A’s Feel Like Winners With McGwire Back

Mark McGwire hadn’t played before Tuesday, but nobody had forgotten why the Oakland Athletics are so dependent on him.

McGwire, sidelined for six weeks because of torn tissue in his right foot, was the designated hitter in his first game back and walked twice, was hit by a pitch, flied out and scored a run for the A’s, who beat Milwaukee, 9-6, at Oakland.

He left for a pinch-runner in the seventh inning.

Scott Brosius hit two home runs and Jason Giambi added a homer for the A’s.

“That’s a huge lift for us, getting Mac back, because we have a true No. 4 hitter again and that evens up the whole lineup,” said Giambi, who also doubled and tripled.

For McGwire, the A’s leading active home-run hitter, the game was a beginning.

“I have to treat this like spring training to me,” he said. “I’m not going to feel comfortable for quite some time. I’ll just work hard every at-bat, every pitch. It’s going to take time to get ready and the only way to get ready is to go out there and play in the games. It’s a challenge.”

He wasn’t challenged by Milwaukee pitchers and wasn’t surprised about it.

“I just have to deal with that stuff,” McGwire said. “It doesn’t matter whether I’ve been out six hours or six weeks. They’re not going to set it on the table for me.”

Steve Wojciechowski (1-0) pitched six strong innings for the A’s, who won their season-high third consecutive game. He gave up one unearned run on three hits.

Mike Mohler, the fifth Oakland pitcher, relieved with the bases loaded in the ninth inning and got two outs for his second save. He gave up Matt Mieske’s sacrifice fly.

Steve Sparks (1-3) was pounded for 10 hits, including seven that went for extra bases, in seven innings.

Kansas City 5, New York 2--After calling a players-only team meeting, Mark Gubicza (2-3) went seven strong innings and Jeff Montgomery finished up for the save for the Royals, who won at home and snapped a six-game losing streak.

Joe Vitiello drove in three runs, two with Kansas City’s first home run in 10 days, hit in the fourth inning off Jimmy Key (1-3), who gave up four hits and five runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Key left in the seventh, trailing, 4-2, after Tom Goodwin doubled home Joe Randa.

Cleveland 9, Baltimore 8--Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez each hit a three-run home run at Cleveland for the Indians, who won their fifth game in a row despite nearly blowing a five-run lead.

The Indians, winners of 10 of their last 11 games, sent the Orioles to their sixth consecutive loss.

Belle’s home run, his seventh, followed a controversial call that extended Cleveland’s seventh inning. With two outs, Julio Franco hit a line drive that appeared to be caught by right fielder Tony Tarasco, but umpire Tim Tschida ruled the ball was trapped.

Carlos Baerga followed with a single before Belle homered for a 9-4 Cleveland lead, finishing Mike Mussina (3-2).

Minnesota 8, Boston 6--Dave Hollins hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning--the seventh home run of the game at Minneapolis--and gave the Twins a victory.

Hollins, Marty Cordova, Chuck Knoblauch and Ron Coomer homered for Minnesota, which had four homers in a game for the first time since Aug. 6, 1994.

Mo Vaughn, Bill Selby and Troy O’Leary homered for Boston.

Dan Naulty (1-0) earned his first major league victory, pitching 2 1/3 perfect innings. Naulty struck out three of the seven batters he faced, and the Twins rallied with three runs in the seventh.

Chicago 6, Texas 5--Harold Baines homered for the second consecutive game and James Baldwin won for the first time in the major leagues.

Tony Phillips went three for five, scored two runs and drove in two for Chicago, which finished a 6-2 trip to Kansas City, Oakland and Texas.

Baldwin (1-0), called up from the minor leagues to make the start, gave up one hit in the first four innings. Given a 6-0 lead, he stayed in during a five-run fifth--his error made two runs unearned--and left after the inning.