Yankees’ O’Neill Delivers

Paul O’Neill found his hitting stroke in a strange place, the sixth spot in the lineup.

O’Neill, who batted third in his 47 previous starts this season, hit a solo homer, doubled and scored the winning run Monday night in the New York Yankees’ 4-3 victory over the Red Sox at Boston.

“I don’t know why some nights are better than others,” he said. “Tonight, I felt better.”

O’Neill began the game in a six-for-42 slump but helped spoil former teammate David Cone’s debut with the Red Sox in Fenway Park with his 10th homer of the year, giving the Yankees a 3-1 lead in the third.

“Oh sure, I noticed,” Cone said of O’Neill’s new lineup position. “Paulie’s always responded to challenges.”

Yankee Manager Joe Torre said before the game that replacing O’Neill with Dave Justice in the third spot was temporary. After the move worked, Torre said O’Neill “can’t complain about it.”

O’Neill didn’t.

“I expected it,” he said. “David’s been swinging the bat well and I’m not.”

O’Neill broke a 3-3 tie when he doubled and scored in the eighth on Jorge Posada’s double as the Yankees’ fourth consecutive victory over Boston increased their American League East lead over the Red Sox to 1 1/2 games.

Cone, making his third start of the season after recovering from shoulder problems, lasted only two batters after O’Neill’s homer.

“He just couldn’t harness his fastball in the strike zone,” Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams said. “His arm strength was OK.”

Cone gave up three runs, six hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings as he faced Andy Pettitte (6-3) for the second time in six days.

Last Wednesday night, Pettitte beat Cone in the Yankees’ 7-3 victory at Yankee Stadium.

On Monday, Pettitte battled for seven innings, with the Red Sox reaching base in each of the first six. Mike Stanton pitched the eighth and Mariano Rivera got his 15th save in 16 chances.

“I was really out of sync,” Pettitte said. “The first two innings were long innings. I got a little stiff.”

Seattle 13, Kansas City 3--Paul Abbott pitched a six-hitter for the first complete game of his career and John Olerud had four hits as the Mariners completed a four-game sweep at Kansas City, Mo.

The Mariners, who have baseball’s best record at 37-12, have won their last five games, their third winning streak of five games or longer this season. They had never been more than 22 games above .500 before this season.

The Mariners swept a four-game series at Kansas City for the first time since Sept. 16-19, 1985. With a 5-1 trip, the Mariners improved their road record to 22-5.

They start a 12-game home stand, their longest of the season, tonight against the Baltimore Orioles.

Abbott (3-2) got his first complete game in 59 major league starts, striking out six and walking three.

Chicago 6, Toronto 3--Jon Garland stepped in for David Wells and pitched 6 2/3 strong innings at Chicago to help the White Sox to their fifth consecutive victory.

Garland got the start because Wells, the subject of trade rumors, has a strained left groin. Garland, who had been demoted to the bullpen after struggling in a starting role, gave up four hits and left after giving up Tony Batista’s solo homer.

“Yeah I want to continue to start, but I’ll do what the team wants and what the team feels and give it my best,” Garland said.

“I just wanted to put up some good innings, go deep and give the bullpen a break.”

The White Sox got two-run homers from Jose Valentin and Magglio Ordonez in a 13-hit attack.

Detroit 12, Cleveland 6--Dean Palmer homered and drove in a season-high five runs at Detroit as the Tigers routed Chuck Finley to end a five-game losing streak.

Palmer had a three-run homer in the first, a run-scoring grounder in the sixth and a run-scoring single in the eighth. Wendell Magee also hit a three-run homer for the Tigers, who had 15 hits.

Steve Sparks (3-2) beat Cleveland for the second time this season, giving up six runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Finley (4-4) was pounded for eight runs and eight hits in one-plus inning.

Texas 6, Baltimore 3--Gabe Kapler hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning at Baltimore to help the Rangers end the Orioles’ five-game winning streak.

Frank Catalanotto and Andres Galarraga hit consecutive solo homers for the Rangers, whose comeback victory was only their third this season.

Jeff Conine of the Orioles extended his hitting streak to 12 games.