Baseball Roundup : Cardinals’ Clark Hits 2 Homers

Jack Clark continued his May hitting rampage with two home runs, pacing an 18-hit St. Louis attack as the Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves, 11-5, Thursday at St. Louis.

Clark’s homers gave him 15 for the year and increased his major league-leading runs-batted in total to 48, including 35 this month. He also singled in the sixth inning and boosted his batting average to .344, tied for third in the National League.

“I don’t feel comfortable at the plate,” said Clark, who has hit in 12 of his last 13 games. “But I don’t want to go and get things screwed up either.

“Things are working now. I know myself. I can be doing better. It’s a constant battle. I know I can get more RBIs, strike out less and hit some balls in the gaps.”

Clark looks comfortable to St. Louis Manager Whitey Herzog.

“If he were any more relaxed up there he’d be asleep,” said Herzog. “I just hope he stays uncomfortable next month. I don’t want him to get comfortable.”

Boston 12, Cleveland 8--Dwight Evans drove in six runs with a homer and two singles as the Red Sox beat the Indians at Boston despite three home runs by Cleveland’s Joe Carter.

Carter hit a three-run homer in the first inning and solo shots in the fifth and ninth, giving him 11 this season. Carter, who also singled, has hit three homers in a game twice at Fenway Park.

Jim Rice had three hits, including the go-ahead single in a four-run sixth inning, in helping the Red Sox complete a sweep of the four-game series.

Pat Tabler hit a three-run homer and Julio Franco had four of the Indians’ 15 hits, but the Cleveland pitching was unable to hold a 6-1 lead in the second inning. Boston also had 15 hits.

Minnesota 13, Milwaukee 1--Tom Brunansky hit a two-run homer to cap a six-run first inning and Juan Berenguer yielded four hits and no runs in seven innings as the Twins handed the Brewers their fifth straight loss at Minneapolis.

Milwaukee has lost 17 of its last 19 games. The Brewers are 9-20 since opening the season with a 13-game winning streak.

Berenguer (3-0) was backed by a 14-hit attack and struck out five without a walk. Mark Portugal worked the final two innings, allowing one run on three hits.

Yankees 5, Mariners 2--Gary Ward, Rickey Henderson and Dave Winfield hit home runs as the Yankees beat the Mariners in New York.

Rick Rhoden (6-3) gave up 10 hits and lost his shutout bid in the ninth inning when Ken Phelps hit a two-run homer, his 14th, with no outs. Dave Righetti then picked up his 12th save.

Ward hit a two-run homer, his seventh of the season, in the first inning after Don Mattingly drew a walk from Mike Moore (2-6).

Henderson hit his 10th homer in the fifth and Winfield hit his 11th in the eighth, both solo shots.

Oakland 4, Toronto 3--Jose Canseco squeezed home the tie-breaking run in the seventh inning and Dave Stewart pitched three-hit ball before getting relief help in the ninth as the A’s edged the Blue Jays in Toronto.

Stewart (6-4) struck out a career-high 10 and walked one in winning for the sixth time in his last eight decisions. He retired 17 straight batters before Tony Fernandez led off the ninth with a double.

Jay Howell replaced Stewart and allowed George Bell’s RBI double with two out. After Jesse Barfield walked, Dave Leiper retired pinch-hitter Cecil Fielder on a fly ball for his first save.