Strawberry Wins It With 300th Homer

Darryl Strawberry picked the perfect spot for his 300th career home run.

“I just happened to be up in that situation,” Strawberry said after his two-run homer in the ninth Sunday carried the New York Yankees to a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals at New York.

Strawberry’s homer, his third since joining the Yankees on July 7, came off Jason Jacome (0-3) following a leadoff walk to Tino Martinez.

“There were times when I never thought I’d get to that,” Strawberry said.

Strawberry, in a six-for-30 slump, sent a full-count pitch into the right-center field bleachers. It was his first homer in 48 at-bats since July 13, when he connected twice at Baltimore.

“I was just trying to find my stroke,” Strawberry said. “I don’t know where it’s been for the last two or 2 1/2 weeks.”

On the 3-and-1 pitch, Strawberry swung at what appeared to be ball four and fouled it off.

“That’s OK; he wasn’t up there to walk,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said.

Toronto 1, Oakland 0--Pat Hentgen pitched a three-hit shutout at Toronto for his fifth consecutive victory

Hentgen (12-6) stopped Oakland’s string of games with at least one home run at 23, two shy of the major league record set by the New York Yankees in 1941 and tied by Detroit two seasons ago. The A’s hit 50 homers in the streak.

Carlos Delgado’s 18th homer accounted for the game’s only run.

Cleveland 6, Baltimore 3--Jim Thome hit a three-run homer in the 13th inning after Kenny Lofton made a game-saving catch in the 12th as the Indians beat the Orioles at Baltimore.

Casey Candaele also homered for the Indians, who won three of four from Baltimore and improved to 12-6 since the All-Star break.

Chicago 5, Texas 1--Alex Fernandez pitched eight strong innings, and Ron Karkovice and Tony Phillips homered as the White Sox beat the Rangers at Chicago.

Fernandez gave up an unearned run, scattered five hits, struck out four and walked one. After a one hour, three minute rain delay in the bottom of the eighth, Roberto Hernandez finished with a perfect ninth.

Texas lost for the seventh time in 11 games.

Minnesota 9, Boston 8--Rick Aguilera won consecutive starts for the first time in more than nine years, and the Twins took advantage of six unearned runs off Aaron Sele to beat the Red Sox at Minneapolis.

Arquimedez Pozo pulled Boston within a run in the ninth, hitting a grand slam off Eddie Guardado for his first career home run. It was the 13th career at-bat for Pozo, who won Saturday’s game with a three-run triple in the ninth.

John Valentin then singled off Dan Naulty but Mo Vaughn grounded into a double play. Naulty got his fourth save when Kevin Mitchell flied out.

Detroit 14, Seattle 6--Cecil Fielder homered twice and drove in five runs, and Melvin Nieves and Tony Clark also homered as the Tigers won at Seattle.

Omar Olivares (5-7) won for the first time since June 25, ending his four-game losing streak. He gave up 10 hits.