BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Portugal’s Streak Reaches 12

Mark Portugal’s final victory of 1993 came on the road. How appropriate.

Portugal shut the Cincinnati Reds down for seven innings to win his 12th consecutive decision as the Houston Astros clinched winning records at home and on the road for the fifth time in club history by beating the Reds, 3-1, Saturday at Cincinnati.

Portugal (18-4) heads into the off-season a free agent with the National League’s longest winning streak of the season intact. Half of those 12 victories were on the road.

“That’s probably the thing I’m most proud of: my ability to keep my team in the game and to win on the road,” Portugal said. “In the past, I’ve struggled on the road. This year, everything fell into place.”

Portugal, who made $1.87 million, will be one of the more attractive free-agent pitchers. He hasn’t lost in 16 starts since July 7, and has a 1.98 earned-run average over that span.

The Astros have won six of seven to clinch a winning road record (41-39) to go with their 44-37 home mark.

The Reds have lost 17 of 20 and are 30 games out of first place for the first time since 1953.

Pittsburgh 4, Montreal 2--Jeff King had three hits, including a two-run double in the eighth inning that lifted the Pirates to victory at Montreal.

King has nine home runs and 98 runs batted in. He could become the fifth major league player since 1945 to drive in 100 runs with fewer than 10 homers.

St. Louis 5, Philadelphia 4--Ray Lankford singled, stole second and scored on two errors on the same play in the 10th inning as the Cardinals won at St. Louis.

San Diego 7, Chicago 3--Phil Plantier reached the 100-RBI mark with a three-run homer, his 34th, and rookies Dave Staton and Melvin Nieves also connected at San Diego.

Doug Brocail (4-13) won for the first time since Aug. 29, giving up nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Mike Morgan (10-15) lasted only three innings, giving up six runs--five earned--and five hits.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Baltimore 8, Toronto 4--Rick Sutcliffe won for the first time since Aug. 6 and Harold Baines hit his 20th home run as the Orioles won at Baltimore.

Pat Hentgen (19-9) took the loss and failed to join Jack Morris (21-6 in 1992) as the only 20-game winners in Blue Jay history. Hentgen gave up eight runs in four innings, his second-shortest outing of the season.

Sutcliffe (10-10) gave up 11 hits in 8 1/3 innings.

Chicago 4, Cleveland 2--George Bell hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the 10th inning as the White Sox won at Cleveland.

Chicago loaded the bases in the 10th against Jeremy Hernandez (6-5) on a single by Norberto Martin, a double by Dan Pasqua and an intentional walk.

Bell’s fly made it 3-2, and Pasqua got caught in a rundown between home and third on a double-steal attempt but scored when catcher Junior Ortiz dropped the ball.

Detroit 4, New York 1--Bill Krueger (6-4), making only his sixth start, combined with Mike Henneman on a seven-hitter to lead the Tigers at New York.

Wade Boggs went three for four and raised his average to .302 in his first season with the Yankees after hitting .259 for Boston last year.

Milwaukee 8, Boston 5--The Brewers’ Matt Mieske hit his first homer since May 12 at Boston.

The loss dropped the Red Sox below .500 for the first time since June 30. Boston, which was 14 games over .500 and contending for the American League East lead on Aug. 10, has gone 17-32 since.

Kansas City 7, Texas 4--Tom Gordon gave up six hits in eight innings and Greg Gagne had three hits for the Royals at Arlington.

Gordon (12-6) struck out 10 and walked two. Jeff Montgomery got the final out for his 44th save.

Seattle 7, Minnesota 3--Dave Fleming (12-5) gave up four hits in seven innings, Jay Buhner hit a two-run homer and the Mariners clinched a winning season with the victory at Minneapolis.