AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Chicago’s McDowell Is First to Win 19th

Jack McDowell became baseball’s first 19-game winner as Steve Sax’s tie-breaking, broken-bat double in the sixth inning gave the Chicago White Sox a 3-2 victory over the Red Sox Tuesday night at Boston.

The game was delayed more than three hours at the start because of rain.

Boston’s Mike Greenwell said McDowell “gives up some base hits, but he seems to make the pitches when he has to. He made them on us tonight.”

The White Sox broke a 2-2 tie when Robin Ventura singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch by Aaron Sele (6-2). After Ellis Burks flied out, Sax hit a grounder down the right field line to score Ventura.

“It was hard to pick up (Sele’s) release the first couple of at-bats,” said Sax, who grounded out and struck out in his first two at-bats. “I just told myself I had to wait as long as I could, even if I got jammed.”

McDowell (19-7) gave up 10 hits, struck out six and walked none in eight innings. Roberto Hernandez pitched the ninth for his 26th save.

Chicago, 13-6 in its last 19 road games, remained 3 1/2 games ahead of second-place Kansas City in the American League West. Third-place Boston fell 4 1/2 games off Toronto’s pace in the American League East with its sixth loss in eight games.

“The important thing was we stayed right where we are” in the standings, McDowell said. “I felt pretty strong the whole game.”

Chicago reached Sele early. Tim Raines opened the game with a single, and Frank Thomas hit his 32nd homer one out later.

New York 11-2, Texas 4-3--Juan Gonzalez hit his major league-leading 36th home run in the sixth inning as the Rangers beat the Yankees to gain a doubleheader split at New York.

In New York’s victory in the opener, Don Mattingly hit a three-run homer during a six-run first inning that chased Texas starter Kevin Brown after only one out and 26 pitches.

A fourth-inning run-scoring single by Jim Leyritz put the Yankees ahead in the second game, but David Hulse singled against Melido Perez (6-11) leading off the sixth, Rafael Palmeiro walked and Gonzalez hit a drive more than 420 feet into the visiting bullpen. Kenny Rogers (11-7) won his third consecutive start and improved his record against the Yankees to 5-0. He gave up four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

In the opener, Jimmy Key (15-4) won his third consecutive start, but gave up four runs and 10 hits in seven innings.

Kansas City 3, Minnesota 2--Former Twin star Gary Gaetti hit a two-run homer and Jeff Montgomery recorded his American League-leading 37th save as the Royals won at Minneapolis to end the Twins’ five-game winning streak and stay close in the American League West race.

Gaetti, who spent nine seasons with the Twins, connected against Jim Deshaies (11-11) with Wally Joyner on first base and one out in the second inning. It was Gaetti’s fifth homer and his first at the Metrodome since leaving the Twins to sign with the Angels after the 1990 season.

Toronto 6, Cleveland 4--Roberto Alomar homered in the first inning for the second consecutive night as the first-place Blue Jays won their fourth straight game and moved 19 games over .500 for the first time this season.

Jack Morris (7-11) benefited from a five-run first inning, but barely held on to get the victory. He lasted five-plus innings, giving up four runs--two of them unearned--and eight hits.

Cleveland starter Tom Kramer (5-3) faced only four batters and all four scored. Rickey Henderson and Devon White started the game by drawing walks. Alomar then hit Kramer’s next pitch for his 13th homer and a 3-0 lead.

Oakland 6, Milwaukee 3--Steve Karsay, acquired by the Athletics in the Rickey Henderson deal, won his major league debut, giving six hits in 6 1/3 innings at Oakland.

The 21-year-old right-hander, who had never pitched above double-A prior to his debut, was obtained July 31 from Toronto with outfielder Jose Herrera in exchange for Henderson.

Karsay gave up two runs, both in the seventh inning. He struck out three and walked one. He took a two-hitter into the seventh.

Seattle 5, Baltimore 3--The Orioles lost their eighth consecutive game as Bret Boone’s two-run single with the bases-loaded in the eighth inning rallied the Mariners at Seattle. Oriole starter Fernando Valenzuela retired 12 of 13 batters through the seventh, but was removed in the eighth after giving up consecutive doubles to Brian Turang and Ken Griffey Jr.