AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Belcher’s Two-Hitter Lets White Sox Cruise

Tim Belcher used a golf analogy to describe his trade to the Chicago White Sox from the Cincinnati Reds.

“It’s much like you go out and play with three really good golfers,” he said Tuesday after earning his first American League victory. “You’re the hacker and you pick your game up. That’s what happened to me.”

Belcher pitched a two-hitter as the White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics, 4-0, at Chicago.

“The last few starts in Cincinnati weren’t fun for me,” said Belcher, acquired by Chicago on July 31 for two minor league pitchers.

It was the 10th victory in the last 15 games for the American League West-leading White Sox.

Belcher gave up two singles by Brent Gates, one in the fourth, the other in the ninth.

“I made two bad pitches, and he did what he should. He hit them,” said Belcher, who walked two and struck out six in getting his third shutout this season and the 16th of his career.

“I didn’t think I had a good fastball until the sixth or seventh inning. My off-speed pitch made it look better than it was.”

Oakland rookie Mike Mohler (1-3) gave up only one hit--Lance Johnson’s fifth-inning single--in five innings, but was the victim of two unearned runs in the first.

Toronto 6, Minnesota 3--Joe Carter, mired in a five-for-46 slump, had a two-run double in a five-run fifth inning to help Dave Stewart and the Blue Jays win at Toronto.

John Olerud had three hits to increase his average three points to .395.

Stewart (7-6) gave up three runs on five hits in eight innings. He struck out five and walked none. Duane Ward pitched the ninth for his 29th save.

Boston 5, New York 0--Mo Vaughn and John Valentin homered in a three-run sixth inning and the Red Sox shut down the Yankees, baseball’s best hitting team, on four hits at Boston. It was Boston’s 11th consecutive home victory.

Frank Viola (8-8) gave up three hits in six innings, the victory making him 4-1 in his last seven starts after going 0-6 in May and June. Joe Hesketh worked the last three innings for his first save of the season.

Boston scored in each of the first two innings, and Viola worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth.

Detroit 15, Baltimore 1--The Tigers used homers by Chad Kreuter, Dan Gladden, Alan Trammell and Rob Deer at Detroit to end the Orioles’ eight-game winning streak.

The Tigers, taking advantage of nine walks, scored five runs in the second, four in the fourth--on Gladden’s second grand slam of the season--and four in the fifth.

Kansas City 4, Seattle 1--Mike Macfarlane’s second homer in two games backed Tom Gordon’s five-hit pitching for the Royals at Kansas City.

Gordon (7-3) won his sixth game in eight decisions, walking three and striking out a season-high eight in seven innings.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 33rd homer, setting a Mariner record for most home runs in a season.

Milwaukee 5, Cleveland 4--Pinch-hitter Dickie Thon greeted reliever Jerry DiPoto with a bases-loaded single with one out in the 10th inning to rally the Brewers at Milwaukee.

Pat Listach and Darryl Hamilton singled against reliever Eric Plunk (4-5) with one out to put runners at first and third. After Derek Lilliquist relieved, B.J. Surhoff bunted to first baseman Carlos Martinez, who threw home to try to get Listach. But catcher Sandy Alomar dropped the ball and was charged with an error.

Greg Vaughn was walked intentionally to load the bases. Then DiPoto relieved, and Thon drove the first pitch over the head of center fielder Kenny Lofton.

The Indians had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the inning on Albert Belle’s second homer of the game.