AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Tigers Suffer Major Losses in 8-2 Victory

The price the Detroit Tigers paid for their 8-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals Friday night at Kansas City was costly.

Alan Trammell, one of the best shortstops in baseball, broke his right ankle running out an infield hit in the top of the first inning and will miss at least six weeks.

In the bottom of the first, Bill Gullickson, the Tigers’ only dependable starting pitcher, was struck on the thumb by a line drive hit by Gregg Jefferies and had to leave the game.

“It’s a real clean break,” said Trammell, who was batting .267. “They might want to put a screw in there.”

X-rays indicated that Gullickson, who has a 5-2 record for a team that had won only 14 of 33 games, had not broken his thumb. Gullickson, seeking his sixth consecutive victory, completed the first inning but was sent to the hospital during the top of the second when the Tigers scored five runs.

Jefferies also figured in Trammell’s injury. He fielded Trammell’s grounder and threw to first where Trammell came down awkwardly on the bag.

“We had a tough night out there,” Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson said. “But sometimes good things can come from bad things.”

Travis Fryman, the Tigers’ regular third baseman, moved to short and will play there until Trammell returns, Anderson said.

Tony Phillips hit a three-run home run during the five-run second inning.

John Doherty pitched 4 2/3 innings to get his second victory in relief.

Baltimore 2, Chicago 0--Mike Mussina fell one out shy of a shutout at Chicago.

Mussina (5-0) had given up only three hits in 8 2/3 innings before Robin Ventura singled. Bullpen ace Gregg Olson came in to get the final out for his eighth save in nine chances.

Oriole Manager Johnny Oates removed Mussina because he was about to face Frank Thomas, who is eight-for-11 against Mussina.

“I wasn’t about to let Mussina face Thomas,” Oates said.

Thomas singled against Olson, but Greg Bell grounded out to end the game.

The Orioles, in winning their fifth consecutive road game, won for the 12th time in 15 games and moved to within half a game of Toronto in the East.

Lead-off batter Brady Anderson singled home Leo Gomez, who had doubled, for the only run the Orioles needed in the third inning. Anderson has driven in 26 runs.

Oriole starters have 18 victories this season, which matches the total for last year’s season-opening rotation.

Seattle 2, Toronto 1--Dave Fleming, a 22-year-old rookie, didn’t know whether he would even make the Mariners’ staff this season. Now, he’s developing into their stopper.

Fleming (5-1), a left-hander, pitched seven strong innings at Toronto to earn his fifth consecutive victory. Mike Schooler earned his sixth save as the Mariners’ road losing streak ended at eight.

With Randy Johnson and Erik Hanson in slumps, Fleming has all three of the Mariners’ victories in their last 16 games.

“I was fortunate,” Fleming said. “I got some big defensive plays. But those things seem to happen when things are going your way.”

Todd Stottlemyre gave up three hits in seven innings for the Blue Jays. But two of the five batters he walked scored.

New York 3, Oakland 2--Scott Kamieniecki outpitched Bob Welch at New York and the Yankees won their third in a row.

The Athletics, who have lost three in a row, have lost only 10 of their last 40 games against the Yankees.

Roberto Kelly hit a two-run home run in the first inning to aid Kamieniecki (1-1), who gave up six hits in seven innings.

Kamieniecki was replaced by John Habyan in the eighth. Habyan retired two batters, including Jose Canseco on a strikeout, and was replaced by Steve Howe.

Howe got pinch-hitter Randy Ready to pop out, then was replaced by Steve Farr in the ninth. Farr retired the side in the ninth, including two on strikeouts, to earn his sixth save.

Milwaukee 7, Texas 3--Franklin Stubbs came out of a two-for-35 slump with a bang at Milwaukee.

Stubbs hit the first grand slam of his career in the 10th inning to win the game.

Stubbs’ homer came against Kenny Rogers, who had just struck out Kevin Seitzer.

“I was watching him pitch to Seitzer and it seemed like he was caught up in the emotions of the game,” Stubbs said. “He was overthrowing a little bit. He threw a fastball that ran in a little bit. I just tried to stay inside and hit a sacrifice fly.”

Cleveland 5, Minnesota 0--Charles Nagy pitched his second shutout and Carlos Baerga and Mark Lewis each drove in two runs at Cleveland to end the Twins’ five-game winning streak.

Nagy (4-2) has become the ace of the Indians’ pitching staff. He gave up six hits, struck out three and walked none.

In his two previous outings, Nagy was pounded for 10 runs. The shutout lowered his earned-run average to 2.21.