Wells K’S 10 Yanks As Tigers Roll 8-4

American League

David Wells struck out 10 and won his fourth straight start Wednesday as the visiting Detroit Tigers beat New York 8-4, ending the Yankees’ six-game winning streak.

Wells (6-3) scattered eight hits and walked two in seven-plus innings. He was charged with two runs in the eighth when Mike Stanley hit a two-run single off John Doherty.

John Flaherty and Travis Fryman drove in two runs each and the Tigers had 13 hits off Jack McDowell (4-5).

McDowell, who had won his last three starts, was charged with all eight runs, striking out four in 4 2/3 innings before being relieved by Josias Manzanillo.

“He was behind most of the hitters and it doesn’t matter how good you are, you’re going to get hit,” Fryman said of McDowell, who got an extra day of rest when three relievers pitched for the Yankees on Tuesday night.

The Tigers scored five runs in the second inning when Flaherty hit a two-run single, Chad Curtis and Fryman had RBI singles, and Lou Whitaker hit a sacrifice fly.

Orioles 4, Brewers 2

Milwaukee

Mike Mussina won on the road for the first time this season, giving up four hits in eight innings as Baltimore completed a three-game sweep.

White Sox 4, Twins 3

Minneapolis

Jason Bere matched his career-high with 14 strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings, and Robin Ventura homered twice as Chicago won its sixth straight.

Rangers 9, Angels 8

Arlington, Texas

Lee Smith’s record save streak ended at 19 games when Texas rallied for three runs in the ninth.

“You didn’t think I could go a whole season without messing one up, did you?” Smith asked. “I could have thrown a nasty slider on the black (edge of the plate), and he could have hit it out of the ballpark. He hit my worst pitch.”

Will Clark hit a two-run double that tied it and Ivan Rodriguez singled home the winning run with one out. Texas had trailed 8-2 in the seventh.

Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 4

Boston

David Cone struck out 11, Paul Molitor hit his 200th career home run and Toronto ended an eightgame losing streak.

Indians 5, Royals 2

Kansas City, Mo.

Eddie Murray hit a tworun home run to move within three hits of 3,000 for his career as Cleveland earned its first sweep in Kansas City since 1981.

Jim Thome also hit a tworun homer as the Indians beat Kevin Appier for the second time this season, ending Appier’s five-game winning streak.

Clearing the bases

Minnesota has lost 13 of its last 15 at home… . The Angels have averaged more than nine runs in Mark Langston’s seven victories. … Twenty-one of Boston’s last 24 home runs, including the last 16, have been solo shots. …

This is the longest the Blue Jays have gone into a season without winning three straight. The previous longest was 51 games in 1977, their first year in the league. … Bob Hamelin, last year’s A.L. Rookie of the Year, started as Kansas City’s DH after being recalled from Omaha Tuesday. He went 0 for 4. … The players’ association filed a grievance against the Royals for not allowing second baseman Jose Lind to rejoin the team.