AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Yankees Rally for 9th Victory in a Row

Opponents had rallied in the ninth inning of New York’s last two games, only to fall short. On Saturday, the Yankees went into the rally business, but they did it correctly.

Wade Boggs’ two-run double was the key to a five-run ninth inning that carried the Yankees past the Brewers, 6-2, at Milwaukee. It was New York’s ninth victory in a row.

The Yankees, whose 25-10 record is baseball’s best, have won 19 of their last 23 games and are off to their best start since opening the 1958 season 25-9.

On Thursday, the Cleveland Indians rallied for three runs with two out in the ninth inning to tie the score before the Yankees won in 10 innings. On Friday, the Brewers scored three times in the ninth only to lose to New York in 12.

Apparently, those two games taught the Yankees something.

“We don’t say, ‘quit.’ We know that until the last out is made, we have a chance,” said Danny Tartabull, who hit a two-run single in the ninth.

With the Yankees trailing, 2-1, Bernie Williams and Darryl Boston were walked by Bob Scanlan (0-2). With one out, Luis Polonia singled to load the bases, and Boggs followed with a ground-rule double over the wall in right-center.

Don Mattingly was intentionally walked to re-load the bases, and Tartabull hit a two-run single to make it 5-2. Paul O’Neill, who has hit safely in 11 consecutive games, singled in the inning’s fifth run.

The nine-game winning streak has put a little pressure on the Yankees.

“It’s a great feeling,” Tartabull said. “Every day you come out to win that particular day. It feels good when you do. This game is not going to allow you to do that every night. But we’re going to keep trying.”

Donn Pall (1-2), who relieved Jim Abbott in the seventh inning, picked up the victory.

Cleveland 9, Detroit 3--Jack Morris won for the first time since April 7, striking out nine in six innings at Cleveland.

Morris (2-4) stopped his personal four-game losing streak and gave up two runs. He was relieved by Jose Mesa and rookie Paul Shuey, who struck out four in the ninth inning--Travis Fryman struck out but reached on a wild pitch. Indian pitchers struck out 16.

Cleveland rookie Manny Ramirez hit a three-run home run and Eddie Murray and Alvaro Espinoza drove in two runs each.

Boston 11, Toronto 2--Andre Dawson hit two two-run homers in the Red Sox’s victory at Boston, their fourth in a row.

Toronto has lost 14 of 19, including all five on a trip that ends tonight at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox are 16-4 this season.

Danny Darwin (6-2) had a season-high eight strikeouts and allowed two runs and 10 hits in seven innings in his fourth victory in his last five starts.

Minnesota 8, Baltimore 5--Dave Winfield homered twice and drove in five runs, moving past Frank Robinson into 12th place on baseball’s all-time RBI list and carrying the Twins in Minneapolis.

Winfield, who has 30 two-homer games, has 1,813 RBIs--one more than Robinson, now Baltimore’s assistant general manager. Winfield also has 1,071 extra-base hits, tied with Mel Ott for 14th.

Scott Erickson (4-4) gave up eight hits and had a career-high 10 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings, giving him his first two-game winning streak since September 1992. Carl Willis got the last out for his second save.

Oakland 5, Kansas City 4--Stan Javier homered and the Athletics, despite hitting into the first triple play of the season, won at Kansas City for only their third victory in 24 games.

In the third inning, Royal third baseman Gary Gaetti started a triple play on a grounder by Geronimo Berroa with two on base, stepping on third and throwing to second baseman Terry Shumpert, whose relay to first beat Berroa.

Gaetti has participated in seven triple plays in his career.

Texas 5, Chicago 2--Jose Canseco drove in two runs and Kevin Brown pitched seven strong innings to lead the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Brown (3-6) allowed one run on nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts.