Yankees Win, but Cone’s Status a Concern

Injuries haven’t slowed the New York Yankees all season. And news that David Cone will miss another start didn’t prevent the Yankees from winning for the seventh time in eight games.

Bernie Williams broke an eighth-inning tie with a two-run single, lifting the New York Yankees to a 10-5 victory over reeling Detroit.

Before the game, the Yankees announced Cone will have more tests because of continued numbness in the index, middle and ring fingers of his pitching hand. Yankee officials and players were visibly worried.

“I’m sure that none of us feels very good about it,” said reliever John Wetteland, who pitched a perfect ninth. “It’s even tough to come here and not have him around--his presence in the clubhouse. I wondered all day what’s going on.”

As for the game, the Yankees won after wasting a 5-3 lead. The Tigers, who have lost four in a row and 16 of 18, lost despite tying the game, 5-5, in the eighth when Bobby Higginson hit a two-run homer off Bob Wickman (2-1).

New York bounced right back in the bottom of the eighth. Wade Boggs singled off Mike Myers (0-2), Joe Girardi forced Boggs on a bunt attempt and Paul O’Neill’s single put runners on first and third.

Brian Williams relieved and got Ruben Sierra on a fielder’s choice. He then walked Tino Martinez, and Bernie Williams’ bases-loaded single made it 7-5.

“It was a fastball low and away,” Bernie Williams said. “I hit it a little off the end of the bat. He throws pretty hard, so I knew I had to get the bat pretty quickly through the zone.”

Gerald Williams added a run-scoring single and Derek Jeter a two-run single to finish the five-run inning.

“We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said.

Seattle 5, Minnesota 4--Pinch-hitter Rich Amaral’s two-run single capped a four-run seventh inning that gave the Mariners the victory at Seattle.

With Seattle trailing 4-1, Jay Buhner and Paul Sorrento opened the seventh with consecutive homers off Brad Radke (3-4). Dan Wilson walked and Luis Sojo singled to chase Radke.

Russ Davis bunted the runners over, and Amaral singled to left off reliever Eddie Guardado.

Radke gave up only six hits, but three were homers. He walked three and struck out five. After giving up a leadoff homer to Darren Bragg, Radke retired 17 of the next 21 batters, and no Seattle baserunner reached scoring position before Buhner and Sorrento homered.

Bob Wells (2-0) benefited from the rally, winning the game with 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief. In his last nine appearances (19 innings), Wells has not allowed a run. Norm Charlton pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Oakland 5, Cleveland 3--Jason Giambi had a pair of run-scoring doubles and Mark McGwire singled in the go-ahead run as the Athletics scored three in the eighth to defeat the Indians at Oakland.

The A’s entered the eighth inning trailing, 3-2, and had just one hit off Jack McDowell since the third inning. But Ernie Young led off with a single, and was sacrificed to second.

McDowell was lifted, and Giambi doubled off the wall in right-center against Paul Assenmacher (0-1) to tie the game. Then McGwire’s bloop single to right off Eric Plunk drove in Giambi. Pinch-hitter Geronimo Berroa singled in the fifth run off Jim Poole.

Bill Taylor (1-0) pitched the eighth inning for the victory. Mike Mohler pitched the ninth for his third save.

Julio Franco had a run-scoring double and Carlos Baerga a run-scoring single for the Indians.

Kenny Lofton stole three bases for Cleveland, and he now leads the majors with 22 steals.