American League Roundup : Canseco Begins to Shine as A’s Rise to the Top

Quietly and almost unnoticed, Jose Canseco is putting together some pretty good numbers. After a slow start, last season’s American League Rookie of the Year has become a force in the Oakland Athletics’ drive to the top of the West.

The slugging of rookie Mark McGwire and his own wretched start combined to make Canseco a forgotten man. After 50 games, Canseco, who hit 33 home runs last season and drove in 117 runs, had only 6 home runs and 23 runs batted in.

Then Canseco began to pick up the pace. He hit his 23rd home run Wednesday at Oakland to lead the A’s to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners and move into first place in the West--just barely. The A’s have a .5234 percentage to .5229 for the Minnesota Twins.

Canseco’s home run in the third inning tied the score. In the fifth, McGwire singled in the run that enabled Jose Rijo, just recalled from Tacoma, to gain the victory.

Rijo gave up 5 hits, 4 walks and 1 run in 5 innings. Gene Nelson then came in to retire 10 consecutive batters to earn his second save.

In his last 57 games, Canseco has hit 17 home runs, batted .300 and driven in 56 runs. He has 79 RBIs, while McGwire has 86, giving the A’s a potent one-two punch.

The A’s haven’t been in first place in August in a full season since 1975. In the 1981 season, shortened and split because of a strike, the A’s were in front and won the first-half championship.

Rijo, brought up for the third time this season, replaces Joaquin Andujar, who went on the disabled list for the fourth time with an elbow problem.

“If I go back one more time, I think they won’t have to pay for a plane ticket,” Rijo told the Associated Press. “The airline will give me a free trip. But I think I’ll stay this time.”

Canseco said he wasn’t really worried about any sophomore jinx.

“I knew that I would start hitting,” he said. “But the way we were going after 50 games, Mark was going to hit 60 and I was going to hit 18. We both knew it wouldn’t end up that way.

“Right now, we’re more concerned with winning the division than hitting home runs. We just want to keep winning.”

New York 5, Cleveland 2--It was the 14th anniversary of his no-hitter, but it wasn’t an occasion for Phil Niekro to celebrate at Cleveland.

The 48-year-old knuckleball specialist was outpitched by Brad Arnsberg, a rookie half his age, and is on his way to his first losing season since 1980.

While Arnsberg, in his second career start, shut out the Indians for six innings to gain his first win, Niekro served up two home run balls to Mike Pagliarulo, and his record fell to 7-11.

Until Pagliarulo homered in the fourth, Niekro had given up only one home run in the last 41 innings.

It was only the second Yankee road win in the last eight games.

Toronto 3, Chicago 2--In their pursuit of the Yankees in the East, the Blue Jays have developed a flair for the dramatic.

With two out and two on in the ninth inning at Chicago, the Blue Jays trailed, 2-1, but Ernie Whitt rapped a double off the right-field wall, and the Blue Jays won their fourth in a row to remain a half-game behind the Yankees.

Whitt’s clutch hit enabled Jimmy Key to improve his record to 13-6. Dependable Tom Henke pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to earn his 25th save. Henke has 12 saves in his last 12 opportunities.

The two ninth-inning runs were unearned because of shortstop Ozzie Guillen’s error. It made a loser of Richard Dotson (8-8).

Detroit 4, Kansas City 2--Bret Saberhagen threw home run balls to Pat Sheridan, Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker at Kansas City, and the Royals’ ace right-hander lost his fourth in a row to fall to 15-7.

Walt Terrell (9-8) pitched an eight-hitter, including George Brett’s 10th home run and Steve Balboni’s 15th. The Tigers’ win was just their second in eight games with the Royals this season. The Tigers ended a three-game losing streak and remained three games behind the Yankees.

Saberhagen, who has not won since the All-Star break, had a 10-2 lifetime record against the Tigers until this game.

Milwaukee 5, Baltimore 1--The Orioles’ record wouldn’t be too bad if they didn’t have to play the Brewers. Steve Kiefer hit another home run and Ted Higuera (11-8) pitched a six-hitter at Milwaukee to give the Brewers their eighth consecutive win over the Orioles.

Kiefer, who had three hits, also homered Tuesday night in the Brewers’ 9-8 win.

The Orioles gained a player and lost one before the game. Fred Lynn, out since July 23 with a muscle injury, singled in three attempts. Alan Wiggins, involved in a shouting match with teammate Jim Dwyer during batting practice, was suspended indefinitely by Manager Cal Ripken, Sr. According to Ripken, Wiggins grabbed him by his shirt front and used abusive language.

Texas 9, Boston 8--Roger Clemens departed after seven innings at Arlington, Tex., with an 8-4 lead, but the Red Sox’s bullpen couldn’t hold it.

Bob Brower hit a two-run homer off Joe Sambito in the eighth to cut the lead in half, then climaxed a three-run rally in the ninth with a game-winning single. Ruben Sierra’s two-run homer got the Rangers even.

Wade Boggs, who hit only 32 home runs in his first five seasons, hit his 19th home run to help the Red Sox build the big lead.