Hoiles’ Slam the Biggest of Orioles’ 21 Hits

Chris Hoiles’ grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning capped a game full of hitting heroics Friday night, giving the Orioles a wild, 14-13 comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners at Baltimore.

The game featured 41 hits--21 by the Orioles--and lasted 4 hours 20 minutes, one minute short of the major league record for the longest nine-inning game set earlier this season at Camden Yards.

Rafael Palmeiro had five hits--including a home run--and drove in a career-high six runs for the Orioles. Alex Rodriguez hit a grand slam, doubled and had a career-best six runs batted in for Seattle.

The Orioles trailed, 13-10, when Roberto Alomar drew a leadoff walk from Norm Charlton in the ninth. After Palmeiro struck out, Bobby Bonilla doubled and pinch-hitter Bill Ripken fouled out.

Cal Ripken walked to load the bases for Hoiles, who drove a full-count pitch into the second row of the left-field seats for his fourth career slam.

Before the slam, Hoiles was the only starter for either team who didn’t have a hit.

Milwaukee 12, Minnesota 1--Dave Nilsson became the first Brewer to hit two homers in the same inning, driving in four runs during an 11-run sixth in a win over the Twins at Minneapolis.

Nilsson, who had only one home run this season, led off the sixth inning with a solo home run and then hit a three-run homer to give Milwaukee a 10-1 lead later in the inning.

Nilsson became the 12th player in league history to hit two homers in an inning, and joined Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs as the second player to do it in the last two days. Earlier this season, Pittsburgh’s Jeff King homered twice in an inning, making it the first time three players have done so during the same season.

Cleveland 12, Texas 10--Manny Ramirez’s grand slam capped a six-run seventh inning as the Indians overcame a seven-run deficit and win their 13th consecutive home game.

Cleveland’s Eddie Murray had four hits, including his fifth homer of the season and 484th of his career. He drove in two runs, passing Ted Williams for 10th on the career list with 1,840.

Albert Belle extended his hitting streak to a career-high 18 games with a run-scoring single that pulled Cleveland within 10-6 in the seventh. Murray followed with an RBI single and then Jim Thome was walked to load the bases for Ramirez.

Kansas City 4, Toronto 2--Tim Belcher shut down the Blue Jays until giving up consecutive home runs in the ninth inning, and Bip Roberts had a two-run single to lead the Royals at Kansas City.

Belcher gave up four hits through eight innings. He retired the first batter in the ninth, but Ed Sprague and John Olerud followed with home runs. Belcher, who struck out six and walked two, was replaced by Jeff Montgomery, who closed for his 10th save.

Boston 5, Oakland 3--Wil Cordero hit a two-run homer with two outs in the 11th inning, giving the Red Sox a victory over the Athletics at Boston.

Cordero doubled and scored in the eighth to tie the game before Jose Canseco struck out with two on to end the inning. In the 11th, Troy O’Leary singled with two out and Cordero followed with a towering home run over the Green Monster screen to end Boston’s fifth extra-inning outing in its last six games. Mo Vaughn also homered for the Red Sox.

Chicago 11, Detroit 6--Harold Baines hit a three-run homer in the top of the 10th inning and drove in five runs as the White Sox won at Detroit.

Baines homered after Frank Thomas walked and Robin Ventura singled. Chicago added two runs on Tony Phillips’ single and a grounder by Darren Lewis.