AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Carter’s First Homer Sparks Blue Jays

Joe Carter made sure his first home run of the year made a difference.

Carter, who did not connect even once in spring training, hit a three-run home run during the eighth inning that rallied the Toronto Blue Jays past the Cleveland Indians, 5-4, Saturday.

“I didn’t want to waste any,” Carter said. “Once the season starts, you have different conditions. You’re relaxed and ready to go. That’s the way I’ve always been.”

Carter hit 34 home runs last season. He was quick to give credit to his teammates for setting up his first home run in 1993.

Devon White led off the eighth at Toronto with a single against Charles Nagy (0-2) and Paul Molitor drew a one-out walk. Carter sent a 1-and-1 pitch into the second deck in left field.

Todd Stottlemyre (1-1) was the winner, giving up four runs on nine hits in eight innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Duane Ward pitched the ninth for his third save. He threw 10 pitches, all strikes.

Nagy, who said he wasn’t bothered by a case of shingles, went the distance. He gave up four earned runs on seven hits, struck out seven and walked two.

Minnesota 3, Kansas City 2--The Royals fell to 0-5 and kept pace with the worst start in team history with the loss to the Twins at Kansas City.

The Royals, who changed their club with several moves during the winter, lost their first seven games in 1992 and started out 1-16.

Willie Banks (1-0) gave up seven hits in seven innings in his first start of the season. Rick Aguilera got four outs for his third save. Kevin Appier (0-2) was the loser.

Oakland 4, Milwaukee 3--Jerry Browne’s run-scoring single put the Athletics ahead during the fourth inning as they beat the Brewers at Oakland.

Three Oakland relievers combined for 2 2/3 scoreless innings, with Dennis Eckersley pitching the ninth for his second save. Eckersley and the A’s bullpen had failed to hold a one-run lead Friday night in a 6-5 loss.

Bob Welch (2-0) was the winner and Ricky Bones (0-1) was the loser.

New York 12, Chicago 0--Jimmy Key gave up six hits in seven innings and Bernie Williams drove in three runs with three hits at Chicago.

Bo Jackson started in left field for the White Sox in place of injured Tim Raines and went hitless in three at-bats.

Key (2-0) struck out six and walked two.

The Yankees had 16 hits, including three by Kevin Maas and three by Spike Owen.

Boston 10, Texas 2--Roger Clemens won again, handing the Rangers their first loss under first-year manager Kevin Kennedy.

Texas, which won its first three games of the season, became the final team in the majors to lose this year.

Clemens (2-0) went seven innings and gave up six hits at Arlington, Tex. The Rangers’ Juan Gonzalez hit his third home run, during the sixth inning.

Clemens walked none, struck out seven and 71 of his 103 pitches were strikes. Clemens beat Kansas City, 3-1, on opening day, giving up six hits in eight innings.

Texas pitchers had given up only two earned runs over 28 innings until the Red Sox tagged Craig Lefferts for five runs, four of them earned, on five singles during the fifth inning.

Baltimore 5, Seattle 3--The Orioles ended a 17-inning scoreless streak with a five-run sixth that carried them past the Mariners at Seattle.

It was the first victory of the season for the Orioles, who opened with three losses.

Harold Baines and Tim Hulett each had two-run doubles as Baltimore sent 11 to the plate during the sixth.

Winner Rick Sutcliffe (1-1), who gave up nine hits and six runs in Baltimore’s opening-day loss to Texas, yielded three runs and four hits in eight innings against Seattle. He walked seven and struck out four.