European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 24, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 34 the stars and stripes sports saturday a try 24,1993 Olerud or wins it puts him at .400 by the associated press from the Little leagues to the big leagues batters retold that a walk is As Good As a hit. That is unless the hitter is John Olerud. Instead of taking a walk Olerud swung at what would be been Ball Lour and hit a Home run in the ninth inning thursday night that gave the Toronto Blue jays an 8-7 Victory Over the Texas rangers. Olerud homered on a full count pitch from Cris car Center leading off the ninth in Texas Olsrud s 19th Homer of the season also raised his batting average Toan even .400. No major leaguer has been batting .400 this late inthe season since George Brett reached the Mark on aug. 17,1980. There s no pressure on me to hit .400," Olerud  was t a goal i set out to do at the beginning of the  Olerud hit an rib double in the first inning the Texas became determined to pitch around him. The rangers walked him in his next three at bats twice intentionally. We tried not to let Olerud beat us rangers Man Ager Kevin Kennedy said. He s hitting .400 for a Rea son. That s Why we intentionally walked  but in the ninth Olerud swung at a High Slider an hit it Over the right Field Fence. I Don t know that that was a Good pitch to swing at Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. The Ball was up and out of the strike zone. John just went after it an got enough of it to hit it  Joe Carter doubled twice and drove in four runs for Toronto. The Blue jays ended their six game losing Streak against the rangers. Mike Timlin 2-1 pitched the eighth and got the Vic tory. Duane Ward struck out the Side in the ninth for his 24th save of the season and 100th of his career. Carpenter 0-1 lost his first decision with  Gonzalez hit his 27th Homer for the rangers tying Barry Bonds for the major league Lead. In other thursday games red sox 9, athletics 7 Boston won its seventh straight game breaking a tie in the eighth inning after second baseman Brent Gates made Oakland s fourth error of the game. Mike Greenwell singled Home the go ahead run Sandmo Vaughn drove in another run with his fourth single. The red sox have won 22 of their last 27. Rickey Henderson homered twice and drove in three runs for the visiting a s. He trotted Home slowly after his second Homer and exchanged words with Pitcher Danny Darwin causing the benches to briefly empty. Ken Ryan 4-0 was the Winner and Jeff Russell gothic 25th save. Edwin Nunez 3-5 was the loser. White sox 7, Brewers 2 to Jackson homered and drove in three runs Boston Catcher Tony Pena stretches to tag Oakland s Craig Paquotte who was ruled Safe of a close play. American league helping Jack Mcdowell become the first 15-game win Ner in the majors. Chicago won for the 10th time in 13 games and sent visiting Milwaukee to its seventh straight loss. Mcdowell 15-6 improved to 9-1 lifetime against the Brewers despite giving up 12 hits in 7v4 innings. Jackson hit a two run Homer his eighth in the fifth inning off Jaime Navarro 5-8. Jackson also had an rib single during a three run fourth. Yankees 12, Angels 1 Danny Tartabull hit two of new York s five Home runs and the Yankees won at Home against California. Don Mattingly hit his 200th career Home run an Paul o Neill and Mike Stanley also connected. The Angels lost their sixth straight game. The Yankees had not hit so Many Home runs in game since hitting six against Minnesota on May 23, 1990. Tartabull and o Neill hit consecutive homers inthe third and Mattingly and Tartabull had consecutive shots in the seventh. Jim Abbott 7-8 gave up Only an unearned run insight innings. Royals 12, tigers 6 Greg Gagne hit the 10,000th Home run at Tiger stadium and Kansas City sent Detroit to its 21st loss in 28 games. Tiger stadium is the first Ballpark where 10,000 major league Home runs have been hit. Mike Macfarlane and Kevin Mcreynolds also homered for the royals and Tony Phillips led off the Detroit first with a Homer. Gagne drove in four runs George Brett had three hits and drove in two runs ind Wally Joyner had three hits and scored three time Kevin Appier 11-4 won his sixth straight