Finley Shuts Down Streaking Mariners

Chuck Finley pitched two-hit ball for eight innings and struck out 10 as the Cleveland Indians cooled off the Seattle Mariners, 6-0, Monday night at Seattle.

Finley was shaky at the start, but worked around four walks in the first inning, helped when Mike Cameron was thrown out trying to steal. Jay Buhner flied out with the bases loaded to end the threat.

In all, Finley walked seven and threw a wild pitch. He improved his career record to 19-7 against the Mariners and moved to 2-0 this season, his first with Cleveland.

Steve Karsay pitched a hitless ninth to complete the combined shutout.

The Indians traveled to Seattle after being rained out for three consecutive games at Boston. Cleveland improved its road record to 8-2, best in the majors, and ended the Mariners’ three-game winning streak.

Dan Wilson singled up the middle with one out in the fifth and Charles Gipson singled off second baseman Roberto Alomar’s glove in the eighth for Seattle’s hits.

The Indians scored two runs in the first off Gil Meche. Manny Ramirez had a sacrifice fly and Jim Thome added an RBI single.

In the fifth, Cleveland made it 5-0. Alomar had a run-scoring single, Ramirez added another sacrifice fly and Thome had an RBI double.

Travis Fryman homered off Kevin Hodges to lead off the ninth.

Chicago 8, Baltimore 2--Cal Eldred pitched a two-hitter and retired 26 of the final 27 batters as the surprising White Sox kept rolling, defeating the Orioles at Chicago for their sixth consecutive victory.

Rookie Josh Paul hit his first major league home run, a three-run shot in the second against Mike Mussina, who failed for the fifth consecutive start to get his first victory.

Eldred, plagued by arm problems for several years and acquired in an off-season trade, got his first victory since last Sept. 1 when he defeated the Dodgers while with Milwaukee.

His overpowering, 11-strikeout performance Monday night came in his first complete game since May 1997 when he defeated the White Sox while with the Brewers.

Eldred, who won only two games last season, walked lead off hitter Brady Anderson and then gave up a run-scoring double to Delino DeShields before retiring 14 in a row. Charles Johnson hit a leadoff home run in the sixth.

Mussina, meanwhile, hasn’t won since last Sept. 30 against the Yankees. He gave up two more homers and has surrendered seven this season, tying him for the AL lead. He lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and seven runs.

Chicago, which has always given Mussina trouble, drove the right-hander out in the seventh as Paul tripled, Ray Durham hit an RBI single and Frank Thomas delivered a run-scoring double. Norton hit a solo home run off Chuck McElroy in the eighth inning to extend the lead to 8-2.

Toronto 3, Oakland 2--David Wells threw 6 2/3 strong innings and the Blue Jays relied on pitching instead of hitting for the first time in awhile, defeating the Athletics at Oakland.

The Blue Jays’ streak of scoring at least six runs stopped at 11 games. It was the longest such string in the majors since the Angels did it in 11 consecutive games in 1979.

Wells gave up six hits, struck out eight and walked none in sending the A’s to their sixth loss in seven home games.

For Toronto, it was a solid effort from a pitching staff that entered the night with a league-high earned-run average of 6.90.

Oakland starting pitcher Kevin Appier went 7 1/3 innings before leaving with a 2-1 count on Brad Fullmer because of tightness in his right forearm. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.

Appier gave up three runs on six hits, but didn’t get his typical support. Oakland had scored at least 10 runs in each of his three previous outings, all wins.

Down 3-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, Oakland got a one-out single from Miguel Tejada. After Jason Giambi flied out, Matt Stairs lined a single to center that Jose Cruz bobbled for an error, allowing Tejada to score.

Adam Piatt singled before Billy Koch got Ben Grieve to ground into a force play and end the threat. Koch worked the last two innings for his third save.

The A’s opened the scoring in the second when Grieve and Frank Menechino doubled in succession off Wells.

But the Blue Jays went back in front with a three-run third, when they strung together three hits.

Homer Bush hit a one-out single and Carlos Delgado drew a two-out walk before Brad Fullmer singled to drive in a run and Tony Batista followed with a two-run double.

Minnesota 7, New York 3--Former Yankee prospect Eric Milton and four relievers gave up five hits at New York and the Twins defeated the Yankees for their sixth victory in the last seven games.

Jacque Jones, who lost a fly ball in the sun setting up a two-run Yankee game-tying rally in the sixth, opened the seventh with a double off Roger Clemens and scored the go-ahead run when Matt LeCroy doubled down the left field line. LeCroy moved to third on an infield out and scored on Todd Walker’s sacrifice fly.

Then the Twins added two more runs in the ninth.

Milton struck out seven and walked two before turning the game over to Minnesota’s bullpen in the seventh.

The Twins jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Clemens walked Walker and Cristian Guzman before Matt Lawton’s single loaded the bases.

Walker scored on Ron Coomer’s infield out and Butch Huskey’s two-out single to left scored Guzman and Lawton.