Molitor’s Bunt Single Pulls Out Twins’ Win

Paul Molitor gave himself a fitting 42nd birthday gift Saturday night, a bunt single with two out in the ninth inning that stunned the Boston Red Sox and drove in the winning run in a 4-3 victory for the Minnesota Twins at Minneapolis.

“I think the only thing that surprises me about him anymore is that he still surprises me,” said Minnesota reliever Mike Trombley.

The play was vintage Molitor--heady and hard-charging all the way.

After taking a ball from 43-year-old reliever Dennis Eckersley, Molitor saw third baseman John Valentin take a step back. That gave Molitor a little extra space, and he ignored the sore right ankle that nearly put him on the DL and had kept him out of the lineup for a week until Saturday night.

He dropped the bouncing bunt to third, and Eckersley was the only person in position to make a play. Eckersley fielded it and threw late and wide of first base. Pat Meares scored the winning run when the ball trickled into right field and Molitor collected career-hit 3,281.

“Molitor is a heck of a player and does what it takes to win,” said Boston Manager Jimy Williams.

But the winning hit was unlike any other Molitor could remember during his 21-year career: A two-out, game-winning bunt single in the ninth.

“I guess after 21 years there’s still time for firsts,” he said.

“He laid down a bunt, and he has a sprained ankle. That’s just guts,” said Minnesota starter LaTroy Hawkins, who gave up a two-run home run to Scott Hatteberg that put Boston ahead, 2-0, in the second.

Trombley (4-3) worked the final 2 1/3 innings. He didn’t give up a hit, walked two and struck out two. Hawkins yielded three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, his longest outing since he went seven innings in a 3-1 loss to Milwaukee on June 24.

Former Twin Greg Swindell (3-5) took the loss. He gave up Meares’ one-out single in the ninth and then walked Otis Nixon before giving way to Eckersley.

Molitor started the night by lining into an odd double play: The ball glanced off John Wasdin’s glove and right to second baseman Mike Benjamin, who was moving toward the base because Matt Lawton was running on the play.

“That wasn’t a really good way to start the night off,” Molitor said.

Admittedly overeager after his weeklong layoff--the Twins thought it would be two weeks and came close to putting Molitor on the DL--Molitor took only one pitch through his first four at-bats, going zero for four and stranding four runners.

Then came the ninth.

“The guy has a bad ankle and he bunts to drive in the winning run. It’s just great, it really is,” Trombley said. “A lot of guys weren’t thinking bunt. I know I wasn’t. It’s pretty nice. He’s a good guy and he deserves every bit of it.”

Baltimore 6, Cleveland 3--Scott Erickson pitched a seven-hitter for his AL-best ninth complete game and the Orioles took advantage of eight walks and a balk at Baltimore.

Cal Ripken homered for the Orioles, who snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 31-10 since the All-Star break. Baltimore has not lost three in a row since July 3-5.

Manny Ramirez hit his 30th homer for the Indians, who fell to 8-13 in August.

Erickson (14-9) struck out five and walked four. The right-hander has won his last three starts and is 6-2 in his last nine appearances.

Indian starter Bartolo Colon (13-7) gave up only five hits in 5 1/3 innings, but issued six walks in his second consecutive game. Three of those walks turned into runs.

Kansas City 3, Tampa Bay 2--Jose Rosado overcame a first-inning jam to give up only three hits in eight innings at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Rosado (7-9) struck out six and walked one. He walked Randy Winn and hit Quinton McCracken leading off the first, then retired the side in order during five of the next six innings.

Jeff Montgomery pitched the ninth for his 28th save in 32 chances, giving up Fred McGriff’s 15th homer.

Kansas City is one shy of its season-high four-game winning streak (May 24-29.) The Devil Rays (49-78) fell to a season-low 29 games under .500.

Wilson Alvarez (5-13) yielded two runs and five hits in seven innings, striking out eight and walking two for the Devil Rays.

Oakland 7-7, Detroit 2-1--Ben Grieve went three for four with three RBIs and Tom Candiotti pitched a six-hitter as the Athletics beat the Tigers, 7-1, in the second game of a doubleheader sweep at Oakland.

In the first game, Gil Heredia (1-0) won in his first major league start since 1995 as the A’s defeated the Tigers, 7-2. Oakland backed Heredia with nine hits and five walks. Heredia, meanwhile, struck out four and walked none.

The A’s have won six consecutive games to match its longest winning streak of the season. The Tigers have lost five in a row and 16 of 19.

In the second game, both benches cleared in the eighth inning when Detroit reliever Todd Jones hit Bip Roberts in the foot with a pitch. Plate umpire Eric Cooper prevented Roberts from charging the mound, and no punches were thrown. Neither player was ejected, but Rickey Henderson ran for Roberts. Candiotti (9-14) pitched his third complete game.

Seattle 5, Chicago 4--Edgar Martinez singled home the winning run in the 11th inning at Seattle.

Ken Griffey Jr. went two for four with two walks, remaining stuck at 42 homers. He hasn’t homered in 31 at-bats and has only one in his last 85 at-bats over 21 games.

Seattle’s Jamie Moyer, trying for his 100th career victory, gave up three runs and seven hits in eight innings. Chicago starter Jim Parque gave up three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Frank Thomas hit his 23rd homer.