American League Roundup : Fisk Homer Extends White Sox Streak to Seven

Carlton Fisk spent a decade starring at Fenway Park when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox. At age 41, he still loves to hit there.

Fisk led off the eighth inning with a home run Friday night at Boston to help give the streaking Chicago White Sox a 1-0 victory over the Red Sox. It was the seventh win in a row for the White Sox.

Since signing with the White Sox as a free agent before the 1981 season, Fisk has hit 26 home runs against his former teammates, 15 at Fenway.

Fisk’s seventh home run broke up a pitching battle between Melido Perez (7-10) and Eric Hetzel (1-1).

“It was a 0-0 game and we won it with a home run,” Fisk said. “That’s exciting no matter who it’s against and where it’s hit.”

Fisk, who singled with one out in the fifth inning for the first hit off Hetzel, has been the big gun in the last three games. In those games he is seven for 11 with two home runs and six runs batted in.

Bobby Thigpen pitched the last two innings for his 19th save and his fourth in seven games.

“When you get on a roll, things go in your favor,” White Sox Manager Jeff Torborg said. “This is a strange game.

“We are getting the kind of pitching I thought we would get coming out of spring training. I just couldn’t give up on them and I’m glad I didn’t.”

Oakland 3, Baltimore 2--Wildness by Oriole bullpen ace Gregg Olson and a run-scoring single by Rickey Henderson enabled the Athletics to pull out the victory at Oakland.

The Orioles rallied with two out in the eighth to score twice and take a 2-1 lead, ending Mike Moore’s scoreless string at 23 innings. They then turned to Olson, who had saves in his first 16 chances before failing in his last appearance.

Four walks and a wild pitch in the ninth enabled the A’s to tie. Henderson then hit Mark Williamson’s first pitch for a game-winning single.

Jose Canseco, playing only his seventh game of the season, hit his third home run for the A’s in the second inning.

Kansas City 6, Cleveland 1--Willie Wilson had three hits and drove in three runs at Kansas City, but the Royals were in no mood to celebrate.

Injuries are keeping the Royals from making a run at first place in the West.

George Brett, who missed six weeks earlier in the season with damaged ligaments in his right knee, became the latest casualty, suffered a strained tendon in the same knee in the fifth inning.

“We don’t know how long he’ll be out,” said Royal Manager John Wathan. “Maybe, it will be just a couple of games.”

Already out with injuries are Pat Tabler, Jim Eisenreich, Danny Tartabull, Kurt Stillwell and Gary Thurman.

Toronto 8, Seattle 1--Fred McGriff hit two home runs, one with the bases loaded, at Seattle to lead the Blue Jays to victory.

McGriff, who has 25 home runs this season, also took over the home run lead in the American League. He hit 34 last season.

McGriff’s five runs batted in made it easy for Mike Flanagan to improve his record to 6-6. Flanagan held Seattle hitless until Omar Vizquel singled to open the sixth inning. Flanagan left after giving up three hits in eight innings.

Texas 5, New York 2--The Rangers tried to change Pete Incaviglia’s free-swinging ways last spring, then tried to trade him last week.

The best thing that happened is both efforts failed.

Incaviglia, who went 25 games without hitting a home run while trying the new swing, hit his fifth in the last six games, a three-run blast in the sixth inning at Arlington, Tex.

Incaviglia’s 407-foot drive to left-center field enabled Kevin Brown to improve his record to 8-6.

Brown pitched a four-hitter and only one run was earned.

Incaviglia also had a run-scoring double, giving him 14 runs batted in in the last six games.

Milwaukee 5, Minnesota 3--Teddy Higuera admits he is only about 80 to 85% of his best, but that was good enough to handle the Twins at Milwaukee.

Higuera (4-4) gave up seven hits in seven innings and struck out seven. He is 7-1 lifetime against the Twins.