers’ 6-2 victory. It was the fifth victory in a row for Ryan (5-3).

Beginning with the June 28 victory at Detroit, Ryan has been brilliant..

Since then, Ryan has given up 28 hits and only eight earned runs in 40 2/3 innings while striking out 41.

“My streak started when I started getting the curveball over,” Ryan said. “They were sitting on my fastball and getting more hits off it than they should have.

“Today I had a good curveball early. I established it, started hitters off with it, and I think that made a difference. It makes my fastball better.”

Actually, even when he was having trouble with the curve, Ryan wasn’t pitching poorly. He departed with leads in the late innings of five games, and the bullpen failed to hold them.

Texas Manager Toby Harrah, who faced Ryan in the 1970s, said it was the Ryan of old.

“That was just a great job by Nolan,” Harrah said. “He’s such a great pitcher--so tough. He was tired at the end. But he keeps giving us at least seven innings, and that’s all you can ask of any starter.”

When Ryan departed he had a 3-2 lead, but Juan Gonzalez, breaking out of his worst slump of the season, took the pressure off the bullpen.

Gonzalez, who was five for 40, followed his two-run home run in the fourth inning with a 450-foot blast in the eighth and doubled home another run in the ninth.

Despite losing three of four, the Orioles won the season series, 7-5, and remained four games behind Toronto in the East.

Milwaukee 15, Chicago 4--An eight-run eighth inning at Milwaukee turned this game into a romp and put the surging Brewers 4 1/2 games out of first place.

Darryl Hamilton’s two-run home run was the highlight of the big inning that assured the Brewers their eighth victory in 10 games.

“It’s taken a while for this club to establish its identity,” said veteran Paul Molitor, who drove in three runs and is hitting .317. “The team has taken on a personality as the season progressed. That develops confidence. It also helps that we’re finally able to whip the White Sox.”

The White Sox are 31-12 against the Brewers since 1989.

Oakland 9, Toronto 1--Jack Morris survived his usual first-inning trouble at Oakland, but his eight-game winning streak ended when the Athletics erupted for seven runs in the seventh.

Morris (12-4), who had not lost since May 24, gave up two-out singles to Carney Lansford and Harold Baines in the first inning, and Mark McGwire doubled both of them home. Opposing hitters are batting .341 against Morris in the first inning.

Eric Fox had two hits and 12 A’s went to bat in the seventh. Willie Wilson and Mike Bordick hit triples and the Athletics won their third in a row and sixth in seven games over the leaders of the East.

Seattle 8, New York 5--Kevin Mitchell hit two home runs and drove in four runs at Seattle to help Randy Johnson end his eight-game losing streak.

Mitchell’s three-run home run in the first inning was his first since June 28. Johnson (6-11) gave up seven hits and four runs in six innings.

Cleveland 2, Kansas City 1--Carlos Baerga homered with two out in the 13th inning at Cleveland to give the Indians their sixth victory in eight games.

The Royals didn’t score after Gregg Jefferies homered in the first. Paul Sorrento tied it with his 12th homer in the fourth.

Minnesota 8, Boston 2--Kirby Puckett had three hits, drove in three runs and scored one at Boston and the Twins improved the best record in the major leagues to 60-38.

Chili Davis hit his seventh home run and the Twins had 16 hits.

Kevin Tapani (11-6) went six-plus innings and Mark Guthrie pitched the last three as the Twins maintained their three-game lead in the West.