AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Heads Up: Canseco’s Gaffe Helps Indians

Jose Canseco found a new and innovative way to put on a show Wednesday night.

“Hey, I’m an entertainer,” he said after Carlos Martinez bounced a home run off Canseco’s head and over the right-field fence, helping the Indians beat the Texas Rangers, 7-6, at Cleveland.

The weird home run ignited a three-run fourth inning for the Indians, who scored seven consecutive runs after spotting the Rangers a 3-0 lead.

Martinez started the fourth with a fly to deep right, and Canseco chased it down but then turned his head to look for the wall. The ball skimmed past his outstretched glove, hit his head and bounced over the fence.

Canseco grinned as he returned to his position.

“Anybody got a Band-Aid?” he joked afterward. “I thought I had it. I was twisting around like this. It grazed my glove, hit me in the head and bounced over. I’ll be on ESPN for about a month.”

Martinez wasn’t sure what happened.

“At first I thought it hit his glove,” Martinez said. “I didn’t know it hit his head. I thought he was going to catch it because he was so close to the ball. Then I saw the umpire give the (home run) sign.”

A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases for Felix Fermin, whose two-run single put Cleveland ahead, 4-3.

The Indians chased Kenny Rogers (3-4) with three more in the sixth on an RBI single by Fermin, an RBI triple by Carlos Baerga and an RBI double by Albert Belle, who has a league-leading 43 runs batted in.

Baerga’s triple barely got over Canseco, who believed the ball landed foul in the right-field corner.

“I’ve never had a night like that defensively,” Canseco said. “I’ve had it all happen to me now.”

Minnesota 12, Oakland 11--Kirby Puckett’s two-run single in the ninth inning broke a 10-10 tie at Oakland, leading the Twins in a game that featured five lead changes and three blown saves.

Puckett’s hit off Joe Boever (1-1) drove in Pat Meares and Chuck Knoblauch. Meares had tied the game with nobody out on an RBI triple.

“This was like a war, man,” Puckett said. “But the way we’re playing, we’re not too proud to take it.”

George Tsamis (1-0) earned his first major league victory after relieving Rick Aguilera, who blew a save by walking home two runs in the eighth inning to put Oakland ahead, 10-9.

Detroit 4, Boston 2--Bill Gullickson worked 7 1/3 innings at Detroit, his best outing since he had arthroscopic surgery.

Gullickson (2-1), making his fourth start since he was activated May 10 after shoulder and knee surgery last January, gave up two runs on five hits, walked three and struck out three.

Milwaukee 8, Toronto 1--Tom Lampkin drove in three runs and Greg Vaughn capped a six-run fourth inning with a two-run homer to lead the Brewers at Toronto.

Jaime Navarro (3-3) allowed 10 hits in eight innings, struck out four and walked two as the Brewers snapped the Blue Jays winning streak at six games. Jack Morris (2-5) was the loser, allowing all eight runs on 10 hits over four innings. His earned-run average rose to 10.24.

Kansas City 4, Chicago 3--George Brett had three RBIs and Mike Macfarlane drove in the winning run at Chicago.

David Cone (2-5) allowed only three hits in eight innings, but walked seven in earning his second consecutive victory.

Baltimore 6, New York 2--Mike Mussina rebounded from the shortest outing of his career and the Orioles erupted for five runs in the eighth inning at New York.

Mussina (6-2), who gave up seven earned runs in three innings last Friday against Milwaukee, allowed six hits in 8 1/3 innings, struck out five and did not issue a walk. He took a three-hitter into the ninth.