American League Roundup : Brewers Lose Eighth Straight, 6-2

The Milwaukee Brewers were counting on ace Teddy Higuera to stop their free fall, and for a while he looked like a lock.

Higuera held Oakland hitless for 6 innings Wednesday at Milwaukee before coming undone. The A’s scored five runs in the seventh inning and sent the Brewers to their eighth straight defeat, 8-2.

Despite the setback, Milwaukee remained in the East lead by percentage points.

“As good as he was throwing, I was just concerned about getting a hit, much less a run,” Oakland Manager Tony LaRussa said of Higuera (4-2). “I was thinking a walk or a hit, just get a guy on base. Nobody wants to be shut out.”

Ron Cey halted Higuera’s bid for a no-hitter with a single to right with one out in the seventh, and Terry Steinbach also singled. Mike Davis gave Oakland a 3-1 lead with his ninth home run of the season and fourth in five games.

Stan Javier followed with a single to left, and Mike Gallego tagged Higuera for his first homer of the season and second of his career.

Oakland added three runs in the eighth off reliever Paul Mirabella.

Oakland’s Curt Young (5-1) worked eight innings to win his fourth straight. He yielded a run on seven hits, striking out three and walking two.

Texas 8, New York 6--Don Slaught’s two-run homer capped a four-run fourth-inning, and Larry Parrish drove in three runs at New York as the Rangers prevented the Yankees from passing Milwaukee.

Parrish also hit an RBI double in the sixth and had a sacrifice fly in the eighth, giving him 19 runs batted in during his last 11 games. He has driven home three runs in three straight games.

New York’s Tommy John (2-1), who will turn 44 later this month, had a 2-0 lead entering the fourth.

Kansas City 8, Baltimore 7--Danny Tartabull’s two-run single with two out in the 12th inning pushed the Royals past the Orioles at Baltimore.

Both teams scored in the 10th. George Brett, just off the disabled list, hit a run-scoring double for the Royals, but Baltimore’s Larry Sheets tied it with an RBI single.

Eddie Murray hit his ninth homer and sixth in six games as Baltimore continued its home run binge. The Orioles have hit 22 homers in six games, two shy of the major league record set by Boston in 1977.

The Royals benched slumping Bo Jackson, who has struck out 43 times in 106 at-bats.

Seattle 5, Boston 4--Pinch-hitter John Christensen hit a two-run triple and scored on Harold Reynolds’ single in the ninth inning as the Mariners took sole possession of the West lead by beating the Red Sox at Boston.

Mark Langston (4-3) allowed nine hits and four runs in eight innings for the victory. Steve Shields got the final out for his second save.

Seattle’s Ed Romero singled in the sixth, extending his hitting streak to 15 games, the longest in the league this season.

Toronto 7, Minnesota 0--George Bell hit his fourth homer in the last five days, and Jim Clancy got help from Tom Henke on a three-hitter against the Twins at Minneapolis.

Clancy (5-2) allowed only three hits over 7 innings in earning his fourth straight victory. Henke pitched hitless ball over the final 1 innings.

Cleveland 7, Chicago 5--Brett Butler hit a three-run double in a six-run fourth inning at Chicago, and the Indians dealt the White Sox their seventh straight loss.

Ken Schrom (2-4) scattered six hits and gave up five runs over 8 innings for his second victory over the White Sox this season.