AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Fight Is a Draw, but A’s Win Game in Chicago

Chicago’s Tim Raines left the game in the third inning because of a hamstring pull. Oakland’s Terry Steinbach left in the ninth--on a stretcher--after being hit by a pitch. Both teams left their dugouts to exchange unpleasantries.

The Athletics left Chicago’s Comiskey Park with a 7-4 victory over the White Sox and took sole possession of first place in the American League West.

Jamie Quirk homered in the seventh inning to tie the score and--after a push-and-shove-filled delay in the ninth--singled to win it.

Chicago’s Alex Fernandez took a 4-4 game into the ninth inning but walked Harold Baines with one out. Vance Law’s groundout sent pinch-runner Lance Blankenship to second base, and Fernandez was relieved by Bobby Thigpen.

Thigpen hit Steinbach on the left side of his helmet with the first pitch. Steinbach eventually sat up and was taken to a hospital.

Both teams then came onto the field. Oakland Manager Tony La Russa was ejected after throwing a bat into the netting behind home plate toward some of the 42,343 fans, the largest crowd of the season at Comiskey Park.

Quirk singled two pitches later, giving Oakland the lead.

“If you need somebody to get popped to get you to win the game, then we’re not going about our business right,” La Russa said. “When you see something like that, it makes you think of the cost you pay for the win. I don’t like the cost.”

Joe Klink (5-2) pitched one inning for the victory, Oakland’s sixth in eight games. Dennis Eckersley finished for his 14th save in 16 chances.

Seattle 12, Texas 8--Rookie Alonzo Powell had three runs batted in, including a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning, and the Mariners turned a triple play in a fight-filled game at Arlington, Tex.

Powell’s single against Kevin Brown broke a 3-3 tie and Scott Bradley added a two-run single through a drawn-in infield for a 7-3 lead.

A bench-clearing brawl ensued in the third inning after Brown hit Seattle catcher Dave Valle with a pitch. Valle was ejected.

Seattle Manager Jim Lefebvre followed Valle in the fourth when he ran onto the field to support pitcher Randy Johnson, who had questioned a ball-strike decision.

Seattle’s triple-play came in the second inning. After Johnson walked Mario Diaz and Gary Pettis, Brian Downing hit a pitch on one hop to third baseman Edgar Martinez, who stepped on third and threw to second baseman Harold Reynolds, who relayed to first baseman Pete O’Brien.

Minnesota 8, Kansas City 4--Chili Davis hit two two-run home runs against Kevin Appier that lifted the Twins at Kansas City.

Allan Anderson (2-4) went 6 1/3 innings for his first victory since April 10.

Milwaukee 6, New York 3--Bill Wegman gave up two hits through seven innings and former Yankee Willie Randolph went four for four as the Brewers won at New York.

Wegman, sidelined for most of the last two seasons because of arm injuries, gave up a double to Roberto Kelly in the first inning and a single to Randy Velarde in the third.

Cleveland 3, Detroit 1--Greg Swindell pitched a five-hitter and Joel Skinner hit a go-ahead single with two out in the fourth inning as the Indians won at Cleveland.

Swindell (3-5) gave up an unearned run and struck out six as he lowered his ERA to 2.50.

Baltimore 3, Boston 1--Bob Milacki and four others combined on a three-hitter at Boston and Mike Devereaux hit a two-run homer as the Orioles won their fourth in five games.