Gooden Is Good Enough

Dwight Gooden had been going to Jacobs Field the last two weeks fearing Indian Manager Mike Hargrove might want to talk to him.

Gooden had been afraid his days in Cleveland were numbered, and that he might be on the trading block.

But after his performance Wednesday night, the only trip Gooden might be making is back to the starting rotation.

Gooden pitched seven solid innings for his first victory since May 18 and Manny Ramirez raised his major league-leading RBI total to 106 in the Indians’ 7-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Gooden (3-3) made the most of his first start since July 2, limiting the Tigers to five hits.

Mixing a 94-mph fastball with a good curve, Gooden got his first win in 13 appearances, striking out a season-high eight, and walking two.

“It was important because this has been the strangest year of my career,” said Gooden, who has bounced between being the Indians’ No. 5 starter and a long reliever. “It was good to come out of it with a win.”

Ramirez returned to the lineup after missing one game because of a bruised left knee. Sporting a new orange hairdo, he homered against Brian Moehler (8-10) and had two run-scoring doubles as the Indians completed a three-game sweep.

Chicago 11, New York 3--Magglio Ordonez and Ray Durham homered during a six-run fifth inning at Chicago to help the White Sox end the Yankees’ seven-game winning streak.

The White Sox had 19 hits.

Ordonez, who had two home runs Tuesday night, hit his 24th over the center-field fence against Dan Naulty to open the fifth.

Durham hit a two-run shot later in the inning and drove in a run with a triple in the seventh.

Andy Pettitte (7-8) took the loss, the first by a Yankee starter in the last 11 games. He gave up three runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Yankee second baseman Chuck Knoblauch was a late scratch because of dizziness.

Baltimore 8, Texas 6--Scott Erickson (7-8) won his sixth consecutive decision and Charles Johnson drove in four runs at Baltimore as the Orioles ended the Rangers’ nine-game winning streak.

Mike Bordick had two hits and drove in two runs for the Orioles, who have won 12 of 15. Johnson hit two two-run doubles.

Cal Ripken, vying for his 400th homer, hit three singles. In his final at-bat, he sent a long drive to left that barely hooked foul.

Todd Zeile and Ruben Mateo both homered and drove in two runs for the Rangers, who lost for only the second time in 13 games since the all-star break. It was Zeile’s eighth consecutive game with an RBI.

Erickson gave up four runs and six hits in six innings, striking out four and walking three. Doug Johns pitched two innings and Mike Timlin got three outs for his 12th save in 20 chances.

Boston 8, Toronto 0--Butch Huskey starred in his second game for the Red Sox, hitting a grand slam and a solo home run at Toronto.

Huskey was acquired Monday from Seattle and went three for five Tuesday night in his Red Sox debut. He came back to break open a scoreless game in the sixth inning with his second slam this year. He hit his 17th homer in the ninth.

Pat Rapp (3-5) and Tim Wakefield combined on a two-hitter as the Red Sox improved to 8-1 against the Blue Jays this season. Rapp (3-5), making his first start since June 22, gave up two hits in eight innings and retired his final 17 batters. He struck out six and walked one.

Rapp gave up an infield single to Shawn Green in the first and a single to Homer Bush in the third.

Green extended his hitting streak to 26 games, longest in the league this year and matching John Olerud for the longest in team history. Green hit a grounder to shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who bounced his throw to first.

Kansas City 5, Seattle 3--Carlos Beltran hit his second two-run homer in two days at Kansas City and Jose Rosado survived a shaky beginning to win his first game in more than a month.

Rosado (6-8) went seven innings and gave up three runs and five hits. He walked five and tied his season high with seven strikeouts in his first win since June 22.