decision. Is Bill Gullick on 6-5 was the loser. Royals managerial Mcrae was ejected for the second straight game and for the sixth time this season. Twins 8, orioles 4 Kirby Puckett Dave Winfield and Brian Harper each drove in two runs As Minnesota beat Baltimore at the metronome. The twins won their fourth in a  Banks 6-7 had been 0-5 in his last seven starts. He left after a pair of walks to begin the sixth in Ning and Mike Trombley finished for his second save. Rick Sutcliffe 8-6 was chased in the fourth inning and lost his fourth straight Start. He was 0-5 last july. Mariners 3, indians 2 Ken Griffey or. Homered for the third straight Gam and Seattle beat Cleveland for the eighth time in nine meetings this season. Griffey has 25 Home runs two shy of his career High set last year. Dave Valle also homered for the visiting mariners. Omar Vazquel singled Home the go ahead run in the seventh inning off Jeff Mutis 2-3sending Seattle to its third straight win. Chris Bosio 4-5 won for the first time As a starter since april 27. Brad Holman got one out for his first major league save. Holman s brother Brian also is Pitcher for the mariners and is on the disabled list. Pirates get 4 in 9th to beat braves 8-7 by the associated press Pittsburgh just when they hadit won the Atlanta braves lost one they absolutely could t afford to lose As the Pittsburg pirates came up with four runs in the ninth for an 8-7  braves were up 7-4 in the ninth and Mike Stanton who has All 26 of their saves was ready to finish it off the pirates. But Atlanta s bullpen could t hold Athree run ninth inning Lead against a team averaging two runs a game since the All Star break. Reliever Mark Wohlers ripped through the pirates eighth retiring the Side on eight pitches but was lifted for a Pinch hitter As Atlanta took a 7-4 Lead in the ninth against relievers Jeff Ballard and Bias minor 6-3 but Stanton was in trouble almost As soon As he threw his first pitch. Lonnie Smith walked and Rookie Carlos Garcia singled so after Jay Bijj s rib Force Jay National league grounder Cox brought on Howell who Iso-for-3 in save opportunities. Howell also was wild walking Pinch hit Ter Lloyd Mcclendon before Jeff King flied out to Short right. Cox then could have brought in the usually reliable left hander Kent Mercker to pitch to the left handed hitting Dave Lark who already had two Bis but he elected to stay with Howell. Clark promptly singled to right making it 7-6. Cox also could have used Steve Bedro Sian who has allowed two runs in his last 17 appearances to pitch to right handed hitting Rookie Kevin Young but he elected to stay with , hitting just .197 with runners in scoring position worked the count full be fore lining a drive into right Field that fell in front of a sliding David Justice. The bal then kicked by Justice scoring Mcclendon from third and Clark from first. In other thursday games Rockies 7, cardinals 6 Denver Dante Bichette doubled and scored on Jerald Clark s sacrifice Fly in the ninth inning As the Colorado Rock ies rallied for the Victory Over the St. Louis cardinals. Rookie Roberto Mejia led off the ninth against newly acquired cardinals Pitcher Todd Burns 0-1 with a bunt sin Gle and was thrown out trying to score on Bichette s double. But Bichette moved to third on the relay to the plate by Ozzie Smith and scored on Clark s Fly Ball Mocenter. Mets 10, dodgers 5 los Angeles Eddie Murray drove in five runs with a pair of homers including a three run snot during a error filled seven run second inning As new York beat los Angeles. Reds 7, marlins 3 Miami Juan Samuel hit a three run Homer and Reggie Sanders added a two run blast As the Cincinnati reds beat the Florida marlins. Samuel s third Homer of the season a429-foot shot Over the Center Field Fence highlighted a five run fourth. Sanders 14th, in the seventh helped Tom Browning 7-5 to the Victory. Expos 10, padres 5 san Diego Larry Walker and Wil Cordero each hit two run homers As the Montreal expos beat the san Diego padres for the seventh straight time. Astros 9, cubs 4 Houston Craig Biggio drove i four runs with two singles and Luis gon Zalez extended his hitting Streak to 13games with a Home run and a single to Lead the Houston astros to Victory Over the Chicago cubs