AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Canseco Takes Day Off, Rangers Lose

Jose Canseco, traded out of the pennant race, will not join the Texas Rangers until Thursday, an off day, in New York.

When he does join his new team, Canseco will find that he will again be part of an awesome power duo. Before the trade, Canseco and Mark McGwire formed an outstanding one-two home run punch for the Athletics.

In Texas he will team with the new major league home run leader, Juan Gonzalez. The 22-year-old outfielder, in only his second full season in the majors, hit his 39th home run Tuesday night at Kansas City.

Gonzalez’s fifth home run in the last four games enabled him to pass McGwire, who is on the disabled list, but it wasn’t enough to end Nolan Ryan’s five-game losing streak.

Ryan went six innings, struck out five and had a 2-0 lead. But George Brett came through with a key hit and the Royals scored eight runs in their last two at-bats to win, 8-3.

Canseco, admittedly in shock after the blockbuster deal that sent pitchers Bobby Witt and Jeff Russell and outfielder Ruben Sierra to the Athletics, was still in Oakland.

“I’m just trying to think positive,” he said. “The most difficult thing is not the shock, nor the move, it’s saying goodby to friends.”

Canseco’s new bosses and teammates expressed no complaint with his plan to wait to report.

“What do you want me to say?” Manager Toby Harrah said. “You have a couple of days to report. You don’t have to catch the next flight out.”

Outfielder Kevin Reimer said: “I’m not concerned. From what I hear he’s a great guy.”

Baltimore 5, Oakland 1--Two of the new Athletics, pitchers Witt and Russell, joined the team before this game at Oakland.

The other, Sierra, did not, but for a reason. He has chicken pox and is still contagious for a couple of days.

Until they pushed over a run in the ninth to end Baltimore’s string of scoreless innings at 37 2/3 innings, the A’s had not scored since they announced the deal.

Bob Milacki, sent to the minors early in the season, pitched well in his return, limiting the A’s to four hits in eight innings.

Randy Milligan homered for the first Oriole run. Mike Devereaux, who scored a run in the fourth inning, singled in two more in the seventh for the Orioles.

The Orioles remained 1 1/2 games behind Toronto in the East. The A’s lead over Minnesota in the West was cut to 5 1/2 innings.

Russell made his debut, pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

Toronto 9, Chicago 3--Kelly Gruber hit a grand slam at Toronto to make it easy for Jack Morris to win for the sixth time in his last seven decisions.

Morris (18-5) was working on a one-hitter until Gruber hit the bases-loaded home run to make it 9-0 in the seventh.

After giving up a run-scoring single to Lance Johnson and a two-run home run to Ron Karkovice, Morris left, giving up four hits in eight innings.

Morris and Kirk McCaskill were in a scoreless tie until the sixth when John Olerud’s infield out scored one run and Pat Borders tripled home two more.

Morris, who is 14-2 in his last 18 starts, tied the Blue Jays’ club record for victories, set by Dave Stieb.

“He’s not just a pitcher, he’s a player,” Gruber said. “He just finds ways to win. You know he’s going to do whatever it takes.”

Minnesota 5, Detroit 4--In his first game with the Twins, Darren Reed delivered the game-winning run at Detroit with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.

Reed, obtained in a trade with Montreal just before the deadline Monday, hit a line drive to Rob Deer in right. The throw from Deer appeared to beat Pedro Munoz to the plate, but the pinch-runner made a perfect hook slide and touched the plate with his hand before catcher Mickey Tettleton could make the tag.

The Tigers committed three errors, two of which contributed to runs.

New York 7, Milwaukee 1--Melido Perez’s shutout string ended at 19 scoreless innings at Milwaukee, but he took over the league strikeout lead.

Perez (12-13) gave up eight hits and struck out five in eight innings. He has 179 strikeouts, one more than Boston’s Roger Clemens.

Perez, who is 6-1 against the Brewers, gave up a run in the third when Paul Molitor led off with a double and scored on Robin Yount’s ground out.

Seattle 4, Boston 3--Tino Martinez homered in the eighth inning at Seattle to give the Mariners their second win in a row over the Red Sox.

The Mariners, who shelled the Red Sox, 15-2, Monday night, blew a 3-1 lead in the top of the eighth.