Ripken Enjoys Walk on Wild Side

On a wild offensive night in Baltimore that included 23 runs, 26 hits and six home runs, the final outcome was decided by a walk.

Cal Ripken drew a bases-loaded walk against Mark Acre in the bottom of the 10th inning Monday night, capping the final rally in a game of comebacks to give the Baltimore Orioles a 12-11 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

After getting seven unearned runs, the Orioles blew an 8-3 lead, but scored two in the ninth to tie the score.

Mike Bordick singled in the go-ahead run for Oakland in the 10th, but the Orioles struck back one last time against Acre (0-2).

After Brady Anderson tripled to even the score, 11-11, Acre issued two intentional walks to load the bases. Ripken then ducked a high 3-and-1 pitch, forcing in the final run to give the victory to Randy Myers (3-3).

Oakland rookie Tony Batista, who started the game with two homers and five runs batted in, hit two home runs and drove in four.

Chris Hoiles hit his fifth career grand slam for the Orioles, and his second this season.

Cleveland 2, Detroit 1--Jim Thome hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth at Detroit and Charles Nagy pitched a three-hitter for his first victory in six starts.

Thome’s 29th homer came with one out and broke a 1-1 tie as the Indians stayed perfect this season against Detroit at 10-0.

Nagy (13-4) won for the first time since July 25. He was 0-1 with four no-decisions in his previous five starts. Felipe Lira (6-11) took the loss.

Toronto 5, Minnesota 3--Homerless in his last 21 games, Joe Carter ended his drought with a two-run shot in the first inning at Toronto and the Blue Jays went on to win for the eighth time in nine games.

“I wasn’t worried about the home runs,” Carter said after hitting his 27th. “I knew it was awhile--but I haven’t taken notice of it. I couldn’t tell you how long it was.”

Teammate Carlos Delgado led off the second with his 21st homer, a drive into the second deck in left. Delgado went three for four.

Toronto pitcher Juan Guzman (11-8), leading the AL with a 3.02 earned-run average, shut out the Twins on four hits until the seventh inning, when a couple of passed balls by rookie Julio Mosquera helped Minnesota score three runs.

But it wasn’t enough to prevent Twin pitcher Brad Radke from dropping to 8-14.

Seattle 2, New York 1--Jay Buhner, mired in a six-for-37 slump, had an RBI single in the eighth inning at Seattle to get the winning run across.

Buhner, who struck out in his previous three at-bats, singled against Dave Pavlas to score Ken Griffey Jr. from second base. Bernie Williams bobbled the ball in center and made no throw.

Yankee starter Jimmy Key was hit in the left elbow by a line drive in the first inning. He left the game and was taken to a hospital. X-rays were negative.

Buhner’s hit made a winner of pitcher Bobby Ayala (5-3). Norm Charlton got the final two outs for his 14th save.

The losing pitcher was Graeme Lloyd (2-5).

Milwaukee 3, Chicago 2--Brewer pitchers Cal Eldred and Doug Jones each got the confidence boost they needed at Chicago.

And both got the offensive support they needed from Marc Newfield, Jeff Cirillo and John Jaha, each of whom hit RBI doubles.

Eldred (3-2) gave up five hits, struck out three and walked one in 5 1/3 innings. Eldred, who underwent elbow surgery in June 1995, threw 88 pitches in his 10th start since being activated from the disabled list July 14.

“He pitched good and I wanted him to come off the field with a good feeling,” Brewer Manager Phil Garner said. “Any time you get Frank Thomas out three times, you’ve done a good job.”

Eldred was equally elated.

“This is kind of my spring training,” he said. “If I can keep the ballclub close, then I’ve done my job.”

Jones pitched 1 2/3 innings for his first save since joining the Brewers on July 29. Closer Mike Fetters was unavailable because of a blister under a fingernail on his right hand.

Wilson Alvarez (14-7) took the loss.