For Vaughn, the Hits Keep Coming

Mo Vaughn had another big night against Baltimore pitching, and this time his teammates joined in the fun.

Vaughn had three hits, including a tie-breaking homer in the eighth inning, and drove in four runs as the Boston Red Sox used 21 hits to beat the Orioles, 12-9, Thursday night at Baltimore for a sweep of the two-game series.

Geronimo Berroa hit a three-run homer and tied a career high with five runs batted in for the Orioles, who have lost eight of 10.

Boston, which began the game with five consecutive singles, matched its season high in hits. The Red Sox got 12 of them off Baltimore starter Scott Erickson.

“The Orioles have a good-hitting ballclub, so you need all the runs you can get,” said Vaughn, who hit .359 with five homers against the Orioles last season and has six home runs against Baltimore this season.

“I just get excited about playing in this park,” he said. “Plus, it’s always nice to play against top teams.”

Vaughn’s home run, which followed a single by Valentin, put Boston ahead, 9-7. The homer, measured at 425 feet, came on a 1-1 pitch from Jesse Orosco (2-2).

“That’s a good-hitting ballclub,” Oriole Manager Davey Johnson said.

“Last time I looked, they were leading the league in hitting.”

Oakland 11, Kansas City 3--Steve Karsay was pitching so well that he got a special exemption from the 80-pitch limit imposed on the A’s starters.

Karsay, backed by four homers, won his first game at home in nearly four years and became the first A’s starter to win in 18 games.

Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer and Scott Brosius added a two-run shot to highlight a six-run third at Oakland. Matt Stairs and Patrick Lennon also homered as the A’s won their third in a row to match their best streak of the season.

Kansas City has lost three in a row and 15 of 16, and tied a club record with its 11th consecutive road loss.

“Everyone is having some fun in games like today,” said Stairs, who had three RBIs. “Maybe we’re out of our slump.”

Karsay (3-9) yielded two runs and four hits in six-plus innings for his first victory at the Oakland Coliseum since his major league debut on Aug. 17, 1993. He missed 2 1/2 seasons after two elbow operations.

New York 4, Chicago 2--With Cecil Fielder out of the lineup, Wade Boggs stepped up for the Yankees.

Boggs, who had asked to be traded before Fielder went on the disabled list, went four for four and Tino Martinez drove in his league-leading 91st run to lead the Yankees at Chicago.

“He’s got close to 3,000 hits, so he’s capable,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said of Boggs. “I just hope we can run this thing out. He can help us because he’s starting to feel real good about himself.”

Center fielder Chad Curtis made a superb running catch against the wall with two runners on in the ninth to preserve the victory.

“I thought he’d run out of real estate before he got to the ball,” Torre said.

Cleveland 3, Milwaukee 2--The Brewers had Orel Hershiser in trouble and didn’t even know it.

Hershiser pitched six solid innings, but his last three taxed him the most because he was pitching with a sore groin muscle at Milwaukee.

Hershiser (9-5) said that he felt the muscle pull in the third inning when he caught Mike Matheny’s grounder back to the mound and turned to throw to second. The Indians completed the double play and Hershiser retired the next batter on a fly ball.

Minnesota 9, Seattle 7--Marty Cordova homered to lead off the 12th inning to give the Twins the victory at the Kingdome.

The Mariners had tied the score, 7-7, in the 10th on Joey Cora’s RBI single with two out off Rick Aguilera.

But Cordova opened the 12th against Norm Charlton (2-7) with a homer to right field. They got another run when Matt Lawton singled and scored on Charlton’s throwing error on a bunt by Pat Meares.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result Carlos Delgado Toronto 3 for 5, 2 homers, 5 RBIs Win Mo Vaughn Boston 3 for 5, homer, 3 RBIs Win Tony Phillips Angels 3 for 4, homer, 4 RBIs Win

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result Roger Clemens Toronto 9 innings, 5 hits, 10 strikeouts Win David Cone New York 6 2/3 innings, 7 hits, 6 strikeouts Win Orel Hershiser Cleveland 6 innings, 4 hits, 1 walk Win

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