Stiffness Ends McDonald’s No-Hit Bid

Milwaukee’s Ben McDonald may never again get so close to throwing a no-hitter.

McDonald pitched six hitless innings against his former team before leaving with a stiff right shoulder and ex-Oriole Jack Voigt homered Friday night as the Brewers handed Baltimore its fourth consecutive loss, 3-1.

McDonald (8-6) threw 62 pitches, facing one batter over the minimum before departing at Baltimore. The only batter to reach base was ex-Brewer B.J. Surhoff, who was hit by a pitch in the second inning and immediately erased on a fielder’s choice.

“A no-hitter would not be important to me right now if I have to turn around and miss two starts later down the road,” McDonald said. “It’s not about one game. It’s not about one start. It’s about making 35 starts, like I did last year.”

Still, it wasn’t easy walking off the mound in the middle of a brilliant performance in front of many of the fans who cheered for him while he pitched for Baltimore from 1989-95.

“I’m a little disappointed, but I look at it as a maturing process,” McDonald said. “Six or seven years ago I’d probably have kept pitching and probably irritated it to the point where I’d have to miss two or three starts or go on the disabled list or really make it worse than what it is.”

Milwaukee Manager Phil Garner wasn’t about to let that happen.

“He had quite a bit of stiffness. I wouldn’t say a little; I wouldn’t take him out if it was just a little,” Garner said. “He said he probably could go another inning. I didn’t want to take a chance and I took him out.”

Rafael Palmeiro ended the no-hit bid with a one-out single in the seventh off Mike Fetters, who gave up three hits in 1 1/3 innings, including a run-scoring double by pinch-hitter Tony Tarasco in the eighth.

Ron Villone got two outs and former Oriole Doug Jones worked the ninth for his 21st save, finishing off the combined three-hitter.

New York 3, Detroit 0--Andy Pettitte extended his shutout streak to 22 innings, and Tino Martinez hit his 30th homer at New York as the Yankees extended their win streak over the Tigers to nine.

Pettitte (10-5), coming off a six-hit shutout at Toronto, gave up six hits in seven innings, struck out four and walked one. His shutout streak is the longest by a Yankee starter since Jimmy Key had 23 scoreless innings in 1993.

‘Anybody can go out there and pitch when you have everything working for you,” Pettitte said. “It was a battle. You just have to figure what’s working in which inning.”

Martinez, who homered against Detroit for the second consecutive night, is tied for second in the majors with Ken Griffey Jr., one behind Oakland’s Mark McGwire.

“I’m not going to think about what I have numbers-wise,” Martinez said. “I’m not going to get caught up in it.”

Jeff Nelson pitched a perfect eighth and Mariano Rivera a hitless ninth for his 28th save in 34 chances. Detroit was shut out for the seventh time, tying the Tigers with the Yankees and Chicago Cubs for the major league lead.

Toronto 8, Boston 4--Pat Hentgen pitched his league-leading eighth complete game, finishing off the Red Sox after the collapse of the Boston bullpen cost Steve Avery his first win since April.

Carlos Delgado matched his career-high with five runs batted in, hitting a three-run homer in the ninth.

Hentgen (9-6) gave up 11 hits to end a personal three-game losing streak. The defending AL Cy Young Award winner walked four and struck out two while giving up three earned runs.

John Wasdin (3-4) gave up four runs, one of them earned, on four hits, striking out two in 1 1/3 innings. He spoiled a fine outing by Avery, who was making his second start since spending two months on the disabled list because of a left groin strain.

“[Avery] was throwing every pitch for a strike, but after he left we just kept swinging,” Delgado said. “We got a couple of big hits. Next thing you know, it was a tie game.”

Avery gave up three runs and seven hits, striking out seven and walking two in 7 1/3 innings.

Chicago 6, Kansas City 2--The Royals lost their 10th consecutive game, one short of the team record, as Frank Thomas’ three-run homer led the White Sox at Kansas City.

The loss was the second consecutive for Kansas City Manager Tony Muser, who replaced the fired Bob Boone on Wednesday.

As hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs, Muser endured an 0-14 start this season.

Did he learn anything during that streak that might help the Royals get back on track?

“The first thing that comes to mind is I hated it,” Muser said. “It’s not a fun thing to go through. But sometimes in this game, it seems like tendencies happen. It seems like each game has its own similarities from the night before. It’s an ‘Oh, here we go again feeling’. “

Muser did not have much luck with his very first trip to the mound. He brought in Mike Perez to replace starter Jose Rosado with two on and two outs in the seventh inning, and Perez, an eight-year veteran recalled from triple-A Omaha earlier in the day, gave up a 427-foot home run to Thomas to give the White Sox a 6-2 lead.

The Royals, who haven’t won since June 27, are one defeat away from tying their club record of 11 consecutive losses in 1986.

“You look around, and you see bewilderment on everybody’s face,” Kansas City outfielder Bip Roberts said. “When is this thing going to end? It seems like a time warp. It keeps going daily, daily, daily.”

Wilson Alvarez (8-6), who hasn’t lost since May 28, won his fifth consecutive decision. He went seven innings, giving up seven hits and two runs with one walk and no strikeouts.

Cleveland 5, Minnesota 1--Fill-in starter Jason Jacome pitched five effective innings and Marquis Grissom hit a two-run homer to lead the Indians at Minneapolis.

Jacome (1-0) pitched in place of Brian Anderson, who has an injured left elbow. In his second start of the season, Jacome gave up one run and five hits. He walked none and struck out one.

“I’m really excited that I got to go out there and finally do something for the team,” said Jacome, who last pitched on June 29. “I’ve just been sitting around the last couple of weeks and not contributing.”

Grissom homered in the third off Rich Robertson (7-7). It was Grissom’s third homer of the season and first since May 7.

Cleveland’s Sandy Alomar, who went hitless Thursday and ended his 30-game hitting streak, again went zero for four.

Jose Mesa, who relieved Jacome in the sixth, pitched three scoreless innings and struck out four.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result Carlos Delgado Toronto 3 for 3, 2 runs, 5 RBIs, triple, home run Win Frank Thomas Chicago 2 for 4, run, 3 RBIs, double, home run Win Tino Martinez New York 1 for 3, run, RBI, 30th home run Win

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result Ben McDonald Milwaukee 6 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 4 strikeouts Win Andy Pettitte New York 7 innings, 6 hits, 0 runs, 4 strikeouts Win Wilson Alvarez Chicago 7 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk Win

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