AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : A’s Break Bad Habit Against Twins

After winning three consecutive American League pennants, the Oakland Athletics developed some bad habits last season and finished fourth in the West.

There are signs the A’s are fixing their problems and making plans to bid for West Division honors again.

In five of their last six games against the Minnesota Twins last season, Oakland blew leads. In three of those games, the lead was five runs. The A’s did it again Friday in the first game of the season between the two.

So, there were some anxious moments Saturday at Minneapolis. Again, the A’s took a five-run lead. Only this time they went on to an 8-4 victory and extended their lead to 1 1/2 games over the Chicago White Sox atop the West.

However, the A’s got a scare. Although they had 18 hits, there was a harrowing experience before Dennis Eckersley earned his sixth save.

With two on in the eighth inning and Oakland leading, 7-3, Brian Harper hit a drive that appeared to be into the gap in left-center field. But left fielder Rickey Henderson caught the ball on the run.

“I thought it was an out,” Eckersley said. “Then I turned and thought, ‘No one’s there!’ If Rickey doesn’t catch the ball, we’re in trouble.”

Another problem last season was lack of hitting in the lower end of the batting order. That, too, is changing.

Four of the last five hitters in the lineup had 13 of the hits and scored six of the A’s runs.

Mark McGwire, who batted .201 last season, has moved up to the No. 5 spot. McGwire had three hits, increasing his average to .333. Shortstop Mike Bordick, batting ninth, had four hits, and Willie Wilson (seventh) had three hits and drove in three runs.

Baltimore 9, New York 2--In his four previous seasons with the Orioles, outfielder Brady Anderson was the ideal leadoff hitter. Lacking power, he relied on speed.

Suddenly, Anderson is playing the part of a slugger.

Anderson hit a home run and drove in five runs at New York to lead the Orioles to their eighth victory in nine games.

The leadoff hitter has driven in 18 runs, second in the major leagues to Cecil Fielder.

“I’m just trying to get by, trying to get some sort of consistent swing up there, not trying to change too much,” Anderson said. “Most of my RBIs have come with two out. Definitely, it’s helped to have the guys at the bottom of the lineup getting on base.”

Toronto 6, Kansas City 4--Roberto Alomar extended his on-base streak to nine with a single during the sixth inning at Toronto and it also extended the Royals’ skid.

The hit drove in two runs, brought the Blue Jays from behind and handed the Royals their ninth defeat in a row and their 16th in 17 games.

Alomar, leading the league with a .397 average, grounded out during the eighth to end the string. He had seven singles and two walks during the streak.