AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Winfield Becomes Blue Jays’ Mr. August

While the Toronto Blue Jays ended a month they would rather forget, Dave Winfield capped off an August to remember.

Winfield drove in three runs with his 23rd homer of the season during the Blue Jays’ 9-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox Monday night at Toronto.

Winfield finished the month with 32 RBIs to break George Bell’s team record of 31, set in May of 1987.

“I went through a rough spell earlier this month,” Winfield said. “But I’ve been consistent. When I didn’t get the big blow, I still got the lousy singles.”

The Blue Jays finished August with a 14-16 record, clinging to first place in the American League East.

“Hopefully, we’ve turned things around,” said Winfield, whose 87 RBIs surpass last season’s total by one. “Let’s just hope it all comes together this month.”

If Todd Stottlemyre is any indication, the pitching staff is coming around, too.

Stottlemyre shut down the White Sox on five hits for his fifth complete game of the season.

Stottlemyre, who pitched a one-hit shutout against Chicago in his last start, gave up two runs, struck out six and walked one.

“Strike one--that was the key for me,” Stottlemyre said. “I figured they might have had the advantage after seeing me last week. But I was able to get ahead of the hitters. I don’t care what team you pitch against, if you get ahead, you’re going to be successful.”

Charlie Hough (6-10) gave up seven runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings, striking out two and walking one.

“I felt fine,” Hough said. “It was just a couple of lousy pitches that killed me.”

Kansas City 5, Texas 2--The big news at Kansas City came during the eighth inning, when it was announced that the Rangers had obtained the Oakland Athletics’ Jose Canseco.

Canseco will be joining a team that is coming off of its worst August in history. The loss to the Royals was their 18th in August; the team record for losses in a month is 19, set in May of 1990.

Chris Haney, acquired from Montreal on Saturday, gave up only a two-run homer to Juan Gonzalez in five innings to win his debut with the Royals.

Jeff Montgomery pitched the ninth for his 32nd save.

Baltimore 4, Oakland 0--The A’s learned they had lost Canseco in the first inning at Oakland, then lost a game in which they collected only four hits.

Canseco started and played the top of the first in right field, but was informed of the trade as he was about to enter the on-deck circle in the bottom of the first.

It was the Orioles’ third consecutive shutout and kept them 1 1/2 games behind Toronto in the AL East.

The A’s could have used Canseco’s bat against Mike Mussina (13-5), who threw eight shutout innings with five strikeouts and six walks. Todd Frohwirth gave up a single in the ninth.

Cal Ripken’s bases-loaded single drove in two runs and keyed a four-run seventh inning. The two RBIs give him 1,001 for his career. Ripken had just two RBIs in his previous 17 games.

Minnesota 5, Detroit 3--Two good swings, one by Chili Davis and another by Gene Larkin, was all it took to give the Twins a rare comeback victory.

Davis’ two-run homer tied the score during the sixth and Larkin’s two-run double during the 10th inning lifted the Twins over the Tigers at Detroit.

Milwaukee 4, New York 1--Ricky Bones, who bounced in an out of the Brewers’ rotation after struggling at midseason, gave up a run on three hits in seven innings to lead the Brewers over the Yankees at Milwaukee.

Bones (7-9) struck out four and walked two for his first victory since July 18, a span of eight appearances and six starts.

Seattle 15, Boston 2--Jay Buhner, Ken Griffey Jr., Dave Valle and Edgar Martinez homered to lead the Mariners over the Red Sox at Seattle.

Martinez extended his hitting streak to a personal-best 17 games with two doubles and his 18th homer, increasing his average to .349, best in the majors.

Valle tied a personal best with four hits and four RBIs.