Alomar, Indians End Slumps at Same Time

With one swing, Sandy Alomar ended a long slump and a long game and made it seem like old times at Jacobs Field.

Alomar, in a 16-for-91 slide, hit a two-run homer in the 12th inning Friday night to give the Cleveland Indians a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

It was Alomar’s seventh homer of the season, but his first since June 30.

“Definitely, I was way overdue,” Alomar said.

So were the Indians, who had finished a nine-game trip by losing four of five, including two in a row to the Angels.

“Sandy and the ballclub needed this,” Manager Mike Hargrove said. “This is the kind of game we need to win.”

Brian Giles singled with one out in the 12th, and Alomar connected one out later off Richie Lewis (3-6) to give the Indians their 14th final at-bat win of the season.

Cleveland starter Charles Nagy was brilliant for nine innings but got another no-decision. Nagy, 1-3 with seven no-decisions and a 3.39 earned-run average since June 15, gave up five hits, struck out seven and walked three.

Seattle 6, New York 5--Ken Griffey Jr. reached the 100-RBI mark, scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and threw out Cecil Fielder at the plate in leading the Mariners at New York.

The crowd of 50,724 was the Yankees’ largest for a weeknight game in eight years.

Texas 5, Kansas City 3--The Rangers matched a season high with its seventh consecutive victory as Juan Gonzalez homered and John Burkett won his second start since being acquired in a trade with the Florida Marlins on Aug. 8.

Burkett (2-0) gave up two runs and five hits and four walks in 7 1/3 innings at Arlington, Texas. The right-hander pitched a six-hitter in a 6-0 victory over Toronto in his Ranger debut on Sunday.

Minnesota 6, Toronto 4--Dave Hollins doubled home the winning run in the 10th inning at Minneapolis as the Twins won for the 10th time in 12 games.

Milwaukee 9-3, Chicago 7-2--Tim VanEgmond scattered five hits over seven-plus innings at Milwaukee as the Brewers completed their first doubleheader sweep in three years.

In the first game, Frank Thomas couldn’t catch a routine throw at first base and the error led to a three-run eighth inning for the Brewers, who stopped a nine-game losing skid and avoided a franchise-record 10th consecutive loss at home.

Baltimore 14-5, Oakland 3-4--Rafael Palmeiro knocked in his eighth run of the doubleheader with a double in the 10th inning to give the Orioles a sweep at Oakland.

Eddie Murray hit his 498th career homer and 19th of the season in the second game.

In the first game, the Orioles did more of their late-game magic.

The Orioles, who scored 15 of their 18 runs in the final three innings Thursday night, scored all 14 of their runs in the final three innings.

Palmeiro matched his career high with six RBIs in the first game.