European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 26, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 b the stars and stripes thursday september 26, 1991bucs hold off mets in slug est by the associated press new York Howard Johnson set an no record for Home runs by a switch hitter and Daryl Boston added a grand slam for the mets tuesday night but the Pittsburgh pirates held off new York 10-8. The pirates though out slugged still out slogged the mets in a game where i National league rained for the final six innings. Pittsburgh playing for the first time since clinching the no last on sunday combined 17 hits seven walks three errors and a hit Batter to win. Don Slaught drove in three runs and Gary Redus rib grounder broke a 7-All tie in the seventh. Johnson hit his 37th Homer in the fourth breaking the league Mark for Home runs by a switch hitter that he set in 1087. The two run shot also gave him a team record 110 Bis surpassing the 108 Rols by Darryl Strawberry last season. Boston hit his third career slam in the fifth putting the mets ahead 7-b. He earlier singled Home a run and his five Bis were a career High. He doubled in the seventh and came up in the eighth against lefty Rosario Rodriguez with a Chance to tie the game and hit for the Cycle. But mets manager Bud Harrelson sent up right handed Terry Mcdaniel to Pinch hit and the Rookie struck out. In other games tuesday night Phillies 4, cubs 2 Chicago Andy Ashby 1-4 won for the first time in six major league starts allowing three hits in seven innings and Mitch Williams finished with one hit Relief for his 20th save. Mike Bielecki 13-11 lost his third consecutive  4, expos 3 St. Louis Catcher  Reyes Center fielder Marquis Grissom shortstop Tom Foley and Pitcher Chris Haney 3-6 made errors that led to four unearned runs. Omar Olivares 10-6 gave up three runs and seven hits in seven innings. Lee Smith recorded his league leading 43rd save. Montreal a Marquis Grissom stole three bases passing suspended Otis Nixon of Atlanta for the major league Lead with 73.giants 9, astros 7 Houston Matt Williams homered in the fourth inning then was hit on the helmet with a Brian Williams pitch his next time up and both were ejected after Matt Williams charged the Mound. A trailing 5-2, san Francisco got seven runs in the ninth on Willie Mcgee s rib single off Mark Portugal 10-10will Clark s run scoring groundnut Kevin Bass s sacrifice Fly. Bases loaded walks to Kilt Manwaring and Darren Lewis a hit batsman to Mike Benjamin and an error by second baseman Casey Candaele. White sox Catcher Carlton Fisk slaps the tag on Minnesota a a Greg Gagne who was Safe when Ball popped out of Fisk a Glove. Erickson Back in Groove As twins whip White sox by the associated press Minneapolis Scott Erickson s Arm has Felt Fine for months. It was his Era that had been ailing. The Chicago White sox provided the perfect cure for Erickson s woes tuesday night going witless for 6v.\ innings and falling 9-2 to Erickson a Minnesota twins. Dan Pasqua s seventh inning Homer was Chicago s Only hit. As important As the game was a Minnesota increased its Al West Lead to nine games with 11 to play and reduced its magic number to three a the twins Felt it was even More important to get a solid performance from Erickson. The second year right hander had been 6-5 with a 6.75 Era since june 29, when Chicago ended his 12-game winning Streak. �?o1 figured i was trying to get even. They beat me around last time a said Erickson who went on the 15-Day disabled list with Elbow soreness after Chicago a 11-hit, seven run pounding in june. Quot i Haven to been throwing the Ball Well. Tonight i kept the Ball  Kent Hrbek capped a four run second inning with a two run Homer off Jack Mcdowell 17-10. Chuck Knoblauch extended his hitting Streak to 19 games and drove in three runs for Minnesota which can Clinch a share of the division title when it again hosts Chicago wednesday night. Erickson left after seven innings and Mark Guthrie completed the one hitter with two innings of  league Erickson retired the first 16 batters on four strikeouts and 12 grounders before losing his perfect game on a five pitch walk to Craig Grebeck in the sixth. Erickson walked Robin Ventura on four pitches to Start the seventh. After Frank Thomas grounded into a fielders