AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Gonzalez Takes Homer Lead at 41

Juan Gonzalez took the major league lead with his 41st home run and Julio Franco followed with his 100th career homer, helping Kevin Brown and the Texas Rangers defeat the Minnesota Twins, 6-4, Saturday night at Minneapolis.

Texas remained six games behind Chicago in the AL West.

Brown (11-11), who has a 7-1 career record against Minnesota, gave up eight hits in 6 1/3 innings to win for the second time in his last six decisions.

Scott Erickson (8-17) trailed, 3-1, with one out in the fifth when Gonzalez lined a 3-and-1 pitch over the left-field fence. Franco then hit his 14th homer of the season.

Gonzalez said he was “mad as hell” about his first two at-bats, resulting in a grounder and a strikeout.

“We tried to get him to relax,” Texas Manager Kevin Kennedy said. “He just has so much ability. He’s a perfectionist. I’m glad he’s got pride and intensity. I just don’t want it to come off the wrong way.”

Baltimore 6, Oakland 3--Chris Hoiles hit a two-run homer in a four-run sixth inning at Oakland as the Orioles won their sixth consecutive game.

Rookie starter Steve Karsay (1-3) blanked the Orioles through five innings for a 1-0 lead.

But with two out in the Baltimore sixth, Harold Baines and Cal Ripken singled, the latter taking second on right fielder Ruben Sierra’s error before Mike Pagliarulo singled them in. Hoiles followed with his 21st homer to hand the A’s their fifth consecutive loss.

Chicago 11, Detroit 2--George Bell homered for the second day in a row and drove in five runs as the White Sox beat the Tigers at Detroit.

Alex Fernandez (17-6), 5-0 in his last six starts, gave up two runs on seven hits, one walk and three strikeouts in seven innings. Jeff Schwarz pitched the eighth and Brian Drahman the ninth.

Kansas City 4, Boston 2--Brian McRae homered and Kevin McReynolds tripled as the Royals scored all their runs in the ninth inning to defeat the Red Sox at Boston.

McRae tied the score with a shot into the right-field bullpen after Greg Gagne led off the ninth with a double. Mike Macfarlane walked with one out, then McReynolds tripled past diving right fielder Rob Deer and scored on Gary Gaetti’s sacrifice fly.

Seattle 6, Milwaukee 1--Tim Leary gave up seven hits over 8 2/3 innings at Seattle.

Leary, who went 0-3 with two no-decisions and recorded a 10.17 earned-run average in August, struck out four and walked three batters in improving to 9-7.

Ted Power came on and got Pat Listach to ground out to first to earn his ninth save.