Belle’s Grand Slam Gives Indians a 4-2 Victory

Albert Belle hit a grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning Wednesday night, giving the Indians a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland.

Belle’s 36th home run increased his runs batted in total to 103, his fifth consecutive season with 100 or more. It was Belle’s sixth career grand slam.

Cleveland, which stranded 10 runners in the first eight innings, got a leadoff double in the ninth by pinch-hitter Jeromy Burnitz off Mike Timlin (0-4).

Jose Vizcaino flied out, and Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel walked, loading the bases. Bill Risley, activated before the game after recovering from right shoulder tendinitis, retired Jim Thome before giving up Belle’s homer in a game delayed over two hours because of rain after the second inning.

Paul Assenmacher (2-1) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings. The Indians have 28 come-from-behind victories this season and have won 12 games in their final at-bat.

Seattle 9, Milwaukee 3--Jay Buhner, Ken Griffey Jr., and Alex Rodriguez each homered twice and the Mariners hit seven home runs in a win over the Brewers at Milwaukee.

“Everybody just wants to contribute, however they can, from number one to number nine,” Griffey said. “And that’s the whole thing. Sometimes it’s the little things. Your home runs aren’t going to win every ballgame. They’ll win you a few, but the little things are what will win you all of them.”

Griffey, who now has 34 home runs, had the 21st multi-homer game of his short career and seventh this season.

Brian Hunter added another homer for the Mariners, who acquired lefty Terry Mulholland before the trading deadline. On Tuesday, Seattle got another pitcher, Jamie Moyer, from Boston on Tuesday.

“We needed pitching here,” Seattle Manager Lou Piniella said. “We got two experienced pitchers who can help us.”

Oakland 5, Chicago 4--Scott Brosius, Terry Steinbach and Damon Mashore each homered and the Athletics, playing without Mark McGwire for the fourth consecutive game, defeated the White Sox at Oakland.

Brosius tied the game, 4-4, in the eighth inning with a solo home run and then following walks to Steinbach and Tony Batista, Jason Giambi’s single was mishandled by Dave Martinez, allowing Steinbach to score the tie-breaking run.

Frank Thomas, sidelined since the All-Star game with a stress fracture of his left foot, returned to the Chicago lineup. He had a run scoring single in the fifth inning to give the White Sox a 4-1 lead.

Boston 5, Kansas City 3--Mike Stanley hit a tiebreaking two-run homer and Tim Wakefield took a four-hitter into the ninth inning as the Red Sox beat the Royals at Kansas City.

Wakefield gave up three runs and five hits in 8 1/3 innings, leaving after giving up a home run to Johnny Damon. Heathcliff Slocumb finished for his 15th save, giving Boston only its third win in 11 games.

Texas 9, New York 2--Juan Gonzalez tied a major-league record with his 15th homer in July, a three-run shot off Jimmy Key, and Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run homer to give the Rangers a win at Arlington, Tex.

In the third inning, Key walked two batters before Gonzalez gave give Texas a 3-0 lead with his 15th homer in July, tying a major-league record for homers in the month shared by Joe DiMaggio (1937), Hank Greenberg (1938), and Joe Adcock (1956).

Baltimore 9, Minnesota 3--Bobby Bonilla, involved in trade rumors all week, drove in four runs, two with a tie-breaking single in a six-run eighth inning, to lead the Orioles at Minneapolis.

Mike Mussina (12-8) gave up nine hits while pitching his third complete game of the season.