AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Blowers: Two Days, Two Grand Slams

Mike Blowers tied a major league record with a grand slam in his second consecutive game, and the Seattle Mariners routed the Texas Rangers, 16-9, Monday night with a club-record 23 hits at Arlington, Tex.

Blowers set highs for his career with four hits and five runs batted in, hitting his grand slam against Craig Lefferts (1-5) in the fourth inning. Blowers hit the first grand slam of his career at Oakland on Sunday against Mike Witt.

It was the 14th time that a player has hit grand slams in consecutive games. Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees did it twice.

The last time it happened in the majors was in Aug. 13-14, 1991, by Fred McGriff of the San Diego Padres. Rob Deer, then with the Milwaukee Brewers, also had grand slams in consecutive games in August of 1986.

The major league record for grand slams in the same week is three, by Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees in 1931, Jim Northrup of Detroit in 1968 and Larry Parrish for Texas in 1972. Northrup hit two grand slams in one game for a record on June 24.

Seattle tied a club record for runs scored, and Rich Amaral tied a Mariners’ record with a career-high five hits. Jay Buhner homered twice and drove in four runs.

Ranger pitchers tied a team record for most hits allowed in a nine-inning game.

Jeff Nelson (1-1) gave up one run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings after Dwayne Henry, making his first start after 225 relief appearances, gave up six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Cleveland 2, Baltimore 0--Jose Mesa gave up only three hits in eight innings against his former teammates, and Albert Belle homered to lead the Indians at Baltimore.

Only two runners reached base after the first inning against Mesa, traded by the Orioles to Cleveland last July.

Mesa (4-2) has started the Indians’ last three shutouts, two this season.

Ben McDonald (2-5) pitched 8 1/3 innings and gave up only four hits after Belle’s two-run homer in the first inning, losing his third decision in a row.

Toronto 9, Boston 3--The Blue Jays batted around against Roger Clemens in a five-run sixth inning, beating him in Fenway Park for the first time in five seasons.

Clemens (5-3), who pitched with an extra day of rest after throwing 143 pitches in a shutout against Baltimore, gave up six runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, the first time he didn’t pitch into the seventh since last Sept. 17.

Pat Hentgen (5-2) pitched five-hit ball for seven innings, struck out four and walked three.

New York 11, Minnesota 5--Jimmy Key held an opponent under three runs for the seventh time in nine starts and the Yankees got a season-high 18 hits at Minneapolis.

Key (4-1) gave up eight hits in seven innings, struck out eight and walked none as he lowered his earned-run average to 1.87. Since a loss to Chicago last Sept. 2 when he was with Toronto, he is 11-1 with a 1.81 ERA.

Eleven of New York’s hits came against Kevin Tapani (2-4), who entered with a 6-1 record against the Yankees but lasted only 4 1/3 innings.