American League Roundup : McGwire Has Flashback in 16th as A’s Defeat Indians, 4-2

Mark McGwire’s rallying cry could well be: “Just get me to the 16th.”

The Oakland Athletics’ slugger, emerging from the worst slump of his young career, hit a home run in the 16th inning for the second day in a row Monday to help the A’s win a game.

McGwire hit the first pitch Brad Havens threw in the 16th, and Stan Javier also homered two outs later as the Athletics beat the Indians, 4-2, at Cleveland for their fifth straight victory.

McGwire, batting just .236 when the leaders of the American League West began this trip East, also homered in the 16th inning Sunday at Toronto to beat the Blue Jays, 9-8.

In the four games that have improved the A’s record against the Eastern Division to 33-9, he is 7 for 16 with 5 runs batted in to raise his average to .247. He also drove in the winning run Friday at Toronto. Saturday he went 3 for 4, drove in a run and scored two others.

“Sure, I thought about doing it again,” McGwire said. “I know these long games are tiring. We’ve played a lot of them (the A’s are 7-0 in games that have gone at least 12 innings).”

There were two people who were confident McGwire would break out of his slump. The 24-year-old former USC slugger was one. His answer to the persistent questions about why he wasn’t hitting home runs was, “The year ain’t over yet.”

A’s hitting coach Jim Lefebvre was another. “I was seeing great hitting sessions from the kid,” Lefebvre said. “But he had trouble carrying them into games. He would go into a game and whoosh, he popped up or struck out, trying to solve everything in one swing. Now, he can relax.”

It was the Indians’ eighth loss in the last nine games and their fifth defeat without a victory against Oakland this season.

Although he pitched three scoreless innings, Indian reliever Doug Jones had his record string of 15 consecutive saves stopped. Jones came in to pitch in the 10th with the score tied.

The teams figure to go at least 18 innings tonight because they have a doubleheader scheduled.

Detroit 5, Seattle 3--The first mistake Rod Scurry made when he came in as a reliever in a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning at Detroit was to wake up the slumbering Matt Nokes. The second was in knocking down hot-hitting Pat Sheridan.

Nokes, mired in a 1-for-24 slump, hit a home run, and Sheridan, angry at the knockdown pitch, did the same thing.

Scurry, a left-hander, not only failed to get the two left-handed hitters out, he also drew a warning and a fine along with the defeat.

Sheridan’s home run, his third in four games, was the fourth for the Tigers. Darrell Evans and Chet Lemon also hit homers for the East Division leaders.

Boston 9, Kansas City 2--The Royals turned a triple play in the fourth inning at Kansas City, but all it did was hold down the score.

With two on in the third, Jim Rice hit a sinking liner to center. Willie Wilson made a lunging catch. With both runners going full speed, it was an easy triple play.

The Royals couldn’t stop Wade Boggs, who went 4 for 5, scored 3 runs and drove in 3 more, or Dwight Evans, who went 3 for 4, including an inside-the-park home run.

The Royals did finally score on Roger Clemens (12-5). Before George Brett singled home two runs in the third, Clemens had blanked the Royals for 31 innings since Steve Balboni homered on April 17, 1986.

New York 13, Texas 2--Charlie Hough tied a major league record when he struck out four batters in the first inning at Arlington, Tex. One of the four, however, was on base as a result of a passed ball when Don Mattingly hit a three-run home run that started Hough on his way to defeat.

The knuckleball specialist struck out Claudell Washington to open the game, but Washington was safe at first after the ball got past catcher Geno Petralli. After the home run, Hough struck out Jack Clark, Dave Winfield and Mike Pagliarulo. Hough is the 18th pitcher to strike out four in one inning.

Hough didn’t make it through the third inning.

Chicago 5, Baltimore 1--Catcher Mark Salas homered and singled twice at Chicago to lead an attack that enabled Melido Perez (7-5) to end a three-game losing streak.

Minnesota 3, Milwaukee 1--Kent Hrbek’s second home run of the game broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth inning at Milwaukee and kept the Twins six games behind Oakland.

Hrbek has 16 home runs this season. Don August, who struck out nine, had a four-hitter going before Hrbek homered and Brian Harper followed with another home run.