AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Hentgen Helps Blue Jays End 10-Game Skid

Pat Hentgen pitched a three-hitter and Randy Knorr homered Wednesday night as the Toronto Blue Jays ended a 10-game losing streak with a 5-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Milwaukee.

Hentgen (9-5) gave up a double and single to No. 9 hitter Jose Valentin and a ninth-inning single to Jody Reed in posting his third career shutout and second this season.

Hentgen walked three and struck out three in halting the Blue Jays’ longest losing skid since 1981, when they lost 12 in a row.

“I’m just glad it’s over and behind us,” Hentgen said. “Ten games in a row is just unbelievable. If you would have said we’d lose 10 in a row, I’d have laughed at you. Well, it happened.

“You never know. We might go ahead and win 10 in a row.”

Toronto took a 3-0 lead in the second after Milwaukee third baseman Kevin Seitzer’s two-out error. John Olerud scored from second when Dick Schofield’s grounder went between Seitzer’s legs. Knorr followed with a two-run homer, his fourth, against Ricky Bones (7-5).

Texas 11, Minnesota 10--Dean Palmer led off the ninth with a game-tying homer and Jeff Frye later added a sacrifice fly, lifting the Rangers to a wild victory at Minneapolis.

The Rangers, who earlier squandered a six-run lead, fell behind in the eighth, 10-9, when Chuck Knoblauch hit a sacrifice fly for the Twins.

Palmer, who hit two homers, hit a 1-0 pitch from Rick Aguilera (0-2) for his 12th homer. Rusty Greer followed with a single--his third hit--and moved to second on a sacrifice. Greer reached third on a passed ball, and after Junior Ortiz walked, Greer scored easily on Frye’s fly to center.

New York 4, Boston 3--Danny Tartabull, who had struck out in his three previous at-bats, homered leading off the 10th inning at Boston to give the Yankees their eighth consecutive victory.

Tartabull hit the third pitch from reliever Jeff Russell (0-5) into the Red Sox bullpen in right field for his 14th homer, sending the Red Sox to their 12th consecutive home loss.

Pinch-hitter Wes Chamberlain had driven in the tying run in the ninth with a groundout. But Steve Howe (1-0) got out of a jam in the ninth when left fielder Luis Polonia ran down Scott Fletcher’s drive to deep left field with two outs and a runner on second.

Baltimore 7, Cleveland 6--Chris Sabo singled home the winning run in the 10th at Cleveland.

The Orioles won for the fifth time in six games, all on the road, and improved their league-leading road record to 24-13. Cleveland has lost four of five at Jacobs Field since setting a club record with 18 consecutive home victories.

Winner Mark Eichhorn (5-1) pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Mike Oquist. Lee Smith pitched the 10th for his major league-leading 27th save.

Chicago 7, Kansas City 6--Tim Raines’ single with one out in the ninth inning scored Ozzie Guillen with the winning run at Chicago.

Guillen walked on four pitches to open the ninth against Billy Brewer (3-1) and Norberto Martin sacrificed. Raines followed by lining a single to center.

Roberto Hernandez (2-3) pitched one perfect inning for the victory.

Vince Coleman went three for five and stole three bases for the Royals.