Yankees Continue Frustrating Streak

American League

Buck Showalter breezes by the standings in the sports section quickly. Steve Howe thinks the New York Yankees stink. Luis Polonia called the last five weeks a nightmare. Paul O’Neill conceded there is an urgency for the Yankees every day. These things happen when a team plummets nearly 10 games out of first place.

The Yankees have fallen and they cannot seem to get back up. The free fall to the bottom of the American League East standings continued on Tuesday night when Geronimo Berroa bashed a monstrous grand slam and Ruben Sierra slugged a two-run homer to help the Athletics squash the Yankees, 8-6, at New York

Another shabby outing by another young pitcher - both homers were given up by Yankees starter Mariano Rivera - produced another exasperating loss.

Berroa’s blast off Rivera’s high, fat fastball zoomed over the center-field fence in a flash. It was only the third inning and Berroa’s first major-league grand slam only made it 4-2, but the Yankees have been fumbling away so many scoring chances that even a two-run deficit looks insurmountable. It was.

“This is not the Yankees that I know,” said Polonia in disbelief. “We go out there and we don’t know what’s going to happen. Last year, we knew we weren’t going to lose, but now it’s different. I don’t go out there thinking we’ll lose, but I wonder if we’re going to win.”

Angels 12, Red Sox 3

Boston

Tony Phillips homered twice and Mark Langston (4-1) came back two days after the worst outing of his career to lead California over Boston.

Rangers 2, Royals 1

Arlington, Texas

Kenny Rogers (7-2) matched his longest career winning streak with his seventh consecutive victory and Mike Pagliarulo snapped a tie with a sixthinning single as Texas beat Kansas City.

White Sox 6, Blue Jays 4

Chicago

Robin Ventura extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a pair of hits and had three RBIs to pace Chicago over Toronto.

Indians 4, Tigers 3

Cleveland

Wayne Kirby’s bases-loaded grounder in the eighth snapped a tie and boosted Cleveland over Detroit. The Indians have won nine of their last 10.

Brewers 13, Twins 5

Minneapolis

John Jaha and Joe Oliver each hit three-run homers as Milwaukee snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Minnesota, which suffered its ninth loss in its last 11 games.

McDonald wins case

Ben McDonald, who didn’t want to go to arbitration, is glad he did.

McDonald will receive $4.5 million from the Baltimore Orioles this season, arbitrator Pat Hardin ruled. The Orioles had offered the right-hander $3.2 million.

“Obviously I’m happy I won, but most of all I’m just glad it’s over with,” McDonald said. “It has an effect on you. It’s an awkward position to be in, worrying about a contract in the middle of the season.”

The $1.3 million difference between the Orioles’ offer and McDonald’s demand was the largest of any arbitration case this year.

Boston signs veteran

The Boston Red Sox signed outfielder Willie McGee to a minor-league contract and sent him to extended spring training.

McGee, 36, who will report to Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday, has a career average of .298 in 13 major-league seasons. He has 1,876 hits, and has played in four World Series and four All-Star Games.

Clearing the bases

Cecil Fielder, who has 13 homers, is seeking to become the first Detroit player to hit 25 homers in six consecutive seasons… . Boston had led, at some point, during 34 of its 36 games. Tuesday’s loss was a rare exception… . New York pitchers have allowed 32 homers in the Yankees’ last 22 games… . Gary Gaetti’s fourth-inning error at first base was Kansas City’s first since May 28.