AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Athletics Stay Hot, Defeat Yankees, 4-0

Steve Ontiveros didn’t know what to expect.

Ontiveros, pitching for the first time in 10 days after suffering a groin injury, combined with four relievers on a four-hitter to lead the Oakland Athletics to a 4-0 victory over the Yankees at New York on Monday night.

“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen since I hadn’t pitched in 10 days,” said Ontiveros, who extended his scoreless innings streak to 24 1/3 by giving up only four hits--all singles--in 6 1/3 innings.

Ontiveros (5-2), who has given up only 10 hits during his scoreless streak and won his last four starts, helped the A’s win for the ninth time in 10 games.

New York has lost four of five games after an eight-game winning streak; the A’s have won 15 of 18.

Ontiveros had some trepidation about pitching at Yankee Stadium after a long layoff.

“When you’ve got that short porch (in right field) and a lot of lefties you’re facing, anything can happen,” said Ontiveros, who retired 11 in a row before walking Paul O’Neill in the seventh.

“My legs felt good until the seventh inning. I got a second wind. I felt real good but in the seventh, I threw a bunch of pitches to (Danny) Tartabull and I hit the wall.”

Troy Neel hit a two-run homer and Mark McGwire added a solo shot as the A’s got eight hits and four runs against Scott Kamieniecki (5-4).

Cleveland 7, Minnesota 1--Dennis Martinez won his sixth consecutive decision and Candy Maldonado hit a tiebreaking two-run double at Cleveland.

The Indians have won five games in a row and are 24-4 in their last 28 games at Jacobs Field. Minnesota has lost four in a row.

The Indians outscored the Twins, 32-12, in sweeping a four-game series from them for the first time since 1984.

Martinez (7-4) improved to 6-0 over 10 starts since his last loss on May 11 at New York. He gave up six hits, four for extra bases, and one run on Dave Winfield’s ninth home run. Winfield also tripled and singled.

Two walks and Maldonado’s double put the Indians ahead to stay, 3-1, in the fourth, and they finished Jim Deshaies (4-8) during a four-run seventh that included a run-scoring double by Carlos Baerga, run-scoring singles by Alvaro Espinoza and Omar Vizquel and a sacrifice fly by Kenny Lofton.

Baltimore 9, Seattle 3--Leo Gomez hit two homers and Chris Hoiles and Mark McLemore had one each for the Orioles at Baltimore.

It was the second consecutive game in which Hoiles and Gomez hit home runs. The Orioles have 13 homers in their last four games and have homered in 19 of their last 20.

Sid Fernandez (5-4), activated off the disabled list before the game, gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings. He had not pitched since June 18 because of a strained rib-cage muscle.

Toronto 9, Kansas City 4--John Olerud had a two-run double and the Blue Jays, held hitless for five innings by Bob Milacki, broke loose for five runs in the sixth at Kansas City.

Milacki (0-3) saw only two Blue Jay runners on a hit batsman and a walk through five innings. But ninth-place hitter Randy Knorr singled up the middle to lead off the sixth and start the rally.

Rob Butler singled after Knorr’s hit, and Roberto Alomar bunted the runners along. Milacki walked Paul Molitor and Joe Carter to force home the first run.

Olerud doubled in Butler and Molitor. Mike Huff was walked intentionally and Domingo Cedeno had a sacrifice fly. Dick Schofield hit an RBI single, finishing Milacki.

Mike Macfarlane homered twice for the Royals.

Chicago 3, Milwaukee 2--Pinch-hitter Norberto Martin doubled home the winning run in the ninth inning at Chicago.

With two out, Craig Grebeck doubled against Ricky Bones (7-6). Jesse Orosco relieved and Martin drove in pinch-runner Ron Karkovice.

Texas 4, Detroit 3--Will Clark drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning at Arlington, Tex.

Oddibe McDowell singled with one out in the ninth against Mike Gardiner (2-2) and went to third on Jeff Frye’s double.