McGwire Hits 48th; Cone Loses

Mark McGwire hit his major league-leading 48th home run and reached 100 RBIs as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Kansas City Royals, 13-6, Saturday at Oakland.

McGwire hit a three-run homer that highlighted a five-run seventh inning. He made it to the 100-RBI mark for the fourth time in his career and first since 1992.

The A’s had a season-high 19 hits, including four by Tony Batista and three by Scott Brosius.

The A’s overcame an early 4-0 deficit, scoring three times in the fourth inning and three in the fifth. Jason Giambi’s single drove in McGwire in the fifth, putting Oakland ahead for good at 5-4.

Ariel Prieto (5-7) gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings.

Toronto 3, New York 2--David Cone didn’t flirt with a no-hitter this time. He got smacked as soon as he took the mound at New York.

Cone (5-2), who pitched seven no-hit innings earlier in the week in his return from shoulder surgery, gave up three runs and three hits on his first five pitches.

Otis Nixon doubled to left-center on Cone’s second pitch of the night, Shawn Green hit the next pitch to nearly the same spot for an RBI double, and Joe Carter connected two pitches later for his 28th homer.

Texas 2, Milwaukee 1--Ken Hill and four relievers combined on a four-hitter at Milwaukee.

Hill (15-8) won his fourth consecutive road decision, giving up one run and three hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Ivan Rodriguez, who had three hits, led off the Texas sixth with an infield single. Will Clark singled and, after Juan Gonzalez flied out, Dean Palmer grounded an RBI single to left field for a 2-1 lead.

Chicago 4, Boston 3--Alex Fernandez outpitched Roger Clemens and White Sox right fielder Dave Martinez made a game-saving catch with two outs in the ninth inning at Chicago.

Fernandez (13-9) gave up five hits in 7 2/3 innings, walked two and struck out five.

Reliever Roberto Hernandez gave up two runs in the ninth and got his 36th save when Martinez, who began the game in center field, made a diving catch down the right-field line for the final out.

Clemens (8-12) gave up seven hits, but one of them was a two-run homer by Danny Tartabull, the first homer off the Boston right-hander in 68 innings.

Baltimore 6, Detroit 0--Mike Mussina pitched the Orioles’ first shutout of the season, matching his career high with his 19th win, at Baltimore.

Mussina (19-9) pitched a six-hitter and struck out a season-high 11 for his 11th career shutout and fourth complete game of the year. He retired 13 consecutive batters and one points.

Bobby Bonilla hit his 25th homer during a four-run first inning. Brady Anderson reached 100 RBIs with a run-scoring double in the eighth.