For One Game, Bell’s No Buddy to His Dad

David Bell, facing his father Buddy’s team for the first time, hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the sixth inning as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Detroit Tigers, 7-4, Monday at Cleveland.

“I wasn’t going to look at him,” said the younger Bell, the third player in major league history to face a team managed by his father. “He was doing his job.”

The Bells joined Maury and Bump Wills and Felipe and Moises Alou in the record books, and Cleveland’s victory gave the sons a 17-8 advantage over their dads.

“I’m very proud of him. It’s a feeling I can’t explain to anyone,” Buddy Bell said.

After riding to the ballpark together--with David picking up Buddy at the Tigers’ hotel--the Bells tried to approach it like any other game.

“Once the game started, I didn’t pay much attention to it,” said Buddy, who played for and coached the Indians before managing the Tigers. “I didn’t expect that I’d be able to do that.”

Manny Ramirez had three hits, including his eighth homer, and scored three runs for the Indians.

Charles Nagy gave up three runs and eight hits and struck out one, improving to 14-4 with a 2.89 earned-run average against Detroit.

New York 12, Chicago 0--Hideki Irabu, backed by a six-run first inning, pitched a six-hitter for his first major league complete game as the Yankees routed the White Sox at Chicago.

“I was thinking if I could control my number of pitches, I might get a complete game,” Irabu said through a translator. “I was very happy to be able to keep pitching at that level and at that pace. . . It was very satisfying.”

The Yankees, who have scored 38 runs in their last three games, made it easy for Irabu, batting around in the first and scoring six times.

“[Irabu] had it going on, he was dealing,” said Bernie Williams, who homered and drove in four runs. “It was a lot of fun.”

Irabu (4-0), making his 16th career start, qualified for the earned-run average race. Then with his shutout, he had the lowest in the majors at 1.13.

Oakland 8, Tampa Bay 2--Mike Macfarlane, starting in place of rookie A.J. Hinch, homered twice and helped Mike Oquist get his first win in nine starts for the Athletics at Oakland.

“That’s part of my job description, helping A.J. develop,” Macfarlane said. “But when I’m in the lineup, I want to contribute. I’m doing whatever I can to help this team win.”

Scott Spiezio added a solo homer for the Athletics, who have won their first three games against the expansion team.

Oquist (1-3) gave up four hits in eight innings.

Matt Ruebel (0-1), called up prior to the game from the minors to replace sore-shouldered Wilson Alvarez, gave up four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Seattle 12, Baltimore 4--Alex Rodriguez hit his league-leading 19th homer and Russ Davis drove in four runs as the Mariners defeated the Orioles at Seattle.

The Mariners tied a season high with 15 hits and won their second game in a row for the first time since May 12. The Orioles lost for the 10th time in 12 games to fall six games under .500.

The first seven batters in the Mariner lineup each had two hits and Bill Swift (3-3) gave up two runs and six hits and two walks in six innings to break a personal three-game losing streak.

Toronto 7, Boston 5--Jose Canseco, Jose Cruz Jr. and Shawn Green homered in Pedro Martinez’s worst outing of the season, and the streaking Blue Jays defeated the Red Sox at Boston.

“I’m only human. I’m going to have these days and some even worse,” said Martinez (5-1), who gave up seven runs and 12 hits--both season highs--in 7 2/3 innings as his 1.74 earned-run average soared to 2.36.

Pat Hentgen (7-3) won his fourth start in a row despite giving up Scott Hatteberg’s three-run homer.

Randy Myers got four outs for his 11th save.