AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Joyner, Brett Lift Royals Past Orioles, 5-4

Wally Joyner, one of the few players in the majors to see his contract extended this season, is quietly having a good season for the Kansas City Royals.

Joyner had three hits and drove in two runs, including the tying run during the ninth inning, Saturday night at Kansas City and the Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles, 5-4.

The Orioles, with a chance to cut the Toronto Blue Jays’ lead in the American League East over them to 1 1/2 games, sent bullpen ace Gregg Olson in to protect a 4-3 lead during the ninth.

Olson is struggling. He had failed to save a victory five times in his previous 14 chances.

Curtis Wilkerson singled on Olson’s first pitch and David Howard walked on four pitches. Gary Thurman bunted into a forceout at third.

But Joyner, who earlier tripled, singled to right to score Howard and Thurman went to third. George Brett followed with a deep fly to left to drive in the winning run.

“Baltimore was playing for (a double play), hoping he (Brett) would hit the ball on the ground,” Royal Manager Hal McRae said. “I was just glad they didn’t walk George.

“Olson was struggling with his control. That’s a tough situation to put a pitcher in. He’s demonstrated he can’t throw a strike, throwing eight balls in 10 pitches. They were afraid to let him walk George.”

Brett singled home Joyner after the former Angel’s triple during the fifth and needs 48 hits in 46 games to reach 3,000 hits.

Mike Macfarlane hit his fourth home run in the last nine games for the Royals. Before his streak, the catcher had gone 33 games without a home run.

New York 4, Chicago 2--It has been another miserable season for the Yankees. But when Sam Militello, a 22-year-old right-hander, takes the mound, the future looks brighter.

In his second major league start, Militello won his second game.

Militello, who gave up one hit in seven innings against Boston in his debut, gave up two runs and six hits in eight innings at Chicago and ended the White Sox’s six-game home winning streak.

Manager Buck Showalter is trying to contain his enthusiasm.

“I’m a realist,” he said. “Success is measured over the long haul, not on a short-term basis. He is certainly off to a good start, and we’ll see where it takes him.”

Militello was effective, even without his good breaking ball.

“But I changed speeds,” he said, “and kept them off balance. That’s what I have to do.”

Bernie Williams, recalled from Columbus at the start of the month, hit his third home run in nine games to put the Yankees ahead to stay during the third inning.

Boston 3, Milwaukee 1--Danny Darwin pitched a four-hitter for his first complete game in two years and Wade Boggs won the game with a two-run single during the ninth inning at Milwaukee.

Two errors helped the Red Sox, who had won only three of their previous 11 games, load the bases with one out. Jesse Orosco came in and struck out pinch-hitter Luis Rivera.

But Boggs lined a single to left and Darwin (3-1) stopped the Brewers in the bottom of the ninth.

Seattle 3, Minnesota 2--Randy Johnson (9-12) lost his bid for a no-hitter at Seattle when Scott Leius doubled with two out during the seventh, but he stayed around to get the victory.

After Leius, who drove in both Minnesota runs, singled in the tying run during the ninth, the Mariners came back to win it.

Dave Valle singled home Henry Cotto to hand the Twins their eighth loss in 11 games and dropped them four games behind Oakland in the West.

Johnson gave up four hits.

Detroit 10, Texas 3--All the Tigers needed to beat Bobby Witt at Arlington, Tex., was patience.

Witt (9-11) walked 10 in 4 2/3 innings.

Cecil Fielder singled home a run for the Tigers and leads the majors with 99 RBIs. Teammate Travis Fryman had four hits and drove in three runs.