Wild Gooden, Tame Yankees Routed by Brewers

It was that kind of night for Dwight Gooden and the New York Yankees.

Gooden lost for the first time since May 26, and the Yankees were embarrassed in Milwaukee, 16-4, Thursday night.

How bad was it?

So bad that New York gave up its highest run total in four seasons.

So bad that Gooden gave up six hits and 10 runs (five earned), in 4 2/3 innings.

“Tonight was very frustrating,” said Gooden (9-5). “I wasn’t getting ahead, my mechanics were off at times. It just didn’t feel right.”

So bad that outfielder Mike Aldrete was the Yankees’ best pitcher. He threw a one-hit ninth inning, giving up a single to Mark Loretta in becoming the first non-pitcher to pitch for the Yankees since Alvaro Espinoza threw two-thirds of an inning on Aug. 6, 1991.

It was that kind of night.

Dave Nilsson, Pat Listach and Fernando Vina drove in three runs each for the Brewers, who also took advantage of Gooden’s eight walks, high for his career.

“I have to look at films, check things, see where I’m going wrong,” Gooden said. “I’m most concerned with the walks. I mean, 15 walks in two games. I’ve got to come up with some answers. I’ve got to go back out and get back to the basics.”

Scott Karl (9-5) gave up three runs and seven hits in seven-plus innings with four strikeouts.

Greg Vaughn drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly and a groundout, raising his league-leading RBI total to 90.

Milwaukee scored five unearned runs in a seven-run fifth to take a 10-1 lead. The Brewers had only three hits in the inning, but were aided by four walks and two errors by shortstop Derek Jeter.

Cleveland 5, Minnesota 4--Manny Ramirez and Eddie Murray led off the bottom of the ninth with successive homers, beating the Twins at Cleveland.

With Minnesota leading, 4-3, Ramirez connected against Dave Stevens for his 24th homer of the season. Murray, pinch-hitting for Jeromy Burnitz, then homered off Eddie Guardado (5-4), his 12th this season and the 491st of his career.

Oakland 5, Texas 4--Rafael Bournigal’s single with one out in the top of the 11th inning drove in Terry Steinbach from second base to give the Athletics a victory in Arlington, Texas.

Steinbach led off with a double just over the head of first baseman Rene Gonzales off Mark Brandenburg (1-2) and went to third on Jose Herrera’s sacrifice bunt. Bournigal, who singled in the go-ahead run for the Athletics in the ninth, then hit a soft liner to right to put Oakland ahead and give Carlos Reyes (5-10) the victory.

Kansas City 7, Chicago 1--Kevin Appier pitched six strong innings in his first start in two weeks and Craig Paquette drove in four runs for the Royals in a victory in Chicago.

Appier (8-7), sidelined since July 3 because of inflammation in his right biceps, gave up one run and three hits and struck out seven.

Baltimore 6, Boston 3--David Wells (6-9) won on the road for only the second time this season, and B.J. Surhoff and Chris Hoiles homered for the Orioles at Boston.

Wells had been 1-5 with a 7.04 earned-run average in seven road starts. He gave up three runs--two earned--and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, sending the Red Sox to only their second loss in eight games since the All-Star break.

Toronto 8, Detroit 4--Joe Carter’s two-run homer sparked a seven-run fourth inning for the Blue Jays, who got eight strong innings of pitching from Pat Hentgen at Toronto.

Hentgen (10-6), who won for the fourth time in his last five decisions, gave up four runs--two earned--and four hits.