Mussina Regains Form in Orioles’ 2-1 Win

Mike Mussina is still Mike Mussina. Sometimes.

On Monday he gave up only an unearned run in seven innings to win for only the second time in eight starts for the Baltimore Orioles, who beat the Kansas City Royals, 2-1, at Baltimore.

Brook Fordyce singled in a run and scored one for the Orioles.

Mussina (8-13), who won 18 games and finished second in the Cy Young Award balloting last season, was 1-6 since July 7.

“It’s been a tough year, not just for myself but for the whole club,” he said.

Mussina left after splitting open a callous on his right thumb. He expects to take his next turn in the rotation.

It had been three weeks since Mussina’s last impressive outing, when he pitched a one-hitter against the Minnesota Twins.

Buddy Groom and Mike Trombley worked the eighth, and rookie Ryan Kohlmeier got three outs for his fifth save in five tries.

Tampa Bay 11, Chicago 4--Gerald Williams homered and had an RBI single, Felix Martinez hit the second homer of his career and Fred McGriff and Bobby Smith each drove in three runs to lead the Devil Rays at Chicago.

Tanyon Sturtze (5-2), acquired from the White Sox on May 31, won his third start in a row, giving up one run and five hits in seven innings with six strikeouts. He is 3-0 with a 2.45 earned-run average in four starts since joining the Devil Rays.

New York 12, Texas 3--Royce Clayton’s error led to six unearned runs in the third inning of the Yankees’ victory at New York.

Clay Bellinger led off the inning with an infield single, Luis Polonia walked and Derek Jeter hit a potential double-play grounder to shortstop. Clayton bobbled the ball while trying to throw to second.

Brian Sikorski (1-1) retired Paul O’Neill on a foul out and struck out Glenallen Hill, then walked Tino Martinez on four pitches.

Jorge Posada hit a two-run single for a 3-1 lead, and Luis Sojo, Scott Brosius and Bellinger followed with consecutive RBI singles.

Orlando Hernandez (9-10) won his first decision in five starts since beating the New York Mets on July 7.

Detroit 3, Oakland 1--Knuckleballer Steve Sparks won his fourth start in a row, leading the Tigers at Detroit and helping them to their sixth victory in seven games.

Sparks (4-2) gave up an unearned run with a season-high seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. He has not given up an earned run in his last 20 2/3 innings.

The Tigers broke a 1-1 tie with three consecutive two-out hits in the sixth, including an RBI double by Deivi Cruz and Brad Ausmus’ run-scoring single.

Notes

Tampa Bay pitcher Bryan Rekar, 28, was arrested at the team’s Chicago hotel and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery, police said. His wife, Jamie, was bleeding from her nose and had facial swelling, but refused to sign a complaint. Rekar (4-8) is scheduled to start Wednesday in Minnesota.