Orioles Make History in Cutting Lead to 2 1/2

The Baltimore Orioles had their priorities in order Sunday after passing one New York Yankee team and pulling closer to another.

The Orioles moved within 2 1/2 games of first-place New York in the AL East and broke the single-season home-run record by the 1961 Yankees in a 16-6 rout of the Tigers at Detroit.

Cal Ripken homered twice and Bobby Bonilla hit a grand slam for the Orioles. Brady Anderson started the game with a homer and Mark Parent also homered for Baltimore. The latter was the Orioles’ 241st, breaking the mark of 240 held by Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle and the 1961 Yankees.

Seattle 7, Minnesota 0--Paul Molitor grounded out three times, leaving him two hits short of 3,000, as the Mariners defeated the Twins at Minneapolis. Salomon Torres (2-2) pitched a two-hitter for his first career shutout.

Texas 6, Milwaukee 2--Mark McLemore and Mickey Tettleton homered as the Rangers defeated the Brewers at Arlington, Texas, ending the Rangers’ four-game losing streak on the day the team retired Nolan Ryan’s number.

Oakland 10, Cleveland 9--Geronimo Berroa scored on Kenny Lofton’s throwing error in the top of the 10th inning as the Athletics ended the Indians’ six-game winning streak at Cleveland.

Berroa singled off Jose Mesa (2-7) and Brian Lesher walked. Lofton picked up Terry Steinbach’s single in center and tried to get Lesher at second, but Omar Vizquel couldn’t handle the throw.

Boston 9, Chicago 8--Frank Thomas homered in his first three at-bats, becoming the White Sox career home run leader, but the Red Sox won at Boston on Troy O’Leary’s single with two outs in the ninth inning.

Thomas hit solo home runs in the first, third and fifth innings against Tim Wakefield. His first was his 215th, breaking the team record of 214 set by Carlton Fisk.

Toronto 3, New York 1--Woody Williams (4-3) gave up five hits in eight innings at Toronto and Joe Carter drove in two runs as the Blue Jays stopped the Yankees’ five-game winning streak.