AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Velarde Leads Streaking Yankees

Randy Velarde had his first career five-hit game and Paul O’Neill hit two home runs to lead the New York Yankees to their seventh consecutive victory, 8-1, over the Royals at Kansas City on Tuesday night.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had five hits in a game, anywhere,” Velarde said. “I was really seeing the ball well tonight. It was a real confidence builder. A couple of the hits came with two strikes, and if you check the records, I’m not a good hitter with two strikes.”

The victory moved the Yankees within 4 1/2 games of first-place Boston in the East, the closest New York has been since May 29.

The first five Yankees to bat in the first inning got hits and four of them scored. The big blow was a three-run home run into the right-field bullpen by O’Neill, who also had a solo homer in the third inning.

Scott Kamieniecki (1-2) gave up six hits--two of them bunt hits by Tom Goodwin--walked one and struck out a season-high six in seven innings.

Baltimore 4, Texas 3--Bret Barberie singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning at Baltimore as the Orioles handed the Rangers their ninth consecutive loss.

The Rangers’ losing streak is their longest since April 1987, when they also lost nine in a row.

Seattle 8, Milwaukee 6--Randy Johnson almost blew an eight-run lead, but held on to become baseball’s third 11-game winner at Seattle.

Luis Sojo, who hit his third homer of the year in the third, had a three-run double and Alex Rodriguez tripled in a run as the Mariners took an 8-0 lead in the first four innings, while Johnson kept the Brewers hitless.

Johnson (11-1) won his fifth consecutive game despite faltering in the fifth and seventh innings. He struck out nine to improve his total to 185, most in the majors.

Detroit 6, Oakland 3--Lou Whitaker and Kirk Gibson drove in two runs each at Detroit as the Tigers held on to win for only the second time in their last 12 games.

Felipe Lira (7-5) got his third victory in his last six starts, yielding one run on five hits in five innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Ron Darling (3-6) took the loss, giving up three runs on six hits in six innings. He is 1-4 in his last 10 starts.

Minnesota 7, Toronto 3--Rookie Frankie Rodriguez scattered five hits over seven innings and Chuck Knoblauch and Marty Cordova homered for the Twins at Toronto.

Rodriguez (2-3) gave up three runs in his longest career outing, walking three and striking out two. Minnesota has won five of its last seven games; Toronto has dropped three in a row.

Chicago 8, Boston 3--Frank Thomas broke a tie with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly and the White Sox scored four more runs in the ninth at Boston.

The White Sox, who won their third consecutive game, got six runs on seven hits in the last two innings. Lyle Mouton drove in three runs with two singles and Thomas added a run-scoring single in the ninth.

Jason Bere (5-8) got his first victory in his last four starts, striking out seven while yielding four hits in 7 1/3 innings. Roberto Hernandez earned his 14th save.