Elster Runs Rangers to 3-2 Victory Over Indians

Kevin Elster scored from first base on Darryl Hamilton’s double, sliding under catcher Sandy Alomar’s tag in the ninth inning Monday night to give the Texas Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians at Arlington, Texas.

In the ninth, Lou Frazier singled with one out off Jack McDowell and stole second base on a pitchout. Frazier got caught off second by shortstop Omar Vizquel on Elster’s grounder for the second out.

Hamilton then doubled down the right-field line. Right fielder Manny Ramirez chased the ball down and threw to second baseman Carlos Baerga, whose relay to the plate arrived as Elster slid beneath Alomar.

“I saw that Elster got a good jump,” Alomar said. “The throw was a little toward the first base line and I couldn’t sit out in front of the runner without the ball.”

Roger Pavlik pitched a six-hitter for the Rangers, striking out five to improve to 7-1.

Dean Palmer’s solo home run off McDowell, his 13th, tied it, 2-2, with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Kenny Lofton’s two-out run-scoring single in the top of the inning had given the Indians a 2-1 lead. Alomar singled with one out, took second on a groundout and scored when Lofton bounced a single through the left side.

The Rangers are expected to activate outfielder Juan Gonzalez this week. Gonzalez, Texas’ lifetime home run leader, has been on the disabled list since May 9 because of a partially torn quadriceps muscle.

Toronto 5, Chicago 4--At Toronto, John Olerud hit a grand slam to help rookie Marty Janzen win his first major league start as the Blue Jays ended the White Sox’s eight-game winning streak.

Janzen, whose first two victories came in relief, struck out three and walked four as the Blue Jays ended a three-game losing streak.

Olerud hit the second grand slam of his career in the third inning to back Janzen, who gave up three runs and five hits in seven innings.

Mike Timlin gave up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Dave Martinez with two outs in the ninth, but struck out Frank Thomas with runners on first and third bases for his eighth save.

Olerud’s ninth homer of the year came off Alex Fernandez.

Boston 10, Oakland 3--Jose Malave had four runs batted in, including his first major league home run, and Troy O’Leary added a three-run homer as the Red Sox continued their mastery of the Athletics by winning at Oakland.

“You can’t feel better than this,” said Malave, who was called up from the minors last Thursday. He had a two-run homer, a two-run double and a single in five at-bats. “It was great.”

Tim Wakefield pitched an eight-hitter, striking out seven, to get his first complete game since last Aug. 8.

Kansas City 5, Detroit 4--The Tigers’ losing streak was stretched to 12 games, the team’s longest in seven seasons. They wasted a two-run lead in the ninth inning and fell to the Royals in 13 innings at Kansas City.

Bip Roberts singled home the winning run after Sal Falsano led off the 13th with a single and moved to second on David Howard’s sacrifice.

Detroit, which has lost 32 of 36, led, 4-2, in the ninth but made three errors, including two on one play by third baseman Travis Fryman.