Brewers Get a Special Treat in Sweep

The Milwaukee Brewers turned their first triple play in 18 years Monday night as they completed a sweep of a twi-night doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays with a 9-3 victory at Milwaukee.

In the first game, Steve Woodard pitched eight innings of one-hit ball in his major-league debut to out-duel Roger Clemens and lead the Brewers to a 1-0 victory.

Woodard, 22, struck out 12 batters--including two in each of the first four innings. Woodard retired his final 17 batters and 24 of the 26 he faced.

Clemens (16-4) held the Brewers to a single through the first three innings and gave up only three more hits, all in the fourth when Milwaukee scored its only run.

Jeff Cirillo led off the fourth with a double and scored on a one-out single by Jeromy Burnitz. Clemens struck out 10, walked one and retired 13 consecutive batters during one stretch. Clemens pitched his sixth complete game and lowered his earned-run average to 1.52, best in the American League.

In the second game, the Brewers turned the third triple play in club history and the first since May 15, 1979.

The first two batters in the fourth inning singled off Joel Adamson (3-1) before Alex Gonzalez hit the next pitch down the line to third baseman Cirillo, who stepped on third and threw to second baseman Mark Loretta for the second out. Loretta then fired a strike to first to get Gonzalez by a step.

Every Brewer batter had at least one hit as Milwaukee finished with a season-high 19.

Toronto’s Juan Samuel went three for four with his first home run since Sept. 11, 1996, a solo shot in the first, and added a run-scoring double in the third.

New York 4, Oakland 3--Mark Whiten snapped an 0-for-16 slump with an RBI single in the ninth inning as the Yankees rallied to win at home.

Whiten, awaiting word from the Milwaukee district attorney’s office on possible sexual assault charges filed against him by a 31-year-old woman, singled down the right-field line to drive in Luis Sojo as the Yankees snapped a three-game losing streak.

Oakland’s Ernie Young, who doubled and scored on Dave Magadan’s groundout in the third to tie the score, 1-1, gave the Athletics a 3-1 lead in the fourth with his first home run since opening day.

The Yankees tied the score in the eighth on Charlie Hayes’ RBI groundout.

Kansas City 10-5, Minnesota 3-2--Johnny Damon and Joe Vitiello homered and three pitchers combined on a three-hitter in the second game of the Royals’ sweep of a doubleheader against Minnesota at Kansas City.

The last time the Royals swept a doubleheader was May 1, 1994 against Milwaukee.

Jim Pittsley (3-7), recalled from triple-A Omaha between games, worked six innings, allowing two runs--one earned--on three hits. Mike Perez pitched two hitless innings and Jeff Montgomery worked the ninth for his fifth save.

In the first game, Kansas City collected a season-high 17 hits and Jeff King and Yamil Benitez had four hits each. Bip Roberts had a single and double in the seven-run first inning and finished three for five with two RBIs.

Tim Belcher (10-9) pitched seven innings, scattering five hits and two walks while striking out five.

Frank Rodriguez (2-4) gave up eight runs on 11 hits in four innings.

Baltimore 7, Texas 2--Mike Mussina pitched seven strong innings and Rafael Palmeiro snapped a sixth-inning tie with a three-run homer as the Orioles beat the Rangers at Baltimore.

Roberto Alomar went four for five with a two-run homer to help Baltimore to its sixth victory in seven games. The four hits tied a career high, accomplished 19 times previously, including last week in Texas.

The Orioles are 8-1 against the Rangers this season, outscoring them, 59-31, after winning only three of 13 against Texas a year ago.

Rusty Greer homered for the Rangers, who had won three in a row.

Mussina (11-4) struck out six and retired 14 of 15 batters after a shaky start. He allowed two runs, six hits and one walk in earning his first win in five starts since June 30.

“I know it had been a while since I won, but it’s not as if I pitched terribly,” he said. “Remember, we were in a bad slump during that time.

“Most of us know you’re going to hit a stretch where you struggle. You just hope it isn’t too severe.”

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Roberto Alomar

Team: Baltimore

Performance: 4 for 5, 2-run homer

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Juan Samuel

Team: Toronto

Performance: 3 for 4, double, homer

Team’s Result: Loss

*

Player: Garret Anderson

Team: Angels

Performance: Grand slam in second game

Team’s Result: Win

PITCHING

Player: Steve Woodard

Team: Milwaukee

Performance: 8 innings, 1 hit, 12 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Roger Clemens

Team: Toronto

Performance: 8 innings, 1 run, 10 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Loss

*

Player: Dennis Springer

Team: Angels

Performance: Eight-hit shutout

Team’s Result: Win