AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Former Long Beach St. Star Powers Tigers

In his first full season in the majors, Chris Gomez, the former Long Beach State All-American, had driven in 12 runs.

Until Tuesday.

In one memorable night in Toronto, Gomez increased that total by 50%, driving in six runs to lead Tim Belcher and the Detroit Tigers past the Blue Jays, 13-6.

Gomez got a two-run double in the second inning, a sacrifice fly in the third, and a three-run homer, his fourth, in the fifth after two walks by losing pitcher Todd Stottlemyre (3-2).

“When I looked around the league last season and saw all the guys who were lifting weights, I figured I had to get into it more seriously,” Gomez said. “Last year I hit a ball to right at Tiger Stadium with all I had and it hit the wall. I think that same shot today would go out.”

While Gomez was satisfied with his performance, he was more pleased about the timing.

“We needed this one for Tim (Belcher),” Gomez said. “We just needed to get him a win.”

Belcher (1-7) got his first victory in his ninth start to snap a four-game Tiger losing streak. He avoided becoming the first Detroit pitcher to lose eight straight decisions at the start of a season since 1953, when Ted Gray began 0-9.

“I’ll be honest,” Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson said. “In my 25 years in baseball, there have been maybe three or four times when I’ve been truly concerned about trying to get a win for a pitcher. Tonight, I was going to let (Belcher) die out there before I went and got him.”

Joe Carter, drove in three runs, and Roberto Alomar homered for Toronto, losers for the sixth time in seven games.

Texas 8, Oakland 7--Will Clark singled home the winning run in the 10th inning and the Rangers won in Oakland.

The A’s overcame an early 5-0 deficit, took a 7-5 lead and then saw Dennis Eckersley give up a two-out, two-run single to Junior Ortiz that tied it in the ninth.

Manuel Lee singled off Steve Ontiveros (1-2) to start the 10th. He was sacrificed to second, Jeff Frye walked and Jose Canseco flied out before Clark singled to left field.

Minnesota 5, New York 4--The Twins stopped the Yankees’ 10-game winning streak when Shane Mack capped a three-run rally in the eighth inning with an RBI double at Minnesota.

Mack, who earlier hit an inside-the-park homer and a double, helped the Twins win for the eighth time in nine games.

Mack is batting .422 and has hit in 11 of 12 games since coming off the disabled list. He has at least two hits in seven of the games.

Minnesota (19-19) is at .500 for the first time since April 24 of last season.

Baltimore 3, Boston 2--Rafael Palmeiro extended his hitting streak to 19 games, longest in the majors this season, and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Orioles beat Roger Clemens at Baltimore.

Mike Mussina (7-1) pitched eight strong innings to enable Baltimore to end a season-high three-game losing streak. Mussina gave up eight hits, walked one and struck out seven. In his last four starts, he has a 1.64 ERA.

Lee Smith pitched the ninth for his 16th save.

Harold Baines homered and had a key hit in the eighth, setting up Cal Ripken’s go-ahead sacrifice fly.

Clemens (4-2) struck out 11 and pitched a five-hitter. He has a 1.02 ERA in his last seven starts.

Kansas City 4, Seattle 0--David Cone pitched a four-hitter to win his seventh straight start and notch his second consecutive shutout at Seattle in a game that featured a seventh-inning tantrum by Lou Piniella, the volatile manager of the Mariners.

Cone took a bid for his first career no-hitter into the sixth, when Eric Anthony singled to center with two outs. Cone struck out a season-high 10 and walked two in his 18th career shutout. He is 4-0 in May with a 1.91 ERA and has a 2.83 ERA this season.

Piniella was ejected by home plate umpire Dale Scott for arguing balls and strikes in the seventh. It was Piniella’s first ejection of the season and the first time he has been thrown out in Seattle.

Cleveland 7, Milwaukee 3--Kenny Lofton hit two home runs in a game for the first time, enabling Cleveland to win its season-high fourth straight, at Milwaukee.

Albert Belle hit a three-run homer and Carlos Baerga added a two-run shot as the Indians sent Milwaukee to its sixth loss in a row.

Dennis Martinez (2-4) beat Cal Eldred (3-5).

Lofton homered to lead off the third and sixth innings. He has a career-high six home runs, including three in two games. He also has a 15-game hitting streak. And he was also spectacular on defense, making a leaping catch at the center field fence against John Jaha.