Rangers Now Seven In Front Of Mariners

American League

Ken Hill and four relievers combined on a four-hitter Saturday, and the visiting Texas Rangers cut their magic number for winning their first division title to 16 with a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Rangers took a seven-game lead in the A.L. West over Seattle, which was rained out at Cleveland.

Hill (15-8) won his fourth straight road decision, allowing one run and three hits in 6-2/3 innings. Mike Henneman got the last two outs for his 28th save.

Ben McDonald (10-10) lost his seventh straight decision in a span of 11 starts. Earlier this season, he beat Hill in a pair of head-to-head matchups.

Blue Jays 3, Yankees 2

New York

David Cone didn’t flirt with a no-hitter this time, he got smacked as soon as he took the mound.

Cone, who pitched seven no-hit innings earlier in the week in his return from shoulder surgery, gave up three runs and three hits on his first five pitches.

He was overpowering after that, but the Toronto Blue Jays hung on to beat the New York Yankees 3-2, allowing Baltimore to again close within four games of the A.L. East leaders.

Athletics 13, Royals 6

Oakland, Calif.

Mark McGwire hit his major-league-leading 48th home run and reached 100 RBIs as Oakland beat Kansas City.

McGwire hit a three-run homer that highlighted a five-run seventh inning. He made it to the 100-RBI mark for the fourth time in his injury-interrupted career.

White Sox 4, Red Sox 3

Chicago

Alex Fernandez outpitched Roger Clemens and Chicago right fielder Dave Martinez made a game-saving catch with two outs in the ninth inning as the White Sox cooled off Boston.

Fernandez (13-9), who had two losses and a no-decision in his three previous starts, allowed five hits in 7-2/3 innings, walked two and struck out five for his first win since aug. 17.

The Red Sox had closed to 4-3 in the ninth and had runners at first and third when Jeff Frye hit a sinking liner to right. Martinez, who had switched fields when Darren Lewis was put in to play center, raced toward the ball and fully extended his body to make the catch before tumbling into foul territory.

Orioles 6, Tigers 0

Baltimore

Mike Mussina pitched Baltimore’s first shutout of the season, matching his career high with his 19th win as the Orioles beat Detroit.

Bobby Bonilla hit his 25th homer during Baltimore’s four-run first inning. Brady Anderson reached 100 RBIs with a run-scoring double in the eighth.

The Orioles became the last team in the majors to record a shutout this season. It took them 141 games to get one.

Twins 6, Angels 3

Minneapolis

Minnesota said goodbye to Kirby Puckett, then lost Rick Aguilera and Chuck Knoblauch before beating California.

The fans saw Aguilera leave with a pulled left hamstring in the fifth inning and Knoblauch leave an inning later after fouling a ball off his left foot and being hit by a pitch on the back of his left elbow.

Clearing the bases

Juan Guzman, the league’s ERA leader, had an appendectomy Saturday and the Toronto pitcher probably will miss the rest of the season. He had been scheduled to start against the New York Yankees. … The Rangers are 34-34 on the road, and a league-leading 46-27 at home. They will play 14 of their next 18 games on the road.

Oakland reliever Bill Taylor, who had 14 saves in 15 chances before being injured Aug. 15, was due to return to action today, but his sore groin muscle will keep him on the bench until late next week. … Willie Miranda, who played shortstop for the Orioles from 1954-59, died Saturday morning in Baltimore.

Toronto’s Joe Carter raised his RBI total to 101, the sixth time in seven years and ninth overall that he’s driven in 100 or more. … White Sox shortstop Ozzie Guillen didn’t start a second straight game with a sore side but entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth and twice couldn’t make plays that turned out to be infield hits.