AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Ripken Makes an Error, Makes Up for It

Cal Ripken’s record errorless string ended Saturday at Kansas City, but the sadness didn’t last long.

Ripken, who misplayed a ground ball in the fifth inning of the opener, which the Baltimore Orioles lost, 10-9, got the big hit in the Orioles’ 3-1 victory over the Royals in the nightcap.

Ripken’s major league record for shortstops reached 95 games and 431 chances before he failed to pick up Jeff Schulz’s grounder. Ripken had not made an error since April 13.

“It’s not a relief,” Ripken said. “I’d rather not have made the error. I didn’t think it was a real easy play. I had a chance to throw him out, but the ball was hit deep and it was spinning away from me.

“To make that play, I would have had to set myself before I threw it. I think if I would have caught the ball I could have got him.”

In the opener, Kurt Stillwell hit a two-run home run to cap a five-run seventh that brought the Royals from behind. There were six doubles, four home runs and 14 walks in the game. George Brett, whose 16-game hitting streak ended Friday night, had one of each to resume his hot streak.

There were three rain delays totaling nearly two hours in the nightcap. It was tied, 1-1, but Ripken’s two-out single in the eighth scored Joe Orsulak. The Orioles added another run in the ninth and are only four games out in the American League East.

Dave Johnson (10-6) gave up four hits in seven innings and Gregg Olson pitched two hitless innings for his 22nd save.

In the opener, the Royals again gave troubled relief pitcher Mark Davis a start, but Davis experienced control troubles. He pitched four innings, gave up six hits, seven walks and six runs.

Oakland 4-4, Minnesota 1-9--The Athletics pitched their two best starters at Minneapolis but settled for a split.

After Dave Stewart pitched a six-hitter to improve his record to 13-8, the Twins knocked out Bob Welch (16-4) before he retired anyone in the third inning of the nightcap.

Welch, trying to become the first 17-game winner in the majors, gave up seven hits and seven runs before being replaced.

The Twins built an 8-0 lead for Scott Erickson (2-2) who went 6 1/3 innings, yielding Mark McGwire’s 27th home run and Rickey Henderson’s 19th.

The Athletics’ lead in the West was cut to two games over Chicago.

Chicago 5, Milwaukee 4--White Sox Manager Jeff Torborg insists something special is going on in Chicago.

The special thing about this game was that shortstop Ozzie Guillen singled in two runs in the bottom of the ninth to bring the White Sox from behind.

The White Sox blew a 3-0 lead and trailed, 4-3, but Ron Karkovice doubled off relief ace Dan Plesac, Scott Fletcher beat out a bunt and Carlton Fisk walked to load the bases.

“I knew it was going to be a tie game,” Guillen said. “I don’t strike out much and I knew I could put the ball in play. The first pitch was a fastball, but I was looking for the slider and I hit it.”

Said Torborg: “I really don’t have words to describe this team. It’s not luck. It’s hard work and dedication.”

It was the 14th time the White Sox have won in their last at-bat.

Detroit 17, Boston 9--Jack Morris must have had mixed feelings as he sat in the dugout at Detroit and watched his mates score 10 runs in the sixth inning.

On Friday night Morris gave up an unearned run and the Tigers, besides letting him down defensively, didn’t score a run.

Larry Sheets’ triple with the bases loaded was the big hit in the inning.

The Red Sox missed a chance to pull into a tie for first in the East.

Mike Boddicker, who was having a poor outing for the Red Sox, left in the second inning because of a sore elbow. He had given up three hits and four runs in 1 1/3 innings.

The Tigers signed pitcher Walt Terrell, released by Pittsburgh. With the Pirates, Terrell, 32, was 2-7 with a 5.88 earned-run average.

Texas 3, Toronto 2--The Blue Jays scored twice off Kevin Brown in the ninth to tie at Toronto, but Harold Baines hit his 10th home run in the 13th to give the Rangers the victory.

The Rangers had broken up a scoreless duel between Brown and Jimmy Key with two runs in the top of the eighth.

Cleveland 2, New York 1--Rookie reliever Alan Mills walked Brook Jacoby with the bases loaded in the seventh inning at Cleveland to force in the winning run.

Tom Candiotti (11-6) gave up four hits in eight innings to continue his mastery over the Yankees. He has beaten them six times in a row.

The winning run was unearned, because of an error by Mills. His throwing error put two runners on with one out.