McGwire Registers 30 on Homer Scale

The earth shook the last time Mark McGwire and the Oakland Athletics played in San Francisco. This time, McGwire was the one making the stands move.

McGwire became the first player with 30 homers this season, hitting a three-run homer as Oakland beat the Giants, 8-1, Wednesday in the first regular-season game between the clubs.

Other than spring training exhibitions, it was the first game between the teams since the earthquake-interrupted 1989 World Series.

McGwire’s homer was his 359th. He hit a low outside pitch into the right-field stands.

“It was a golf swing that would have been a shank,” McGwire said. “When I hit it, it just got into the jet stream and took off.”

Baltimore 10, Philadelphia 6-- Utility infielder Jeff Reboulet broke a 4-4 tie with a three-run double in the seventh inning, leading the Orioles over the Phillies at Baltimore before a crowd of 47,785 that included the First Fan.

Before the game, President Clinton previewed three public-service announcements aimed at parents and scheduled for broadcast in time for the back-to-school season.

Baltimore hit six home runs in the series and outscored Philadelphia, 22-8. Philadelphia is 1-8 against the AL, the worst interleague record of any team.

Scott Rolen hit two homers and Ruben Amaro and Mike Leiberthal also homered for the Phillies.

Chicago Cubs 3, Kansas City 2--Mark Grace didn’t look like an all-star in the eighth inning when he made two errors.

But the Chicago first baseman, who was named a reserve, probably shouldn’t have been in the game anyway. Grace fouled a ball off his right ankle in the first inning but stayed in until the end of the game at Chicago.

Sammy Sosa hit a solo home to support Kevin Foster, leading the Cubs to their first three-game sweep this season.

Cincinnati 7, Milwaukee 4--Bret Boone emerged from the deepest slump of his career with a tie-breaking single in the fourth inning at Cincinnati that propelled the Reds to their first three-game sweep of the season.

The second baseman was 0 for 26 and hitless since June 11 when he came to bat with the score tied, 1-1, two out and runners at second and third in the fourth.

Detroit 9, New York Mets 7-- The Tigers hit three more home runs for a total of 14 in their three-game series against the Mets, completing a sweep at Detroit.

Tony Clark’s solo homer off the right-field roof in the seventh inning and Melvin Nieves’ 471-foot shot in the eighth punctuated Detroit’s outburst.

Pittsburgh 3, Chicago White Sox 1--Jason Schmidt’s five-hitter gave the Pirates their third well-pitched game in as many nights and completed a sweep of the slumping White Sox at Pittsburgh.

Frank Thomas and Albert Belle combined to go one for eight and were four for 20 with six strikeouts and two RBIs in the series.

Texas 9, Colorado 1--John Burkett pitched a four-hitter and Damon Buford hit a bases-loaded double to highlight a five-run fourth inning at Arlington, Texas.

Burkett (6-7) had one of his best performances this season and won for the first time since June 11. The right-hander walked one and struck out seven in his second complete game.

Burkett’s night didn’t start well. Eric Young tripled to open the game, then scored on a groundout by No. 2 hitter Quinton McCracken.

Houston 6, Cleveland 2--Mike Hampton won his fourth consecutive home game and hit a two-run triple in a five-run fifth inning at Houston.

The Indians’ Sandy Alomar extended his hitting streak to 28 games, longest in the major leagues this season. Alomar went three for four and is batting .426 with 15 RBIs in the streak. Houston had three triples to tie a club record.

Florida 3, Boston 2--Felix Heredia struck out Reggie Jefferson with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to preserve the Marlins’ victory at Boston.

Kevin Brown (8-5) scattered seven hits in his first six innings, but with one out in the seventh, Arquimedez Pozo hit a line drive that left fielder Billy McMillon misplayed into a double.

One out later, shortstop Edgar Renteria fumbled Darren Bragg’s grounder for an error, and John Valentin walked to load the bases. Heredia came on and fanned Jefferson on a 2-and-2 pitch in the dirt to end the threat.

St. Louis 2, Minnesota 1--Willie McGee’s home run with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning helped give the Cardinals a three-game sweep at Minneapolis.

St. Louis reached the .500 mark for the first time after an 0-6 start.

Toronto 7, Montreal 6--Joe Carter’s two-out single in the 13th inning enabled the Blue Jays to salvage the final game at Toronto in the first series between Canada’s two major league teams.

Carlos Garcia hit a one-out single in the 13th off Anthony Telford (2-2) for his first four-hit game as a Blue Jay.

Otis Nixon followed with a fielder’s choice groundout, erasing Garcia at second before Orlando Merced walked to chase Telford. Ugueth Urbina relieved and Carter blooped a 3-and-2 pitch to center in front of a hard-charging Rondell White to score Nixon without a throw.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Mark McGwire

Team: Oakland

Performance: 30th HR, 3 RBIs

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Sandy Alomar

Team: Cleveland

Performance: 3 for 4, 28-game hitting streak

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Scott Rolen

Team: Philadelphia

Performance: 2 for 5, 2 homers, 2 RBIs

Team’s Result: Loss

PITCHING

Player: Greg Maddux

Team: Atlanta

Performance: 9 innings, 3 hits, 8 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Jason Schmidt

Team: Pittsburgh

Performance: 9 innings, 5 hits, 10 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Alan Benes

Team: St. Louis

Performance: 8 innings, 5 hits, 10 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win