Choice the left handed Pasqua lifted an 0-1 pitch to the opposite Field for his 16th Homer a the Only Ball Erickson allowed out of the infield. Mcdowell lasted Only la it innings his shortest Outing of the season. He gave up six runs on seven hits. The twins took a 2-0 Lead in the first. Knoblauch singled and scored on a double by Kirby Puckett who came Home on Gene Larkin s single. Greg Gagne singled with one out in the second went to second on Dan Gladden a single and scored on Knoblauch s single. After Puckett s rib grounder Hrbek lined a Homer to right his 19th. Making it 6-0 and chasing Mcdowell. In other games tuesday night tigers 7, indians 2 Detroit the tigers kept their meager Pennant Hopes alive and Scott Aldred earned his third major league win in a 7-2 Triumph Over Cleveland. Detroit broke the game open with four runs off Rookie Charles Nagy 10-13 in the first and Mickev Tettleton hit a two run Homer his 28th, in the fifth. Aldred 2-3 allowed nine hits in 8g innings including Albert Belles 28th Homer in the  5, Yankees 4 Milwaukee a Cal Eldred won his major league debut and Robin Yount tied babe Ruth for 27th place on the All time hit list As Milwaukee jumped to an Early four run Lead and held on to beat new York. Eldred went 5 a innings allowing seven hits and three runs. Eric plunk 25 was the loser. Milwaukee led 4-0 by the third inning with the help of Paul molitors double and Younts 2000th career  5, athletics 4 Oakland Calif. The athletics three year reign As Al champions came to an end As Oakland was mathematically eliminated from the West division race with a loss to Kansas City. Oakland dropped 12 games behind first place Minnesota with 11 games remaining. Danny Tartabull hit his 30th Homer for the  8, mariners 7 Seattle a Brian Downing singled in Gary Pettis from second base with two outs in the ninth to lift Texas Over Seattle. Jeff Russell 6-4 got the Victory by pitching the ninth after blowing his 10th save in 38 opportunities in the  struggling in attempt to re sign Bonilla Pittsburgh apr the Pittsburgh pirates have two strikes on them in the Bottom of the ninth As they try to resign Bobby Bonilla but Board chairman Douglas Danforth vows to keep swinging. Danforth said the pirates will make a serious last minute pitch to sign the four time All Star when the season ends although he remains pessimistic that a Deal can be done. A a we la take Tine More big shot after the season. We done to want to do anything to disrupt a players concentration right now a Danforth Sank a but in a not very optimistic. Its very much a Long  Bonilla considered the catalyst of baseball a rebirth in Pittsburgh can become a free agent following this season. After helping Lead Pittsburgh to its second straight no East title. Bonilla could be Worth As much As 825 million on the open Market. A a he a a great player a great person a great Guy Quot Danforth said. A if lies goes Well miss him. But Well wish him Well whether he s Here or somewhere  the pirates pushed to re sign Bonilla during Spring training but talks broke off after Bonilla turned Down a four year $16 million Deal. After Bonilla s rejection. The pirates quickly signed Gold Glove Center fielder Andy Van Slyke to a three year contract Extension for $12.65 million. Bonilla has talked Little about the subject publicly but was upset at the pirates for giving Van Slyke a contract Worth More per year than they offered him. The two sides did not resume serious negotiations again until mid season when the pirates slightly increased their previous offer. It w As again rejected. Bonilla said he will give Pittsburgh the first Chance to re sign him but has dropped hints he would t mind returning to his native new York or playing in Chicago or san Diego where close Friend Barry Bonds built a House last Winter. Bonds a Strong contender for his second straight map award has said there is Little Chance he will re sign with Pittsburgh next year if the pirates done to sign Bonilla his closest Friend on the team. A if they want to keep having championship seasons Here the pirates had better  Bonds said sunday. In an appearance monday night on Cable tvs ivc shopping Channel. Bonds said laughing Quot Bobby and i Are like Brothers. It s like we re married. We be been together a Long time. We d like to be together a Long