Carter Overpowers McGwire-less A’s

With Mark McGwire resting his aching back, Joe Carter took over the home run spotlight at SkyDome.

Carter became the third player to homer to the stadium’s fifth deck, hitting a three-run drive Saturday to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Carter’s homer off John Wasdin (6-3) traveled an estimated 483 feet.

McGwire, who on Thursday hit the longest home run ever at SkyDome--a 488-foot shot to the seventh row of the fifth deck--didn’t play because of back spasms.

Geronimo Berroa extended the Athletics’ streak of home runs in consecutive games to 23, two short of the major-league record set by the Yankees in 1941 and tied by Detroit two years ago.

Seattle 13, Detroit 7--Ken Griffey Jr. homered twice and became the Mariners’ career RBI leader during a rout of the Tigers at Seattle.

Griffey increased his home run total to 31 with his sixth multi-homer game this season and 20th of his career. He has eight homers in 14 games since coming off the disabled list July 14.

He had four RBIs for a career total of 669, two more than Alvin Davis’ Mariner total.

Cecil Fielder, Tony Clark, Mark Parent and Bobby Higginson homered for the Tigers.

Baltimore 14, Cleveland 2--The Orioles scored 10 runs off Orel Hershiser, including a grand slam by Rafael Palmeiro, and ended a five-game losing streak by routing the Indians at Baltimore.

Hershiser (10-7) gave up a career-high 10 earned runs, 11 hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings.

Texas 6, Chicago 4--Lee Stevens tripled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning as the Rangers rallied at Chicago.

Pinch-hitter Kurt Stillwell drew a leadoff walk from Bill Simas (0-7) in the 10th and Stevens lined his hit off the fence in right field. Stevens scored on Kevin Elster’s 10th sacrifice fly of the season.

New York 5, Kansas City 4--Darryl Strawberry capped a four-run third inning with an RBI-single and Kenny Rogers (7-5) gave up six hits in six innings as the Yankees defeated Kansas City at New York.

Boston 9, Minnesota 5--Arquimedez Pozo, making his first major league start, hit a bases-loaded triple with two out in the ninth to lead the Red Sox at Minneapolis.

Tom Gordon (8-5) gave up five runs and struck out six over eight innings. Dan Naulty (3-1) took the loss.