No Belle, but Same Prize for Cleveland

Albert who?

The Cleveland Indians don’t miss Albert Belle. At least not yet. They’re doing just fine without their former slugger.

“I became resigned to the fact that Albert Belle was a White Sox player a long time ago,” Indian Manager Mike Hargrove said after Cleveland defeated Chicago, 10-4, Monday at Chicago in Belle’s first game against his former team.

“The White Sox were good before Albert signed and they’re a good team after Albert signed,” Hargrove said. “We didn’t come here to play Albert. We came here to play the White Sox.”

Belle got a mixed greeting--there were scattered boos--at Comiskey Park, where there was a sizable contingent of Cleveland fans among the 26,383.

“The people of Cleveland don’t much like Albert Belle. But personally, I like Albert. He’s not a bad guy,” Hargrove said.

The Indians scored six runs in the second and Orel Hershiser survived a shaky first to go seven strong innings.

Belle, after going 0 for 3 against Hershiser, did extend his hitting streak to 21 games--matching a career high--with an eighth-inning single off Jose Mesa. He also had two groundouts and a strikeout.

When Belle reached first after his hit, he had a conversation with Indian first baseman Jim Thome.

“I won’t tell you what I said to him, but it was all in fun,” Thome said. “Albert and I were close. We were friends and we are still friends. He is a very great player. Once we continue to play them, I think all this [hype] will go away. I really do.”

Toronto 8, Texas 1--Roger Clemens became the American League’s first nine-game winner, giving up four hits in seven innings to lead the Blue Jays over the Rangers at Toronto.

Clemens (9-0) gave up one run, struck out seven and walked four, lowering his league-leading earned-run average to 1.81. His best start was 14-0 in 1986.

Toronto’s offense, which has struggled all season, matched its season high in runs--doing that in the first two innings--and hits (13).

Ruben Sierra went three for three, and Ed Sprague and Orlando Merced homered.

Juan Gonzalez hit his eighth homer in the fourth. Paul Quantrill followed Clemens with one-hit relief.

Baltimore 8, New York 6--Brady Anderson homered on the first pitch of the game from Andy Pettitte, then doubled off the Yankee ace during a six-run seventh inning as the Orioles defeated the Yankees at New York.

The Orioles were 4-14 against the Yankees last season, including the loss in five games in the AL championship series. But AL East-leading Baltimore won the first meeting this year, withManager Davey Johnson was ejected in his return from a two-day absence caused by a family illness.

B.J. Surhoff had three hits and drove in three runs for Baltimore. His single began the seventh, Anderson’s two-run double tied it, 6-6, and finished Pettitte. Surhoff’s two-out, two-run single off Graeme Lloyd capped the comeback.

Boston 3, Milwaukee 2--Tim Naehring hit a two-run double with one out in the ninth inning as the Red Sox rallied for the victory at Boston.

Blanked on two hits through the first seven innings by Milwaukee starter Ben McDonald, the Red Sox scored one in the eighth, and two more in the ninth off Doug Jones (3-1) for only their fifth victory in 20 games.

Mike Matheny hit a two-run home run for Milwaukee, which has lost eight of its last 10 road games.

Wil Cordero and Mo Vaughn hit singles to open the ninth off Jones, who entered the game 11 for 11 in save opportunities. Reggie Jefferson grounded to first to move up Cordero and pinch-runner Jeff Frye.

After Brewer Manager Phil Garner visited Jones, Naehring doubled off the wall in left-center on the right-hander’s next pitch.

Seattle 13, Minnesota 8--Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner both homered twice and Joey Cora extended his hitting streak 21 games as the Mariners outlasted the Twins at Minneapolis.

Martinez hit a pair of three-run homers and Buhner connected on two solo shots as the Mariners won for only the third time in 11 games. Cora led off the game with a homer and Russ Davis added a solo homer in the ninth for Seattle.

Twin Greg Myers homered and Rich Becker went three for three.

After the Twins had trimmed Seattle’s lead to 6-5 in the fourth, Buhner hit his first homer of the day in the fifth.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Edgar Martinez

Team: Seattle

Performance: 3 for 5, 6 RBIs, 2 homers

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Jay Buhner

Team: Seattle

Performance: 2 for 5, 2 RBIs, 2 homers

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Brady Anderson

Team: Baltimore

Performance: 2 for 5, 3 RBIs, double, homer

Team’s Result: Win

PITCHING

Player: Roger Clemens

Team: Toronto

Performance: 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 run in ninth victory

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Kevin Appier

Team: Kansas City

Performance: 9 innings, 5 hits, 0 earned runs, 10 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Loss

*

Player: Ben McDonald

Team: Milwaukee

Performance: 7 1/3 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 11 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Loss