AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : At Last, Anderson Moves Past Alston

Sparky Anderson has seen a lot of baseball in his 24 years as a major league manager.

Not lately.

“Finally. That was a baseball game,” he said after his Tigers beat the Twins, 4-1, Tuesday night at Minneapolis for only their second victory in 15 games. “I had to pinch myself.”

A few bruises later, Anderson had his 2,041st career victory, moving him past Walter Alston into fifth place on the career list. It took Anderson more than two weeks to get the one victory to pass the former Dodger manager. Next up, with 2,126 wins, is Joe McCarthy.

“That’s not worth it, if that’s the penalty you pay,” Anderson said, associating the milestone with the team’s 1-13 skid.

And what about when he does get close to McCarthy?

“I don’t want to hear nothing,” Anderson said. “Just let me go by him real peaceful.”

Toronto 5, Chicago 1--With the Blue Jays’ losing streak at a season-high five, Dave Stewart came through at Toronto, pitching six shutout innings to record his 150th career victory. Pat Borders added two runs batted in.

Stewart (4-3) pitched out of trouble in the first six innings. Danny Cox and Duane Ward finished up, with Ward striking out the side in the ninth.

Texas 11, Milwaukee 1--Dean Palmer drove in a career-high six runs with a home run and a double at Milwaukee as the Rangers won their fourth consecutive game.

Palmer’s three-run homer capped a four-run first inning and his bases-loaded double highlighted a five-run sixth. Palmer, whose previous best was four RBIs, was hit by a pitch from Mike Fetters in the eighth.

Julio Franco was four for four with three runs scored and two RBIs in the Rangers’ 17-hit attack.

Baltimore 8, Kansas City 0--Jamie Moyer pitched a four-hitter for his first complete game since 1990 and won his fifth consecutive decision, leading the Orioles at Kansas City.

Jeffrey Hammonds drove in three runs, and Mark McLemore and Mike Devereaux drove in two each as the Orioles ended the Royals’ four-game winning streak.

Moyer (5-3), who lost his first three decisions this year, struck out four and walked none.

Seattle 12, New York 4--Dave Magadan drove in four runs at Seattle as the Mariners ended their four-game losing streak.

Magadan hit a three-run double in a a six-run seventh, when Ken Griffey Jr. tripled in a run, Marc Newfield had a run-scoring single and Bill Haselman hit a run-scoring double.

Erik Hanson (7-6) gave up four runs and seven hits in eight innings, struck out four and walked none before Bob Ayrault finished.

Cleveland 11, Oakland 8--Pinch-hitter Carlos Martinez connected for a three-run homer against Vince Horsman in the ninth inning to lead the Indians at Oakland.

With the score tied, 8-8, Felix Fermin singled against Rich Gossage (4-4). One out later, Kenny Lofton reached on an infield single and Martinez hit his fifth home run.

Eric Plunk (4-2), who gave up a three-run homer to Craig Paquette in the eighth, got the victory.