Baseball Roundup : McGwire Plays Long Ball in Metrodome

Despite a career-long slump in the Metrodome, Mark McGwire was looking forward to coming to Minnesota.

That was evident Thursday night as McGwire hit his first homer there, a 453-foot shot to center field, to back a strong performance by starter Bob Welch and help the American League West-leading Oakland Athletics score a 2-1 victory over the Twins.

Welch, Rick Honeycutt and Dennis Eckersley combined on a six-hitter in helping the Athletics move 3 1/2 games ahead of the Angels, who lost to Cleveland. Welch (17-8) allowed six hits before Honeycutt came on with two outs in the eighth; then Eckersley pitched the ninth for his 31st save.

“The Metrodome hasn’t been the greatest of places for me,” said McGwire, who entered the game with a .130 average in 46 Metrodome at-bats. “But last time we were in here, I noticed the lights were changed, and I started to hit the ball hard. I was optimistic coming in this time.”

Milwaukee 14-4, New York 1-5--Don Mattingly’s 10th-inning, two-run homer in the second game gave the Yankees a split of a doubleheader with the Brewers in Yankee Stadium. Mattingly secured the victory for Lee Guetterman, who had given up a homer to Rob Deer in the top of the 10th to put the Brewers ahead, 4-3.

In the first game, a bench-clearing brawl held up play in the sixth inning for more than five minutes.

Mark Knudson of Milwaukee and Luis Polonia and Mel Hall of the Yankees were ejected after the fight, which began when Knudson hit Polonia with a pitch. Yankee rookie Kevin Mmahat was ejected after hitting Pete O’Brien with a pitch in the seventh inning.

Polonia was batting with an 0-and-2 count, two outs, none on and the Brewers leading, 11-1, when he was struck on the right shoulder. He charged the mound, leaping onto the pitcher’s chest.

Catcher Charlie O’Brien rushed to Knudson’s aid, and the three tumbled on the ground as both benches emptied.

Umpire Dale Ford said: “In my judgment, Knudson drilled Polonia on purpose after Polonia bunted (in the one-sided game). Knudson looked visibly irritated after that. In that situation, it is very easy to spot the intention.”

Polonia had no doubt about the intent of the Brewer catcher to get involved, even filling in the motive.

“I know Charlie (O’Brien) has something against me because we had a fight in Double-A (Huntsville, Ala., of the Southern League), and he said he would get me one day,” Polonia said. “I broke the bus window with his head.”

The doubleheader was played before only 11,230, the smallest crowd at Yankee Stadium since April 18, 1983, when 11,148 watched the Yankees play Toronto.

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Seattle 8, Texas 3--Randy Johnson, a 6-foot 10-inch rookie, gave up three runs in the first two innings before settling down to shut out the Rangers for the next six innings as the Mariners won at Arlington, Tex.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

San Diego 11, Cincinnati 7--Jerald Clark and Bip Roberts singled in runs in a four-run ninth inning at Cincinnati as the Padres handed the Reds their 10th straight loss.

Tony Gwynn and Jack Clark opened with singles off John Franco (4-8), and Chris James sacrificed. Benito Santiago was intentionally walked to load the bases; then Franco walked Carmelo Martinez on four pitches, forcing in Gwynn. Jack Clark scored another run when Darrin Jackson forced Santiago at third. Clark and Roberts followed with RBI singles.

Atlanta 3, Houston 0--Rookie Tommy Greene shut out the Astros in Atlanta with a three-hitter in his third start and evened his record at 1-1.

Montreal 6, Pittsburgh 5--Mike Fitzgerald hit a grand slam, and Hubie Brooks added a two-run homer as the Expos held on for a victory at Pittsburgh.