American League Roundup : Stewart 5-0 as Athletics Defeat White Sox in 10

Dave Stewart surprised a number of people when, after winning only 39 games in a major league career that began in 1978, he won 20 last season for the Oakland Athletics.

Although he has more balks than victories, the hard-throwing former Dodger right-hander is on a pace that would get him 30 wins this season.

Stewart committed his ninth balk of the season Saturday night at Chicago, but a two-base error by right fielder Ivan Calderon in the 10th inning enabled him to win his fifth game in a row.

Tony Phillips scored from second base on the error as the Athletics, who had tied it with a run in the ninth, won, 3-2.

Phillips opened the 10th with a walk off John Davis (1-1), and after a sacrifice, Jose Canseco was walked intentionally. Mike Gallego then hit a routine fly ball to right field. Calderon started in but stumbled, and the ball sailed over his head as Phillips trotted home.

Stewart went the distance for the first time this season, giving up seven hits but only one earned run. It was his best performance since opening day, when he held the Seattle Mariners to 2 hits in 8 innings.

Stewart, 31, didn’t win his fifth game last season until May 17.

In 1968, Denny McLain won 31 for the Detroit Tigers. Since McLain’s banner season, no American League pitcher has won more than 25.

“So far, yes, that was my best outing this year,” Stewart said. “I had good control, I was around the plate, I kept the ball in play and my team close so that we were able to pull it out.”

On a night when the temperatures dipped into the 30s, White Sox pitcher Dave LaPoint outpitched Stewart for seven innings, departing with a 2-1 lead. In seven innings, LaPoint gave up just three hits and struck out six.

Cleveland 10, Minnesota 2--Steve Carlton wasn’t the answer in the Metrodome for the stumbling Twins.

In a showing that may have ended his major league career, Carlton gave up nine runs, including a three-run home run by Joe Carter in a six-run first inning.

Carter, who barely missed a home run in the fourth, hit a three-run homer off Joe Niekro in the sixth. Carter had a grand slam Friday night.

The Twins are in last place in the American League West with a 4-11 record.

Newly acquired Tommy Herr was 0 for 4 for the Twins as John Farrell (3-0) pitched an eight-hitter for the Indians, who are 14-3.

Toronto 3, New York 2--John Cerutti and the Blue Jays’ bullpen held the Yankees to seven hits as the East rivals continued to forget which was the home club.

With Tony Fernandez driving in the decisive run in the second inning on a single, the Blue Jays won for the 16th time in their last 22 games at Yankee Stadium. At Toronto, the Yankees have won 15 of the last 20.

Cerutti (1-0) lasted 6 innings and was followed by four relievers. Tom Henke got the last five outs to gain his fifth save. It was the fifth straight win for Toronto.

Henke retired Jack Clark and Dave Winfield with the bases loaded in the eighth, then struck out the side in the ninth.

Winfield hit his sixth homer in the seventh. Former Angel John Candelaria (1-2) took the loss.

Detroit 7, Texas 6--Darrell Evans hit a three-run home run to climax a five-run seventh inning at Arlington, Tex., that enabled the Tigers to come from behind.

It was the first home run of the season for Evans, who will be 41 next month, and it provided the cushion for Frank Tanana to improve to 4-0.

After the big inning, Tanana had a 7-3 lead, but he was bombed out in the eighth. A two-run home run by Pete O’Brien was the 12th hit off Tanana and cut the lead to a run.

The Tiger bullpen retired the last five Rangers. Mike Henneman pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two to get his seventh save.