Orioles, Indians Wrap Up Offensive Series, 13-10

Don’t leave the ballpark early when the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles get together.

Another tight game degenerated into batting practice when Baltimore defeated the Indians, 13-10, Monday night to split a zany four-game series at Cleveland.

One night after the Indians scored 11 runs with two outs in the eighth inning, Baltimore put up four in the seventh and six in the eighth to blow this one open. Then, starter David Wells (9-10) watched nervously as the Indians scored six runs in the ninth inning but fell short.

“I was just saying, ‘Come on, guys,’ ” Wells said. “After watching the game [Sunday], I didn’t think it could happen twice.”

Chris Hoiles homered and drove in four runs, and Roberto Alomar went four for six to raise his average to .355.

The Orioles tied a season high with 21 hits in the three-hour, 54-minute game. There were 16 home runs in the four-game series--10 by Cleveland.

The Orioles won the game, but lost one of their best relievers. Arthur Rhodes re-injured his shoulder, and he and Manager Davey Johnson agreed the left-hander will probably be out for the rest of the season.

Chicago 15, Texas 5--Wilson Alvarez won for the 12th time in his last 17 starts and Robin Ventura hit a three-run homer at Arlington, Texas.

Alvarez (14-5) won his fourth consecutive decision, surviving a fourth-inning grand slam by Kevin Elster as the White Sox won three games of the four-game series.

The left-hander gave up five runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking four.

Texas, which has lost five of its last eight, leads the West by only one game over Seattle.

New York 5, Kansas City 2--Jimmy Key won for the seventh time in nine decisions and Derek Jeter had four hits as the Yankees rallied at Kansas City.

Key (9-8) gave up two runs--one earned--in six innings, struck out three and walked two.

Key came out after his left index finger became irritated. Mariano Rivera pitched two innings and John Wetteland finished for his 38th save in 41 chances.

Boston 3, Toronto 1--Tim Wakefield pitched a six-hitter for his third complete game and the Red Sox scored three unearned runs off Juan Guzman at Boston.

Wakefield (9-10) retired the first 10 batters and had a two-hit shutout until the seventh inning, when John Olerud hit a home run.

Guzman (9-7) improved his league-leading earned-run average to 2.73, getting the loss on three unearned runs in seven innings.

Milwaukee 13, Oakland 3--Mike Matheny hit a grand slam and four other Brewers also homered at Oakland.

Mark McGwire and Terry Steinbach picked up on the theme for Oakland too, McGwire with his major league-high 39th homer and Steinbach with his 27th, but the A’s were otherwise stymied.

Jeff Cirillo, Marc Newfield, Mark Loretta and Jose Valentin also homered for the Brewers, who scored six times in the second inning and again in the seventh.