The Cleveland Indians keep winning, the Boston Red Sox keep losing and the Detroit Tigers keep hitting home runs.
Cleveland won its ninth straight overall and team-record 18th in a row at Jacobs Field Sunday, beating the Red Sox 6-5. The Indians have the best home winning streak in baseball since Boston set a major league record with 24 straight at Fenway Park in 1988.The Red Sox lost their 11th straight - their worst streak since 1932. Boston is two games under .500 exactly one month after being 13 games over.
One other streak stayed in the news Sunday.
The Detroit Tigers tied a major league record by homering in their 25th straight game, a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Mickey Tettleton hit it, an upper-deck shot leading off the second, to tie the record set by the 1941 New York Yankees. Detroit leads the majors with 102 home runs.
Cleveland trailed for most of the game before pulling ahead to stay in the seventh against Greg Harris (2-4) on an RBI double by Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel's second RBI single of the game.
"Several times on this homestand we've come from behind to win. That's the sign of a good team," said Jack Morris, who got his 250th career victory and his fifth win in eighth starts since he shaved his mustache to change his luck.
Cleveland improved its AL Central-leading record to 40-25, best in the American League.
"To win 18 in a row any place is very significant. That's a hell of a run," Morris said. "All of us are aware of that. Nobody wants to do bad right now. That's what happens when you win."
Morris allowed 11 hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking one. Derek Lilliquist pitched 11/3 innings of hitless relief, and rookie Paul Shuey finished for his fifth save.
Tigers 3, Blue Jays 1
At Detroit, Greg Gohr (2-0) got the victory, pitching into the eighth inning in the second start of his career. He allowed six hits in 7 2-3 innings, walked two and struck out a career-high seven.
Junior Felix extended his hitting streak to 17 games and Tettleton homered for the fourth time in his last five games.
Royals 12, Mariners 9
At Kansas City, Greg Gagne hit an inside-the-park home run off center fielder Quinn Mack's glove in a seven-run seventh inning as the Kansas City Royals rallied to win.
Mack was playing center field because Ken Griffey, a Gold Glover, was used as the designated hitter.
White Sox 7, Angels 1
At Chicago, Scott Sanderson (5-2) had a no-hitter through 62/3 innings and finished with a three-hitter.
Brewers 10, Yankees 7
At New York, Greg Vaughn homered twice, Matt Mieske hit a two-run homer and Kevin Seitzer drove in three runs in a 31/2-hour game played in 96-degree weather.
Twins 10, Orioles 7
At Baltimore, Pat Meares hit his first two career home runs after going 498 at-bats without one.
"I was shocked," Twins manager Tom Kelly admitted. "Everybody was. Weren't you?"
Pat Mahomes (7-2) got the victory, scattering 12 hits, walking one and striking out three in six-plus innings. Baltimore starter Mike Oquist (2-2) lasted only 2 2-3 innings, his shortest outing in four major-league starts.
Athletics 5, Rangers 0
At Arlington, Texas, Steve Ontiveros pitched six shutout innings before leaving with an injury and Ruben Sierra homered as the Athletics completed a four-game sweep.
Ontiveros (3-2) allowed three hits through six innings before he experienced tightness in his right groin and was forced to leave.
National League
Reds 12, Braves 4
Kenny Rogers (8-4) walked four in a 40-pitch first inning.
Once again, the Cincinnati Reds made baseball's best staff look like a bunch of batting-practice pitchers.
The Reds hit a team-record four homers during a seven-run first inning and went on to rout the Braves for the second straight game, 12-4 Sunday.
The Braves, with the lowest ERA and best record in the majors, were beaten 16-0 Saturday night. The Reds got 20 hits in that game and sent Atlanta to its most-lopsided loss in 16 years.
Hal Morris, Kevin Mitchell, Jeff Branson and Eddie Taubensee all homered in the first inning Sunday off John Smoltz as the Reds again got 20 hits in Atlanta.
"I couldn't go out and duplicate that in BP," Smoltz said. "What were they hitting? Everything - fastballs down, fastballs up, fastballs down the middle."
Smoltz (5-7) was tagged for 20 total bases in the first inning, the most allowed by an NL pitcher since 1900.
Cubs 10, Giants 6
Shawon Dunston homered on the first pitch of the game and added a solo shot in the fifth inning as Chicago won at Candlestick Park.
Dodgers 7, Rockies 3
Mike Piazza hit a grand slam and tied a career high with five RBI, leading Los Angeles past visiting Colorado.
Piazza singled home the game's first run in the sixth inning off Kevin Ritz (1-4). In the seventh, he connected against Kent Bottenfield for his second career slam and 15th homer of the season.
Padres 5, Astros 1
Tony Gwynn hit a disputed three-run homer and Scott Sanders struck out a career-high 11 as San Diego defeated visiting Houston.
Gwynn's eighth homer put the Padres ahead 4-1 in the fifth inning. Astros manager Terry Collins argued in vain that the ball bounced off the top of the center-field fence and caromed back into play.
Pirates 3, Cardinals 2
Zane Smith pitched seven strong innings in 101-degree heat at Busch Stadium as Pittsburgh beat St. Louis.
Smith (7-6) gave up one run and eight hits. He is 5-2 with a 1.18 ERA since September 1990 against the Cardinals. Alejandro Pena pitched the ninth for his fourth save.
Mets 6, Marlins 1
At Miami, Dwight Gooden allowed three hits over eight innings for his first victory since April 16.
Phillies 13, Expos 0
At Montreal, pitcher Bobby Munoz had three hits and his first two major-league RBI, and Darren Daulton homered as the Phillies completed a three-game sweep.
Daulton hit his 14th homer, added an RBI double and scored three times as the Phillies roughed up Jeff Fassero (5-5), who came within one out of a no-hitter in his last outing.