AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Another Double-Digit Score for Tigers

Another day, another football score for the Detroit Tigers.

Chad Kreuter and Tony Phillips hit consecutive home runs to start an eight-run rally in the seventh inning at Minneapolis, and the Tigers went on to rout the Minnesota Twins, 16-5, Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

The Tigers, who have won five in a row and 10 of 11, outscored the Twins, 45-10, and out-homered them, 11-2.

It was the Tigers’ first three-game sweep in Minnesota since August 1972.

The Tigers, who have twice scored 20 runs in a game this season, lead the majors with 8.5 runs per game, boosted by their 12-4, 17-1 and 16-5 victories at the Metrodome.

Detroit had not scored in double figures for three consecutive games since August of 1984, when it got 14, 12 and 11 runs against Oakland.

Mickey Tettleton also homered for the Tigers, who trailed, 5-1, after six innings, but scored eight runs during the seventh and seven more during the eighth.

Twin starter Willie Banks left with a four-run lead in the seventh and watched it disappear in a matter of minutes.

Kreuter homered against Mark Guthrie (1-1) during the seventh, a two-run shot to left field, and Phillips tied the score with a shot to left.

New York 10, Seattle 9--Mike Stanley homered and drove in four runs at Seattle for the Yankees.

New York’s Mike Witt, making his first major league start since June 13, 1991, lasted only four innings and gave up five runs and five hits. Pete O’Brien hit the third grand slam of his career during the third, putting Seattle ahead, 4-2.

Stanley and Mike Gallego hit run-scoring singles during the fourth, chasing Seattle starter John Cummings. Pat Kelly’s sacrifice fly against reliever Dwayne Henry (0-1) gave the Yankees a 5-4 lead.

Stanley hit a three-run homer, his first, during the fifth for a 9-5 lead.

Rich Monteleone (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the victory and Steve Farr struck out the side in the ninth for his fourth save.

Tino Martinez led off the Mariners’ ninth with a home run against Steve Howe. Martinez was the first left-hander to homer against Howe since Jose Cruz on July 4, 1983, at Houston.

Cleveland 6, Oakland 0--Jose Mesa combined with Derek Lilliquist on a three-hitter at Oakland as the Indians won and the Athletics continued to slump.

Felix Fermin had four hits and drove in two runs in sending the defending AL West champions to their eighth loss in nine games.

Mesa (1-1) held the A’s hitless for 5 1/3 innings. He gave up two hits in seven innings, struck out six and walked three.

Toronto 1, Chicago 0--Darrin Jackson hit his first AL home run in the eighth inning at Toronto, giving Todd Stottlemyre and the Blue Jays the victory.

Jackson, acquired from San Diego during spring training, connected with one out on a 2-0 pitch from Alex Fernandez (2-2).

Stottlemyre (3-1) gave up seven hits, struck out four and walked three. Duane Ward worked the ninth for his sixth save.

Texas 6, Milwaukee 1--Kenny Rogers pitched a three-hitter and Jose Canseco, again batting sixth in the lineup, drove in two runs at Milwaukee.

Canseco’s bases-loaded single in the seventh inning gave him 750 runs batted in in 988 games. He is the first major leaguer to reach 750 RBIs in his first 1,000 games since Ted Williams in 1947.

Canseco drove in four runs Saturday in a 15-4 victory. It was his first game of the season batting sixth, a move that Manager Kevin Kennedy said was temporary.

Ivan Rodriguez drove in three runs for Texas.

Kansas City 3, Baltimore 2--Kevin Appier gave up two runs in 8 1/3 innings at Kansas City to lead the Royals over the Orioles.

Appier (2-1) gave up six hits, struck out seven and walked one. Jeff Montgomery got the final four outs for his fifth save.

Brian McRae tripled leading off the bottom of the first after Mike Devereaux and Cal Ripken Jr. hit consecutive triples in the top of the inning for Baltimore.