Steinbach’s Grand Slam Gives Oakland Victory

Terry Steinbach might have been the last player Detroit Manager Buddy Bell wanted to see batting for Oakland with the bases loaded in a tie game.

His fears proved real when Steinbach’s grand slam in the top of the 10th inning Monday night gave the Athletics an 8-4 victory over the Tigers at Detroit.

“He’s one of the best clutch hitters in the game,” Bell said. “He’s a tough out in that situation, and he’ll take what you give him.”

What Steinbach got was a 3-1 fastball from Tiger reliever Gregg Olson that Steinbach hit into the left-field seats for his seventh career grand slam. That ties him with Sal Bando for Oakland’s career best.

The slam was set up when Rafael Bournigal and Jason Giambi singled and Torey Lovullo was safe when Mike Myers (0-4) unsuccessfully tried to get Bournigal at third base on a sacrifice attempt.

Minnesota 6, New York 3--Left-hander Scott Aldred, released last month by the Detroit Tigers, held New York to five hits in 6 2/3 innings as the Twins won at New York.

Aldred (3-4), whose earned-run average was 9.35 with the pitching-poor Tigers but is 3.91 with the Twins, held the Yankees scoreless until the seventh, when he was relieved after Derek Jeter’s two-run double with two outs.

Minnesota jumped on rookie Ramiro Mendoza for three runs on five hits in the first inning and built a 5-0 lead before Bob Wickman, the second of four Yankee pitchers, replaced Mendoza in the fifth.

Scott Stahoviak doubled in the first run in the first and scored on Paul Molitor’s double. Marty Cordova singled home Molitor.

Milwaukee 9, Kansas City 4--Greg Vaughn homered to help build a 5-0 lead against Kevin Appier (5-7) and the Brewers waited out more than 2 1/2 hours in rain delays for the victory at Milwaukee.

Vaughn’s two-run homer gave Milwaukee a 5-0 lead in the third, when Appier twice left the mound as lightning lit up the sky.

Appier, who didn’t return for the fourth after an 87-minute rain delay, gave up six hits and five runs.