AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Another Day, Another Slam as Tigers Bash Orioles, 17-11

Confidence has definitely been restored among the Detroit Tigers. All it took was the return of the long ball, their favorite weapon.

The Tigers hit a grand slam for the third consecutive game Thursday, beating the Baltimore Orioles, 17-11, at Detroit.

The Tigers won three of four games from the Orioles, scoring 47 runs in the three victories. Detroit won the second game of the series, 15-5, and the third, 15-1.

Perhaps most amazing is that, of the 48 runs scored by the Tigers in the four-game series, only one was driven in by Cecil Fielder, who leads the majors with 96 RBIs.

After getting grand slams in the second and third games of the series from Dan Gladden, Detroit got one from Chad Kreuter in the finale.

Gladden had to settle for a two-run homer.

The grand slams in three consecutive games ties a major-league record set by the Milwaukee Brewers--also against the Orioles--in 1978.

The Tigers started the season by getting to 18 games over .500. They were in first place with a 43-25 record on June 22 when the Orioles scored eight runs with two out in the eighth inning for a 12-9 victory.

That game was the start of a free fall that saw the Tigers tumble to fifth place with a 56-57 record.

But the last three days have changed the team’s thinking.

“If you look at how we (won) earlier in the year, this (surge) is not so surprising,” Kreuter said. “Baseball’s not an exact science. Nobody knows why these things happen.”

Kansas City 4, Chicago 2--Kevin Appier outpitched Jack McDowell as the Royals won the opener of a four-game series between the American League West leaders at Chicago.

A crowd of 38,984 saw the White Sox lose for the sixth time in nine games. Kansas City has won five of six and has closed to within 2 1/2 games of the White Sox.

A six-game McDowell (18-7) winning streak was stopped. He allowed four runs, three of them earned, and 10 singles in eight innings.

Appier (13-6) gave up seven hits in pitching his fourth complete game of the season.

Chicago’s Tim Raines had a leadoff homer for his 2,000th hit.

New York 4, Boston 1--Melido Perez allowed two hits in 7 2/3 innings for the Yankees at Boston, helping his team move within one game of first place in the American League East.

Perez (6-10) had a no-hitter until Billy Hatcher doubled past third base with two out in the sixth.

Perez, fighting to keep his spot in the starting rotation, had not won since June 27, going 0-4 in his previous six starts, and had missed his last start because of a sore pitching shoulder.

The Yankees scored in the third inning on an RBI single by Dion James and added a run in the sixth on consecutive, two-out singles by Bernie Williams, Mike Stanley and Mike Gallego.

They made it a 3-0 game in the seventh on an RBI single by Don Mattingly and added a run in the ninth on an RBI single by Paul O’Neill.

Cleveland 8, Milwaukee 6--Carlos Baerga hit a three-run homer with one out in the 11th inning to push the Indians past the Brewers at Milwaukee--the Indians’ first extra-inning victory this season.

With the game tied, 5-5, Sandy Alomar singled to open the 11th. Kenny Lofton bunted down the third-base line, and third baseman B.J. Surhoff made a wild throw past first base.

Jesse Orosco relieved Carlos Maldonado (1-2) and struck out Glenallen Hill. Baerga then hit a one-one pitch over the left-field wall.

Minnesota 9, Toronto 2--Kirby Puckett hit two homers and scored three runs, leading the Twins past the Blue Jays and Jack Morris at Toronto.

Morris (6-11), who helped Minnesota win the World Series in 1991, lasted only 3 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits. He has a 7.24 ERA.

Puckett’s 13th home run of the season gave the Twins a 2-0 lead in the third inning. He hit his next homer in Minnesota’s four-run fourth.