American League Roundup : Yount, Still Going Strong, Gets 2,500th Hit in Brewers’ 10-2 Win

Outfielder Robin Yount got his 2,500th career hit and drove in five runs to help the Milwaukee Brewers end a three-game losing streak by defeating the New York Yankees, 10-2, Sunday at New York.

“It feels good to get 2,500,� Yount said. “But I’m playing for the competition of the game. We really needed to win today.�

Yount homered in the fourth inning and got his 2,500th hit during the Brewers’ six-runfifth inning with a two-run single.

Yount reached the 2,500 mark at 33 years and 10 months. Ty Cobb was the youngest to reach 2,500 hits at 31 years and seven months. Pete Rose was 34 when he got his 2,500th hit.

Others to reach 2,500 hits at a younger age than Yount are Rogers Hornsby at 33, Hank Aaron at 33 and four months and Mel Ott at 33 and five months.

“It’s hard to comprehend when you say names like that,� Yount said. “My motivation right now is to get to a World Series.�

Don August (8-7) won for the sixth time in his last seven decisions. He lost his shutout in the eighth when Jesse Barfield and Mike Pagliarulo had run-scoring singles.

Lance McCullers (3-3) lost his first start of the season after 27 relief appearances. His last start was in 1986 for San Diego. McCullers gave up six runs and five hits in four-plus innings.

With the Brewers leading, 2-0, in the fifth inning, McCullers walked Gary Sheffield and Glenn Braggs to open the inning. Charlie O’Brien doubled then in and then scored on Jim Gantner’s single off Jimmy Jones.

Paul Molitor’s single and a throwing error by shortstop Wayne Tolleson put runners on second and third, and the Yankees walked Terry Francona intentionally. Yount singled in two runs and Greg Brock’s sacrifice fly made it 8-0.

Yount, who went three for four, added another two-run single in the sixth.

“He doesn’t cheat anyone. He plays hard all the time,� Brewers Manager Tom Trebelhorn said of Yount. “He doesn’t care one hoot about his stats.

“Yount’s not slowing down to me,� Trebelhorn said. “He’s got knee problems, but he’s still playing center field and is our third-place hitter.�

The loss snapped the Yankees’ three-game winning streak. But Don Mattingly extended his hitting streak to 15 with a single in the first.

Detroit 7, Baltimore 3-- Mike Heath doubled home an unearned run that snapped a sixth-inning tie and Lou Whitaker hit a three-run homer as the Tigers beat the Orioles at Baltimore.

The Orioles, who have given up 12 unearned runs, the fewest in the major leagues this season, lost for the third time in four games and the sixth time in their last nine.

Baltimore remained 5 1/2 games ahead in the AL East while last-place Detroit won for the fourth time in its last six.

Heath, who hit two homers in the first game of the series, greeted reliever Mark Williamson with a flare down the right-field line that drove in Chet Lemon, who had reached first on a throwing error by third baseman Craig Worthington.

Whitaker hit his 17th homer in the ninth inning off Kevin Hickey.

Chicago 7, Kansas City 3--Harold Baines homered, drove in four runs and moved into second place on Chicago’s all-time RBIs list, helping Greg Hibbard get his first major-league victory as the White Sox beat the Royals at Chicago.

Baines, who also hit a two-run double and sacrifice fly, moved past Minnie Minoso with 809 RBIs. Luke Appling leads the White Sox with 1,116.

Hibbard (1-2), making his seventh big-league start, yielded all three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Donn Pall finished up for his fourth save.

Boston 4, Toronto 1--Danny Heep hit Boston’s first pinch-hit home run in more than two years, a three-run shot in the 11th, to lift the Red Sox over the Blue Jays at Toronto.

Kevin Romine went five for five with two doubles for the first five-hit game of his career as the Red Sox extended their season-high winning streak to four straight. He singled and scored in the second inning and his two-out single in the 11th began Boston’s winning rally.

Roger Clemens, bidding for his 22nd career shutout, took a four-hitter and 1-0 lead into the ninth. With one out, George Bell singled and Fred McGriff drove him in with a double.

Rob Murphy (1-3) won for the first time since Sept. 27, 1987, a span of 115 appearances. He pitched the 10th inning and Lee Smith worked the 11th for his 11th save.

Romine and Rich Gedman singled in the 11th against David Wells. Heep hit Tom Henke’s first pitch over the right-field fence for his first home run since Aug. 17, 1986, when he was with the New York Mets. Boston’s last pinch-hit homer was on June 1, 1987, by Mike Greenwell.

Oakland 11, Cleveland 3--Rickey Henderson hit the 37th leadoff home run of his career and Dave Parker homered and drove in four runs as the Athletics defeated the Indians at Cleveland.

Jamie Quirk also homered for the Athletics, who got 15 hits and completed a three-game sweep. Henderson had three hits and scored three times as every Oakland starter hit safely.

Storm Davis (7-3) won his fifth consecutive decision. He has won four times since returning June 10 from a strained hamstring that sidelined him nearly a month. Davis allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings. Bill Dawley pitched the final two innings.