AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Appier (9-2) Would Rather Win Than Rest

Kevin Appier became the major leagues’ first nine-game winner and struck out a season-high 11 as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Seattle Mariners, 2-1, for their fifth consecutive victory Wednesday at Seattle.

Appier (9-2) gave up six hits, walked four in seven innings and lowered his earned-run average to 2.06. Jeff Montgomery pitched the ninth for his 11th save as Kansas City won for the 16th time in 21 games since starting the season at 9-13.

The Royals have been going with a four-man rotation.

“Overall, I like it,” Appier said after making a season-high 141 pitches. “I don’t know what the future will be, but I like it now.”

Seattle, 8-10 since Ken Griffey Jr. broke his wrist May 26, lost its fourth in a row, the Mariners’ longest losing streak this season. After 19 games in the Kingdome, the Mariners’ attendance is 343,362, off 27% from the first 19 home games last season (472,198).

Cleveland 5, Baltimore 2--Albert Belle homered and Eddie Murray moved within 12 hits of 3,000 in his career as the Indians defeated the Orioles at Cleveland for their fourth consecutive victory.

The Indians improved baseball’s best record to 33-11, extending the best start in team history. They have won 11 of 12 games overall and eight in a row at Jacobs Field, where they are 18-4.

Rookie Chad Ogea (2-0) won his second consecutive game since replacing Jason Grimsley in the Cleveland rotation, giving up two runs and six hits in six innings. Jose Mesa worked the ninth for his 16th save in 16 opportunities.

New York 12, Detroit 3--With owner George Steinbrenner watching again from a seat behind the dugout at Detroit, home runs from Paul O’Neill, Mike Stanley and Bernie Williams helped the Yankees to their second consecutive victory.

Melido Perez gave up only four hits in 6 2/3 innings, and the Yankees limited Pat Ahearne’s major league debut for Detroit to only 25 pitches by scoring five runs on six hits.

Toronto 5, Boston 3--The Blue Jays became the first American League team to solve knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, scoring four runs in the first inning at Boston.

Wakefield (4-1), released by Pittsburgh before the season, then signed by Boston and called up from Pawtucket on May 27, took four consecutive victories and an 0.54 ERA into the game. But with the help of an error by Boston second baseman Luis Alicea in the first inning, the streak was over.

A single by Devon White and a bouncer off the glove of Alicea put runners on first and third. Joe Carter singled for one run, John Olerud doubled for two more and Shawn Green doubled for the fourth run.

Oakland 8, Chicago 5--Mark McGwire’s three-run home run in the eighth inning, his league-leading 18th of the season, gave the Athletics a victory at Oakland.

Milwaukee 4, Texas 2--Matt Mieske broke a fifth-inning tie with his first home run of the season, leading the Brewers at Milwaukee.