Slam by Blowers Helps A’s Prevail

Mike Blowers got the pitch he was looking for. Before anyone knew it, it was out of sight.

Blowers hit a game-tying grand slam and Scott Spiezio drove in the go-ahead run to key a six-run eighth inning and lift the Oakland Athletics to a 9-7 victory Sunday over the White Sox at Chicago.

“That’s a very difficult loss for any team,” White Sox Manager Jerry Manuel said. “We’re a good offensive team, but we have to keep opponents within striking distance. With the amount of time we had, it was very demoralizing trying to catch up.”

Leading, 7-2, with one out in the eighth, White Sox starter Scott Eyre gave up a single to Rafael Bournigal and was relieved by Tom Fordham. Rickey Henderson followed with a single and Jack Voight a run-scoring double before Ben Grieve walked to load the bases.

That brought on Bill Simas, and Blowers hit the first pitch over the right-field fence for his first homer of the season and seventh career grand slam.

Texas 1, Cleveland 0--Aaron Sele struck out nine for his major league-leading seventh victory, beating Bartolo Colon as the Rangers avoided a sweep by the Indians at Cleveland.

Sele (7-2), snapping off his curveball at will, allowed five hits and walked two in eight innings. He was one strikeout short of his season high. Sele, who has two shutouts, threw 115 pitches and lowered his earned-run average to 2.64.

John Wetteland pitched the ninth for his 12th save.

Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 3--Fred McGriff’s two-run double keyed a five-run eighth that propelled the Devil Rays to a come-from-behind victory over the Orioles at Baltimore.

The win was the sixth in eight games for the Devil Rays, who have won four in a row over the Orioles, including the past three at Camden Yards. Baltimore has lost five out of its last six.

Brady Anderson his a three-run opposite-field homer in the seventh for the Orioles.

Boston 5, Kansas City 3--The Red Sox got surprising offense from Lou Merloni, Mark Lemke and Darren Lewis, each driving in a run in a three-run sixth inning that carried the Red Sox past the Royals at Boston. Lewis is filling in for injured Nomar Garciaparra in the leadoff spot, Merloni made his major league debut only a week ago, and Lemke bats ninth in the order. The Red Sox swept the three-game series after losing its previous four games.

Toronto 4, Seattle 3--Jose Canseco had three hits, including a game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth at Toronto.

Alex Gonzalez led off the Toronto ninth with a walk, went to second on Shannon Stewart’s sacrifice bunt and moved to third on Shawn Green’s groundout. Canseco then followed with a line drive off the wall in left-center against Heathcliff Slocumb (1-3).

Glenallen Hill hit two home runs and Alex Rodriguez added his 16th homer of the season for Seattle.