American League Roundup : Royals Retire Howser’s Number--and Sweep 2

On an emotional day in Kansas City, when the late Dick Howser’s uniform No. 10 was retired, the Royals swept a doubleheader from the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-4 and 5-4, Friday before a crowd of 40,619, the largest of the season at Royals Stadium.

Frank White singled home George Brett from third base with two out in the ninth inning for the winning run in the second game, handing the Blue Jays their sixth straight loss. White and Brett each drove in two runs in the first game, and Mark Gubicza won his fourth straight.

The sweep moved the Royals into first place in the AL West by .001 over Minnesota.

The fifth person and first non-player to be named to the Royals’ Hall of Fame, Howser, the team’s former manager, was honored in ceremonies between games, and Kansas City players began wearing arm patches bearing Howser’s name and number on their uniforms in the second game.

Howser’s wife, Nancy, accepted a uniform from Royal owner Ewing Kauffman.

“I really miss him tonight,” she said. “I remember when we heard the good news (of Dick Howser Day). We were sitting at the breakfast table and we read every detail.

“Dick was thrilled. We both had tears of happiness in our eyes. And Dick said to me, ‘There are so many good people out there that just keep doing so many good things for me.’ ”

Howser had battled cancer since it was diagnosed in July 1986, after he managed the American League All-Stars to a victory over the National League. He had four operations before he died at 51.

Chicago 14, Cleveland 9--Donnie Hill’s two-run single highlighted a six-run ninth inning that gave the White Sox a wild victory at Cleveland, ruining a three-homer performance by the Indians’ Brook Jacoby.

The inning before, the Indians had scored six runs with the help of home runs by Joe Carter, Cory Snyder and Jacoby to take a 9-8 lead.

Jim Winn (4-4) got credit for the victory despite yielding a two-run, game-tying homer to Snyder in the bottom of the eighth and Jacoby’s third homer of the night.

Boston 2, Oakland 0--Coming into the game with a whopping 8.73 earned-run average, Boston right-hander Jeff Sellers was an unlikely candidate to survive against Oakland starter Steve Ontiveros.

But Sellers (3-1) proved more than equal to the task at Oakland by shutting out the A’s on six hits, only the third time this year they have been blanked. He preserved his shutout by striking out Mark McGwire, the league’s leading home run hitter, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth.

Ontiveros (5-2) took the loss.

Detroit 5, Seattle 2--Bill Madlock hit a two-run homer, and rookie Jeff Robinson pitched one-hit ball through five innings to lead the Tigers at Seattle

Madlock, the former Dodger signed as a free agent June 4 by the Tigers, hit Mike Moore’s first pitch over the left-field wall to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead in the third inning. It was his seventh home run in 22 games with Detroit.

Robinson (5-4) cruised through the first five innings, allowing just a fourth-inning single to Scott Bradley. But he failed to make it out of the sixth, surrendering four hits and two runs before Eric King came in to retire the last 11 batters and record his sixth save.

Moore (3-10) went the distance for Seattle, allowing nine hits.

Texas 9-1, New York 0-3--Mike Stanley hit a grand slam while Bobby Witt combined with two relievers on a five-hitter for the Rangers in the first game, and Rick Rhoden and Dave Righetti combined on a six-hitter as Mike Pagliarulo hit a home run for the Yankees in the nightcap at New York.

Rhoden (10-5) allowed 5 hits, struck out 5 and walked none in 8 innings. Righetti worked the ninth for his 16th save.

New York took a 3-0 lead in the second game on three hits off Jose Guzman (6-7), who pitched his third complete game despite suffering from a mild form of mononucleosis.

“I did my running and I felt awful,” Guzman said. “I got better as went I went along, but I’m surprised I finished.”

Minnesota 6, Baltimore 5--Steve Lombardozzi, benched because of an 0-for-17 batting slump, lined an RBI single with two outs in the 11th inning to give the Twins the win at Minneapolis.

Tom Brunansky led off the 11th with a double, and Tim Laudner walked against Tom Niedenfuer (1-1), who retired the next two batters before Lombardozzi, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the 10th inning, singled into center field.

“To be able to contribute is a good feeling,” Lombardozzi said. “The last three weeks have been a struggle, especially when the team’s winning and you’re not helping.”

It was the fifth consecutive loss and 28th defeat in 33 games since May 29 for the Orioles, who rallied from a 5-1 deficit to force extra innings.