AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Whitaker Not Ready to Quit After 8-2 Win

Lou Whitaker won’t fade into retirement like Kirk Gibson.

Whitaker hit a three-run home run and had four runs batted in, helping Jose Lima earn his first major league victory as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Brewers, 8-2, Saturday at Milwaukee.

“He’s done that a lot of times,” Detroit Manager Sparky Anderson said. “I’ve seen it before, sure. It’s extra nice when a guy will probably end his career this year and he’s still playing good. It’s unusual.”

Whitaker, who has spent his entire 19-year career in Detroit, has hinted he’ll call it quits after the season and join Gibson, who retired Friday. It was Whitaker’s 240th home run--which put him fifth on the Tigers’ list--that capped a four-run, two-out rally in the fifth inning.

“The big three-run shot hurt us, but I can’t quibble over one home run,” Brewer Manager Phil Garner said. “The trouble tonight was we just didn’t generate any offense, nothing.”

New York 3, Cleveland 2--Jack McDowell threw 142 pitches and kept the Yankees from turning to their beleaguered bullpen at New York as they ended a four-game losing streak.

McDowell (10-8) pitched a seven-hitter, walked three and struck out four as he recorded his fifth complete game of the season with his highest pitch count of the year.

“I was just trying to keep the team in the game as long as I could,” McDowell said. “Going up against a lineup like that you can’t set any real goals.”

Bernie Williams, who tied the score in the sixth with a solo homer, provided the game-winning hit with a run-scoring single in the seventh.

Cleveland had won three in a row from the Yankees, coming back each time--including twice in the ninth inning against closer John Wetteland.

Boston 7, Baltimore 0--Roger Clemens struck out a season-high nine at Boston for his first victory in nearly a month, leading the Red Sox to their 10th consecutive victory.

The Orioles have lost 10 of 13 games since July 30 to fall 13 games behind first-place Boston. On July 30, they were in second place, 4 1/2 games behind.

Clemens (4-4), who hadn’t won since July 18, gave up six hits and one walk in 7 2/3 innings. Mike Mussina (13-7) gave up five runs and 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five for the Orioles.

Texas 6, Toronto 3--Bobby Witt celebrated his return to Arlington, Tex., by taking a shutout into the seventh inning to lead the Rangers over the Blue Jays.

Witt, 68-72 for Texas from 1986 to ‘92, won in his first appearance for the Rangers since they acquired him from Florida in a trade for pitcher Wilson Heredia and another minor leaguer.

Witt, 2-7 with a 3.90 earned-run average in 19 starts for the Marlins, earned his first victory for the Rangers since 1992 by giving up two runs and five hits in six-plus innings. He struck out six and walked three.

Kansas City 7, Seattle 2--Kevin Appier, making his first start since July 25, gave up two hits in six scoreless innings to lead the Royals at Kansas City.

Appier (12-7) earned his first victory since June 23. He had been on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right shoulder after going 0-5 with a 9.09 ERA in six starts.

Four of the seven runs batted in for the Royals were recorded by rookie outfielders Johnny Damon and Michael Tucker and rookie designated hitter Brent Cookson.

Oakland 8, Chicago 2--Terry Steinbach had four hits and four runs batted in and Todd Van Poppel got his first victory as a starter in more than a year for the Athletics at Chicago.

Van Poppel (2-4) won as a starter for the first time since Aug. 7, 1994 by giving up five hits and two runs over seven innings.

His other victory this season came in relief. His first 21 appearances came out of the bullpen.

“He’s progressed as a complete pitcher, and that stint in the bullpen helped him,” said Steinbach, who had two doubles, two singles and a walk to lead the A’s 16-hit attack as Oakland won for only the 12th time in 38 games. “It taught him he can pitch. Now he has to take that mentality into the starter’s role.”