MAJOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Erickson Upstages Johnson to Win 12th

Jeff Johnson must have thought it was going to be a special night in New York Monday when he retired the first 15 Minnesota Twins.

But the Yankee pitcher was up against the hottest team in baseball as well as the hottest pitcher, Scott Erickson.

Junior Ortiz ruined Johnson’s perfect game when he opened the sixth inning with a walk, then Dan Gladden ended the no-hitter and shutout with a triple.

That left it up to Erickson to win his 12th game in a row with a two-hitter as Minnesota beat the Yankees, 5-0.

Erickson (12-2) became the majors’ first 12-game winner and has not lost in 13 starts since April 16. He allowed a single to Don Mattingly in the first inning and a leadoff double to Matt Nokes in the second. He then retired 15 consecutive batters before giving up a leadoff walk to Kevin Maas--the Yankees’ only other runner--in the seventh.

The Twins have won 22 of their last 24 games and lead second-place Oakland by 3 1/2 games in the American League West.

Erickson struck out six and walked one in his third shutout of the season and fourth complete game. He lowered his earned-run average to a major league-leading 1.39.

Johnson (1-3), making his fourth big league start, gave up three runs and four hits in eight innings.

Chicago 6, Seattle 2--At Seattle, Frank Thomas hit a grand slam and added an a RBI double as the White Sox won their fourth game in a row.

Thomas’ eighth-inning grand slam was the first of his career and 12th homer of the season.

Greg Hibbard (5-6) gave up eight hits, three by Jeff Scahefer, and one walk in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out one. Scott Radinsky relieved after Schaefer led off the eighth with his first major league homer to make it 2-1 and Harold Reynolds had a bunt single.

Radinsky finished for his third save, allowing a ninth-inning run on Jay Buhner’s RBI grounder.

The White Sox opened the scoring in the fourth inning against Rich DeLucia (6-4) when Robin Ventura singled and came home on Thomas’ double down the right-field line. Dan Pasqua made it 2-0 in the seventh with his fourth homer of the season, a drive over the center-field fence.

Toronto 4, Cleveland 3--Pat Tabler’s pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the seventh inning scored Devon White and broke a tie at Toronto as the Blue Jays completed a sweep of the Indians, who have lost 16 of their last 19 games.

Devon White doubled to lead off the seventh inning and went to third base on Roberto Alomar’s groundout. Joe Carter was walked intentionally, and White scored on Tabler’s sacrifice fly to left.

Toronto let a 3-0 lead slip away in the fifth inning.

Mike Huff reached base on a two-out throwing error by third baseman Ed Sprague and advanced to second on Jerry Browne’s single. Chris James doubled, scoring both runners to make it 3-2.

Jeff Manto drove in the tying run in the Cleveland sixth inning with a single that brought Carlos Baerga home.

Toronto left-hander Jimmy Key threw 97 pitches over six solid innings, giving up only one earned run before Duane Ward (1-3) relieved him to start the seventh.

Five of the nine hits Indian rookie starter Charles Nagy surrendered were doubles. Nagy (3-8) gave up four earned runs, struck out five and walked three for the loss.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

San Diego 4, St. Louis 1--Adam Peterson gave up three hits over seven innings at St. Louis as the Padres won their third game in a row.

Peterson (3-1) struck out four and walked two. He gave up a triple in the first inning and two singles in the fourth.

John Costello relieved Peterson in the eighth inning and struck out two. Craig Lefferts pitched the ninth and yielded the lone Cardinal run.

Jerald Clark and Bip Roberts each had two hits. Roberts doubled twice and Clark hit a solo homer and drove in two runs.

The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Roberts doubled, the first hit off starter Bob Tewksbury (6-3). With one out, Roberts moved to third on Tony Gwynn’s groundout. Fred McGriff singled home Roberts.