Johnson’s Two-Hitter Leads Mariners

There can be no doubts about Randy Johnson’s back now.

Johnson pitched a two-hitter and Ken Griffey Jr. hit his major league-leading 25th home run Monday night as the Mariners beat the Blue Jays, 3-0, at Seattle.

Pitching on the seventh anniversary of his only no-hitter, Johnson (8-1) didn’t give up a hit until Alex Gonzalez’s one-out, bloop single to center in the sixth that Griffey couldn’t get to.

After Gonzalez was caught stealing, Johnson surrendered a single to Tilson Brito before striking out Otis Nixon to end the inning.

Johnson struck out nine and walked three in his 12th start since undergoing back surgery Sept. 12. The 133-pitch performance was his first complete game since going the distance in the one-game divisional playoff against the Angels on Oct. 2, 1995.

Johnson has won three in a row, including a four-hit, 15-strikeout performance in eight innings against Texas in his previous start, since having a 16-game winning streak broken in Baltimore on May 2.

Johnson recorded his second career two-hitter to go with two one-hitters. His no-hitter came in a 2-0 victory against Detroit in the Kingdome on June 2, 1990.

Chicago 8, Milwaukee 5--The White Sox knew the odds had to turn in their favor sometime. Rookie Mike Cameron made sure it happened at Milwaukee.

Cameron’s two-run double highlighted a three-run ninth inning that gave the White Sox a win over the Brewers.

With the score tied, 5-5, in the ninth, Frank Thomas singled with one out. Albert Belle then flied out, ending his career-best hitting streak at 27 games.

But Lyle Mouton singled and Cameron hit an 0-2 pitch from Doug Jones (3-2) into the right-field corner to make it 7-5.

“It was a real tough situation,” Cameron said. “I wasn’t really looking for any pitch. I just wanted to go up and see the ball and try and put it in play.”

Jones said he didn’t put the ball where he wanted.

“It was supposed to be a fastball out of the zone and it got too much of the plate,” he said.

Ozzie Guillen, who had a pinch-hit single in the seventh, added an RBI single to close out the scoring and give Roberto Hernandez an insurance run as the White Sox avoided being swept in the four-game series.

New York 5, Red Sox 2--Neither David Wells nor Paul O’Neill has had much success at Fenway Park.

Looks like they’ve both turned their luck around.

O’Neill went three for four and drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, and Wells pitched seven solid innings.

“Getting one here, period, is exciting for me. I’ve pitched very poorly in Fenway. It’s just a battle for me,” said Wells, who had been 6-14 in Boston. “Any time I win here, I have to celebrate with a bottle of champagne. There’s something about this place. I hate it. This stadium is not made for me.”

The Yankees won the last three games of the series after losing the opener, 10-4. Since Saturday, O’Neill is eight for 16 with eight RBIs. Previously, he was batting .242 at Fenway.

“It doesn’t matter where you hit,” he said. “Sometimes you’re hitting good. Sometimes you’re not. That’s baseball.”

Detroit 8, Oakland 7--Bob Hamelin homered and drove in three runs and rookie Deivi Cruz hit his first major league homer as the Tigers outlasted the Athletics at Oakland.

The surprising Tigers have won seven of 10, while the A’s lost for the seventh time in nine home games.

Mark McGwire hit his 21st homer of the season and the 350th of his career for Oakland.

Brian Moehler (4-4) pitched six strong innings to win his second consecutive start over Oakland. Moehler gave up four runs and seven hits before leaving with a 7-3 lead after giving up two singles to start the seventh.

Cleveland at Baltimore, ppd.--Rain washed out the game between the Orioles and the Indians for a second consecutive day. No makeup date was set. The Indians return to Baltimore Sept. 15-16.

AL Notes

New York Yankee free agent rookie pitcher Hideki Irabu, signed from Japan, threw 45 pitches in a simulated game in Tampa, Fla. He worked three simulated innings of 15 pitches each, facing nine batters and a 10th, who took one pitch. He gave up one hit, struck out one and walked two. . . . Seattle outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., the major league home run leader with 25, leads American League players in early fan balloting for the All-Star game. . . . Texas Ranger TV voice Mark Holtz will miss the rest of this season as doctors treat him for a life-threatening bone marrow disease.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Paul O’Neill

Team: New York

Performance: 3 for 4, 2 RBIs, 1 run

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Ivan Rodriguez

Team: Texas

Performance: 3 for 5, 2 RBIs, 1 HR, 2 runs

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Dave Martinez

Team: Chicago

Performance: 1 for 2, 1 HR, 3 RBIs

Team’s Result: Win

PITCHING

Player: Randy Johnson

Team: Seattle

Performance: 9 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 9 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Darren Oliver

Team: Texas

Performance: 8 innings, 5 hits, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: David Wells

Team: New York

Performance: 7 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 7 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win