AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Fired-Up Gubicza Throws One-Hitter at A’s

Mark Gubicza said all he needed was a pep talk, and he got one from Kansas City Manager Bob Boone on Thursday.

“He believed in my ability and told me my stuff was good enough to get anybody out,” Gubicza said after pitching the first one-hitter of his 10-year career, a 7-0 victory over the Athletics at Oakland.

Gubicza was among baseball’s hardest throwers before rotator cuff surgery set him back in 1993. He started this season 1-4, and Boone took him aside about a month ago. Since then, Gubicza is 3-1 with a 2.11 earned-run average in five starts.

“He basically told me to go after people,” Gubicza said. “He believed in me. It built my confidence.”

Gubicza (4-5) struck out five and walked one in the fourth shutout of his career. Mark McGwire’s single to left with one out in the fourth was Oakland’s hit.

Detroit 9, New York 2--Yankee rookie Brian Boehringer walked seven in four-plus innings and Cecil Fielder hit his 14th home run as the Tigers won at Detroit.