Mussina Wins, Abbott Survives Scary Moment

Maybe Mike Mussina’s luck is beginning to change. He finally won his first game since April 29, and this time it was the other pitcher who got hurt on the mound.

Mussina gave up no earned runs and five hits in seven innings, and the Baltimore Orioles completed a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners with a 5-1 victory Thursday night at Baltimore.

Seattle starter Paul Abbott left in the fourth inning after being struck in the face by the broken bat of Harold Baines. As Abbott bent over to pick up Baines’ grounder, the upper part of the severed bat struck the right-hander below the right eye.

Abbott lay on the mound for several minutes before rising and leaving the field on a stretcher. He received eight stitches and was diagnosed with a broken nose.

“About the only good thing about tonight is Abbott’s OK,” Seattle Manager Lou Piniella said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Mussina knows a thing or two about the dangers of pitching. He was hit in the face by a line drive two years ago, and he missed four starts last season after being struck in the shoulder by a liner.

Mussina’s woes this season had nothing to do with injuries. The right-hander, winless in four starts since beating Texas on April 29, started the game with a 1-6 record in part because the Orioles averaged 2.7 runs in his 10 previous starts.

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Toronto 11, Boston 6--David Wells became the American League’s first eight-game winner and Shannon Stewart homered and scored four runs at Boston.

Boston, which stranded 10 runners, lost for the fourth time in five games and headed to New York for a three-game series against the Yankees.

Wells (8-2) gave up four runs--three earned--and 10 hits in seven-plus innings, winning for the seventh time in eight starts. He had been 6-10 at Fenway Park, his worst record in any stadium.

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New York 7, Chicago 0--Ramiro Mendoza pitched a four-hitter and Ricky Ledee drove in three runs at Chicago as the Yankees ended James Baldwin’s nine-game winning streak.

Mendoza (5-2) gave up two singles to Ray Durham and one each to Herbert Perry and Chris Singleton in pitching the second complete game and shutout of his career.

Baldwin (7-1) gave up three runs in the second and third innings, losing for the first time in 10 starts since the Yankees beat him last Sept. 21.

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Texas 5, Kansas City 3--Rafael Palmeiro caught Rocky Colavito for 45th place on the career homer list with 374, driving in three runs for the Rangers at Kansas City, Mo.

Esteban Loaiza (3-2) went 6 2/3 innings for the victory, giving up three runs and 10 hits, with a walk and five strikeouts.

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Oakland 6, Tampa Bay 3--Gil Heredia pitched seven effective innings and Olmedo Saenz homered and drove in three runs at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Oakland, which improved to a major league-leading 14-8 on the road, took two of three from Tampa Bay to open a nine-game road trip.

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Cleveland 4, Detroit 1--David Justice and Jim Thome homered at Detroit and Dave Burba continued his mastery over the Tigers.

Burba (4-1) held the Tigers to four hits with five walks and seven strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. He improved to 6-0 lifetime against the Tigers.