AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Johnson, Mariners Apply Heat to Angels

Randy Johnson gave up three hits over eight innings as the Seattle Mariners closed to within two games of the Angels in the American League West by defeating the Texas Rangers, 8-1, Monday night.

Mike Blowers hit a three-run home run and Edgar Martinez, the league’s leading hitter, added a two-run home run.

Johnson (15-2) won his fourth consecutive decision as Seattle beat Texas for the sixth time in seven games. He struck out 10, increasing his major league-leading total to 260.

With Seattle ahead, 3-1, after two innings, Blowers homered off Bobby Witt. Tino Martinez reached on a throwing error by third baseman Craig Worthington and Jay Buhner hit a single before Blowers’ home run over the right-field fence.

Edgar Martinez made it 8-1 with his two-run home run off Danny Darwin in the seventh.

New York 9, Toronto 2--After being shut out for six innings by rookie Jeff Ware, who was called up Sept. 1, the Yankees rallied for eight runs off Danny Cox (1-3) for the victory at New York.

After Cox came in, he made a fielding error, issued a walk, and made another fielding error on a grounder by Bernie Williams that let New York tie the game, 1-1.

Paul O’Neill followed with a single, Dion James hit a sacrifice fly and New York got five more runs off Cox in the eighth.

“I just stunk it up, basically,” Cox said. “What can you say? It was a bad damn job.”

David Cone (16-8) gave up six hits in eight innings for the victory.

Kansas City 16-4, Minnesota 7-10--Pedro Munoz drove in three runs with three hits to help LaTroy Hawkins gain his first major league victory as the Twins got a doubleheader split at Kansas City.

Dilson Torres (1-2) gave up three runs and four hits in one-third of an inning.

In the first game, Greg Gagne’s pinch-hit double with the bases loaded keyed a five-run fourth inning and the Royals had 20 hits.

Mark Gubicza (11-13) gave up five runs and eight hits in five innings.

Milwaukee 6, Boston 1--Ricky Bones (10-10) scattered seven hits in his third complete game as the Brewers won at Boston.

Tim Wakefield (16-5) struggled for the fifth time in seven starts as his earned run average ballooned from 2.50 to 2.71. He gave up six runs and 10 hits in seven inning.

Bones (10-10) held Boston to one run, striking out three and walking one to give Milwaukee only its fifth victory in 20 games.

Baltimore 6, Detroit 2--Bobby Bonilla had three runs batted in, including a two-run home run, to back the strong pitching of rookie Jimmy Haynes (1-1) at Detroit.

Cleveland 11, Chicago 1--Albert Belle hit his major league-best 40th and 41st home runs, Tony Pena had four hits and Ken Hill pitched a six-hitter at Chicago.

Belle became the first Indian to hit 40 home runs since Rocky Colavito had 42 in 1959.

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Wild-Card Races

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Division Leaders

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Team Division W L Cleveland* Central 92 41 Boston East 79 53 Angels West 72 61

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Wild Card

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Team W L Pct. GB Seattle 70 63 .526 -- New York 69 64 .519 1 Kansas City 68 64 .515 1 1/2 Texas 68 65 .515 1 1/2 Oakland 65 68 .489 5 Milwaukee 63 69 .477 6 1/2

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

Division Leaders

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Team Division W L Atlanta* East 85 48 Cincinnati Central 79 53 Colorado West 71 60

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Wild Card

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Team W L Pct. GB Dodgers 70 62 .530 -- Houston 69 63 .523 1 Philadelphia 66 67 .496 4 1/2 Chicago 64 67 .489 5 1/2 San Diego 64 68 .485 6

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* Clinched division title