BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : AMERICAN LEAGUE NOTES

Until Roberto Alomar’s ninth-inning home run, there had been nine homers in this series by nine different players. . . . Among those still without one: Joe Carter, Ruben Sierra and Rickey Henderson. . . . Oakland relief pitcher Jeff Parrett--left off Atlanta’s postseason roster last season--might not tell his grandchildren about his first league championship series. Parrett’s ERA after two outings: 54.00. . . . Duane Ward and Tom Henke threw 28 pitches--24 for strikes.

Odd was the benching of Oakland center fielder Willie Wilson, hitting .333 with six stolen bases, in favor of Jerry Browne, who had one-at bat since Sept. 26. “Just want to get Browne in there,” Manager Tony La Russa said before the game. . . . Nagged by a pulled hamstring for two weeks, Browne is hitless in the playoffs. . . . A’s slugger Mark McGwire extended his consecutive-year streak of sacrifice bunts to three. He had one in 1990 and one in ’91. . . . Not once in 69 regular-season appearances did Dennis Eckersley yield five hits, as he did Sunday. . . . This was the first time Eckersley had been removed in mid-inning since May 25, 1991.

Not for 11 years had two teams in an ALCS combined for so many hits. The Yankees and A’s had 30 in Game 2 of their 1981 series. Sunday’s game produced 29. . . . In a single inning, the third, Jack Morris threw 34 pitches. . . . Toronto catcher Pat Borders said: “Jack’s control wasn’t what it usually is. But I’d still rather have him out there for a big game than just about anybody.” . . . Jimmy Key, a 13-game winner for Toronto, in this series still hasn’t thrown a pitch.