AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Alvarez Doesn’t Win, but He Doesn’t Lose

The Chicago White Sox rallied for three runs in the ninth inning Wednesday night in New York, beating the Yankees, 5-4, and preserving Wilson Alvarez’s 15-game winning streak.

Danny Tartabull homered and drove in three runs, helping the Yankees take a 4-2 lead into the ninth inning and putting Alvarez in danger of losing his first game since last Aug. 11. Instead, he wound up with a no-decision.

“I watched in here,” Alvarez said. “I thought, ‘Everything is over, the streak is over and we start over again.’ I’m not going to give up with this team anymore.”

Pinch-hitter Joey Cora drew a leadoff walk from Bob Wickman (2-1), Tim Raines singled with one out and pinch-hitter Warren Newson walked, loading the bases in the ninth.

Frank Thomas hit a sacrifice fly to the wall in right field, making it 4-3. Julio Franco then singled home the tying run and, after Steve Howe relieved, Robin Ventura singled home the go-ahead run.

Alvarez remained 8-0 this season. His 15 consecutive victories in the regular season tie the White Sox record set by LaMarr Hoyt. Alvarez pitched six innings, gave up five hits and walked seven.

Yankee starter Jimmy Key, trying for his seventh consecutive victory, allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. Wickman relieved to start the seventh.

Dennis Cook (3-0) was the winner, and Roberto Hernandez struck out the side in the ninth for his fifth save.

Detroit 11, Baltimore 3--Travis Fryman went five for five and Tim Belcher pitched eight strong innings as the Tigers extended their winning streak to a season-high four games by beating the Orioles at Baltimore.

Danny Bautista went three for four with a homer, helping the Tigers vault past Toronto and out of last place in the AL East for the first time this season.

Boston 4, Kansas City 2--Scott Cooper’s single broke an eighth-inning tie as the Red Sox beat the Royals at Boston.

The game matched Roger Clemens and David Cone, who have two of the top five earned-run averages in the American League. However, they weren’t involved in the decision. Each gave up two runs in seven innings; Clemens allowed four hits and Cone five.

Cone, trying to become baseball’s first nine-game winner, was replaced by Mike Magnante (1-2) starting the eighth with the score, 2-2.

Milwaukee 8, Texas 1--Brian Harper drove in three runs and Cal Eldred pitched a six-hitter at Milwaukee as the Brewers ended the Rangers’ three-game winning streak.

Harper’s two-run single with the bases loaded in the seventh inning gave Milwaukee a 5-1 lead. Harper, who also singled in the fourth and was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat, had a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.

Eldred (5-6) allowed one run, striking out five and walking three for his second complete game.

Minnesota 2, Seattle 1--Chuck Knoblauch had two run-scoring doubles to lead the Twins to a victory at Minneapolis.

Kevin Tapani (6-2) won his fifth in a row for the Twins, giving up one run and seven hits. He struck out six and walked one in eight innings. He has allowed five runs in 32 2/3 innings over his last four starts.

Oakland 9, Toronto 5-- A pinch-hit and a hit batter produced two runs in the eighth inning as the Athletics swept a three-game series from the Blue Jays at Toronto.

With the A’s trailing, 5-4, Brent Gates opened the eighth inning with a double. With one out, Mike Bordick walked and pinch-hitter Ruben Sierra singled off Tony Castillo (2-1) to tie the score. Rickey Henderson then walked to load the bases. One out later, Geronimo Berroa was hit by a pitch to drive in Bordick.

Bob Welch (1-5) pitched 2 2/3 innings for the victory.