Finley Strikes Again and Wins Too

As Chuck Finley sprinted toward home plate to help mob Jim Thome, it hit him again. This was exactly why he wanted to pitch for the Cleveland Indians.

“That was just a great game to be involved with,” Finley said. “A throwback game. Wow, was that exciting.”

Thome’s one-out homer into the Indians’ bullpen followed Manny Ramirez’s shot to deep center in the ninth inning off John Wetteland on Sunday as Cleveland rallied to defeat the Texas Rangers, 2-1.

Finley struck out 13 and gave up five hits, but looked as if he was going to lose before Ramirez and Thome gave him his first win with Cleveland.

Finley, who signed a three-year, $27-million contract with the Indians for a chance to win a World Series ring, broke his major-league record by striking out four batters in one inning for the third time in his career.

Finley is the 18th pitcher in the American League to strike out four in an inning, and the first since he did it in the first inning against Detroit on Aug. 15 last season while pitching for the Angels.

Seattle 19, Toronto 7--Alex Rodriguez hit three home runs and drove in seven runs--both career highs--and the Mariners completed a three-game sweep at Toronto. Rodriguez went four for five. He hit a solo homer in the first inning, a two-run shot in the fourth and a grand slam in the eighth.

New York 8, Kansas City 4--Jim Leyritz’s first hit of the season, a tie-breaking solo homer in the seventh inning, helped the Yankees complete a three-game sweep and a 5-0 homestand. Leyritz, hitless in 11 at-bats, led off the seventh with a long drive to right-center to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead.

Baltimore 5, Minnesota 0--Cal Ripken took the day off after getting his 3,000th hit Saturday night, but Brady Anderson and Jeff Conine homered during a five-run first inning and Sidney Ponson pitched a four-hitter at Minneapolis.

Boston 5, Oakland 4--Carl Everett hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Everett sent a 3-1 pitch from T.J. Mathews into the center-field bleachers.

Tampa Bay 7, Detroit 6--Mike DiFelice hit a go-ahead single to highlight a three-run ninth inning as the Devil Rays rallied from a five-run deficit at Detroit.