AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : McDowell Becomes First 20-Game Winner

Jack McDowell of the Chicago White Sox became the first 20-game winner in the major leagues Sunday after pitching an eight-hit, 1-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Minneapolis.

McDowell (20-7) reached the 20-victory mark faster than any Chicago pitcher since Wilbur Wood in 1973. McDowell became the first White Sox pitcher with consecutive 20-victory seasons since Jim Kaat in 1974 and 1975.

McDowell’s fourth shutout and eighth complete game kept the White Sox four games ahead of second-place Kansas City in the West. He walked one and tied a career high with 10 strikeouts.

Frank Thomas hit his 33rd home run in the first inning against Jim Deshaies (11-12), giving McDowell all he needed.

“It was real hard work. That makes it a lot better, to tell you the truth,” said McDowell, who pitched out of four jams. “With as many starts as I’ve got left in the season, I think I pretty much knew I was going to win 20. To have it come like this, it was a lot of fun.

“Those situations are fun situations. You don’t just go out there to play boring games. You’re in there for the action.”

With two on and one out in the second, McDowell struck out Chip Hale and Lenny Webster. With a runner at third and one out in the fourth, he struck out Dave Winfield and got Shane Mack to pop out. McDowell then got out of first-and-third, no-out situations in the sixth and seventh.

Deshaies continued to be a hard-luck pitcher for the Twins, who completed their first 0-6 home stand since 1990. Deshaies has lost five consecutive starts despite giving up three or fewer earned runs in each of them.

Cleveland 3, Boston 2--Reggie Jefferson’s run-scoring grounder in the 11th inning gave the Indians their first four-game series sweep at Fenway Park in 33 years.

The loss dropped the Red Sox six games behind first-place Toronto in the East. Boston lost nine of 12 during its home stand.

Kenny Lofton led off the 11th with a single and went to third on a double by Jim Thome against Ken Ryan (4-1). Lofton scored on Jefferson’s grounder.

Tom Kramer (6-3) pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings for the victory. Jerry DiPoto got three outs for his third save.

Toronto 12, Seattle 7--Tony Fernandez and Ed Sprague each drove in two runs during a five-run seventh at Toronto as the Blue Jays rallied after blowing a 5-0 lead and moved one game ahead of New York in the East.

Devon White started the seventh with his 14th home run to tie the score, 6-6, and Roberto Alomar followed with a single against reliever Steve Ontiveros (0-1).

John Olerud reached on a one-out walk from Russ Swan, and after Alomar stole third, Jeff Nelson intentionally walked Paul Molitor to load the bases. Fernandez then hit a two-run single and Sprague followed with a two-run double over first base.

Juan Guzman (10-3) gave up six runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Kansas City 7, New York 0--Chris Haney pitched a four-hitter for his first shutout of the season as the Royals averted a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium.

Mike Macfarlane hit his 18th homer in the second inning.

The Royals scored three times in the fifth, and added three more in the sixth, two on Greg Gagne’s triple.

Haney (9-5) struck out five and walked five.

Melido Perez (6-12) took the loss.

Texas 11, Baltimore 4--Butch Davis hit the first inside-the-park homer at Camden Yards, and Rafael Palmeiro and Dean Palmer also homered as the Rangers ended the Orioles’ nine-game home winning streak.

Palmer, who had two hits and drove in three runs, is eight for 17 with three homers and eight runs batted in in his last four games.

Kevin Brown (10-9) gave up 10 hits, struck out seven and walked four in 7 2/3 innings.

Arthur Rhodes (3-3) took the loss.

The Orioles have lost nine of 12.

Detroit 5, Oakland 3--Alan Trammell had three hits at Detroit for the second consecutive game.

The Tigers have won five of six, and are four games above .500 (65-61) for the first time since July 26.

Tom Bolton (4-5) pitched six strong innings for the third time in four starts since rejoining the rotation. Bolton gave up one run, four hits and had seven strikeouts.

Todd Van Poppel (4-4) had his four-game winning streak ended.