AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Royals One-Up Their Competition Again, 4-3

Andre Dawson’s eighth-inning home run cut Kansas City’s lead to one run, just the kind of lead the Royals protect so well.

The Royals, who lead the majors with 24 one-run games, improved their record to 16-8 in those contests with a 4-3 victory Tuesday night over the Red Sox in Boston.

“The close games are exciting,” Kansas City Manager Hal McRae said. “I really do enjoy them, even though my hands were shaking when I came into the clubhouse.”

Dawson’s home run chased Chris Haney (3-0) after 7 1/3 innings, cutting the lead to 4-3. Billy Brewer and Bill Sampen finished the eighth for Kansas City, and Jeff Montgomery gave up one hit in the ninth for his American League leading 17th save.

The Royals are three games above .500 for the first time this year. They are 6-2 on their nine-game trip, which ends tonight in Boston, and have moved into second place in the AL West.

George Brett’s 303rd career home run and fifth of the year, a two-run shot, sparked a three-run third inning against Paul Quantrill (2-4).

Chicago 4, Detroit 2--Tim Raines went three for three, including his fourth home run, and the White Sox ended a six-game losing streak at Detroit.

Alex Fernandez (6-3), who pitched seven innings, matched a season high with nine strikeouts. Roberto Hernandez got the final six outs for his ninth save.

Cleveland 15, New York 6--Albert Belle, leading the majors in home runs and runs batted in, homered twice and drove in four runs at New York.

Carlos Baerga homered, tripled, doubled and drove in three runs. He had a chance to become the seventh Indian player to hit for the cycle, but he grounded out in the ninth.

Belle, who started the game in a one-for-15 slump, began his day by having his appeal of a three-game suspension heard by Bobby Brown, AL president. Brown will announce his decision today.

Cliff Young (1-2) pitched four scoreless innings of two-hit relief.

Minnesota 7, Texas 5--Brian Harper’s pinch-hit three-run home run in the eighth inning rallied the Twins at Minneapolis.

Harper hit the second pitch from reliever Brian Bohanon (2-1) over the left-field fence for his fourth homer of the season, making a winner of reliever Pat Mahomes (1-4).

Milwaukee 10, Seattle 0--Jaime Navarro scattered nine hits for his first shutout of the season in a game at Seattle.

Navarro (4-3) didn’t walk a batter and had five strikeouts in recording his sixth career shutout and first since Sept. 11, 1992.

Milwaukee has won five of its last six games, and seven of 11.

Former Brewer Chris Bosio (2-2), who made his first start since breaking his left collarbone in a first-base collision against Cleveland on April 27, was the loser.

Oakland 4, Baltimore 1--Light-hitting Scott Hemond delivered a two-run double in the fifth inning to help the Athletics break a three-game losing streak.

Shawn Hillegas (2-4) won for the first time in seven starts. Dennis Eckersley pitched the ninth for his 10th save, but struggled.

Ben McDonald (2-6), who gave up four runs on three hits in four innings, suffered his fourth straight loss and is winless since April 30.