Hershiser Keeps Indians Ahead

Three-game difference going in. Three-game difference coming out.

The much-hyped series between Cleveland and Chicago proved only that the Indians remain the team to beat and that the White Sox have the ability to hang around in the Central race.

“The only way it would have been a big series is if somebody would have [swept],” said Orel Hershiser, who gave up five hits over eight innings to earn his fifth straight win and lead Cleveland to a 4-2 victory Sunday at Chicago. “But now that we’ve gone 2-2 . . . it makes it just another series in the middle of the year. I think we’re going to have to battle them all season.”

There are splits and there are splits, however, and this one favored the Indians. They were within two outs Saturday of falling into a first-place tie with the White Sox. Instead, they rallied to win that game in 10 innings, won again Sunday and exited the series the same way they entered it--three games up in the Central Division.

The Indians can put some distance between themselves and the White Sox when the teams meet for another four-game series next weekend at Cleveland, where Chicago is 4-11 since Jacobs Field opened in 1994.

“We have [82] games to go yet and only four against Cleveland,” said Kevin Tapani (8-5). “We have to play them well, because we don’t have many more chances.”

Seattle 4, Texas 3--Sterling Hitchcock was staked to an early four-run lead and Edgar Martinez hit two more doubles as the Mariners beat the Rangers at Seattle.

By winning two out of three games in the weekend series, the Mariners cut first-place Texas’ lead to five games in the West.

Hitchcock (7-3) gave up only one hit through five innings before giving up three runs and four hits in the sixth.

Baltimore 9, New York 1--David Wells pitched a four-hitter and Brady Anderson hit his 27th home run as the Orioles beat the Yankees at New York.

Baltimore salvaged a split of the four-game series between the top two teams in the East and cut the Yankees’ lead to 4 1/2 games.

Minnesota 5, Kansas City 2--Rookie Matt Lawton hit his first career grand slam and Frank Rodriguez won his third straight game as the Twins beat the Royals for the ninth time in 10 games at Kansas City.

Lawton, who hit a two-run homer Saturday night, hit his second of the season on a 3-2 pitch after the Twins had loaded the bases in the third. He has seven RBIs in his last two games.

Toronto 15, Milwaukee 2--Erik Hanson, backed by three home runs, pitched seven strong innings as the Blue Jays ended a three-game losing streak by beating the Brewers at Toronto.

After giving up two runs in the first, Hanson (8-9) faced one batter over the the minimum through the next six innings. He gave up two runs and five hits.

Boston 9, Detroit 4--Reggie Jefferson homered twice and had his second consecutive three-hit game as the Red Sox beat the Tigers for the third straight game at Boston.