AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Orioles Scramble in 14th to Hit and Run Past Royals

Pinch-runner Steve Scarsone dashed from first to third on an unusual single, then beat the throw home on Brady Anderson’s sacrifice fly in the 14th inning Tuesday night to give the Orioles a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Baltimore.

The second-place Orioles stayed four games behind Toronto in the East.

With one out in the 14th, Scarsone entered the game. Tim Hulett lined a hit-and-run off the leg of pitcher Bill Sampen, and when the ball caromed to the vacant hole at shortstop, Scarsone raced to third without a throw.

Anderson followed by lining a pitch to right fielder Kevin Koslofski. Scarsone slid home ahead of a sweep tag.

The Orioles had 14 hits, but stranded 12 runners.

Oakland 2, Minnesota 1--Ron Darling threw a two-hitter for eight innings at Oakland as the A’s won their eighth in a row, their longest streak of the season, and took an eight-game lead over the Twins in the West.

The A’s have won the first two in a three-game series to reduce their magic number to 10.

Darling (14-9) has won six of his last seven decisions. Dennis Eckersley got his 47th save.

Chicago 4, New York 2--Frank Thomas had a two-run double at New York to become the first White Sox player in 38 years to drive in 100 runs in consecutive seasons.

Thomas, who drove in 109 runs last year and has 101 this season, became the first to accomplish the feat since Minnie Minoso in 1953-54.

Texas 6, Detroit 5--Jose Canseco homered onto the left-field roof and Rafael Palmeiro and Dean Palmer also connected for the Rangers at Detroit.

Palmeiro broke a 3-3 tie with an RBI single in the seventh. He had three hits, including his 18th homer, and drove in three runs.

Canseco led off the ninth with a drive that measured 434 feet. It was his 26th homer this season and fourth in 11 games for Texas.

Toronto 5, Cleveland 4--Dave Winfield hit his 430th homer, a two-run shot to cap a three-run third at Toronto, to help Juan Guzman improve to 15-3.

Guzman gave up three runs in the first inning, but left after the seventh with a 5-3 lead. Tom Henke pitched the ninth for his 29th save.

Milwaukee 7, Boston 2--Robin Yount hit a two-run homer, scored twice and threw out a runner at the plate at Boston as the Brewers won for the ninth time in 13 games.