AROUND THE MAJORS

Former Cleveland Indian pitcher and broadcaster Herb Score was seriously injured when his car pulled in front of a tractor-trailer at New Philadelphia, Ohio, the state highway patrol said.

Score, 65, was in critical condition at Aultman Hospital in Canton with hip, head and pelvic injuries, hospital spokeswoman Katie Cich said.

Score, who called Indians games for 34 years, was on his way to Florida at the time of the accident after being inducted Wednesday night into the Akron-area Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Score pulled into the path of a tractor-trailer driven by Douglas Ruby, 45, of Delroy, the patrol said. The truck hit Score’s car on the passenger side.

Ruby had minor injuries and was taken to Union Hospital.

A left-handed strikeout pitcher, Score won the AL rookie of the year award in 1955. He still holds the AL record of 245 strikeouts by a rookie.

Two years later, he was hit in the cheekbone by a line drive hit by Gil McDougald of the New York Yankees. Many believe the accident shortened his career.

He pitched for the Indians through 1959 but then was traded to the Chicago White Sox, where he wound up his eight-year career.

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Cincinnati General Manager Jim Bowden, rumored to be a candidate for the vacant Dodger job last month, agreed to a four-year contract extension through the 2003 season.

During his six years as general manager of the Reds, the team has compiled a 458-448 record, won two National League Central Division titles and made one appearance in the NL championship series.

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The Kansas City Royals, who finished 12th in the American League in hitting, announced that the contract of hitting coach Tom Poquette will not be renewed for the 1999 season. Poquette, 46, served as the hitting instructor since July 9, 1997, when he replaced Greg Luzinski. He has been in the Royal organization for the past 10 years.