AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : McGwire Remains a Pain in the Rangers’ Side

Mark McGwire has aching knees, a sore arm and a sore back.

But pain apparently has not affected the performance of the Oakland Athletics’ first baseman.

McGwire hit his major league leading 33rd home run Monday night to help the A’s defeat the Texas Rangers, 4-1, at Arlington, Tex.

“It’s tough to give McGwire some time off the way he’s hitting the ball,” Oakland Manager Tony La Russa said. “His knees, his leg and his back are barking. He needs some time off.”

Opposing pitchers would agree. McGwire is 11 for 23 in his last seven games with four home runs, three doubles, eight runs batted in, six walks and 10 runs scored.

“I have to play through the pain,” McGwire said. “I still have to play.”

Rickey Henderson hit his ninth homer for the A’s in the fifth after ending an 0-for-15 slump with a single in the third.

Mike Moore (11-9) gave up a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three to win for the first time in four starts since July 11. Jeff Parrett and Rick Honeycutt also pitched before Dennis Eckersley recorded six consecutive outs for his 34th save in 34 chances.

Jose Guzman (8-9) gave up three runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

The A’s closed to within one game of first-place Minnesota in the AL West.

McGwire put Oakland ahead with a 404-foot homer to start the fourth.

Boston 7, Toronto 1--Roger Clemens gave up six hits during his league-leading eighth complete game.

Juan Guzman (12-3) gave up six runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings and got into an argument with Blue Jay Manager Cito Gaston, who came to the mound in anger after the pitcher froze in the third inning and allowed Billy Hatcher to steal home.

Guzman, who has one victory since July 6, got into another argument with his manager during the fifth when Gaston came out to remove the pitcher.

Clemens (12-7) struck out five to regain the league lead with 143. He walked one and improved his record against the Blue Jays to 14-5.

Hatcher had three hits and drove in two runs.

Devon White hit his 12th homer for the Blue Jays.

Jody Reed hit his third homer for the Red Sox.

Baltimore 6, Detroit 3--Bill Ripken drove in three runs, Glenn Davis hit a home run and rookie Arthur Rhodes earned the victory at Baltimore.

It was the eighth loss in 11 games for the Tigers, who earlier in the day fired team President Bo Schembechler and Chairman Jim Campbell.

Rhodes (4-0) gave up three runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. Storm Davis pitched 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief to get his fourth save.

Cleveland 8, New York 6--Kenny Lofton, who already had a home run and a triple, added a run-scoring double against John Habyan (3-6) during the 12th inning to give the Indians the victory at New York.

Steve Olin (6-3) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 11th by getting Bernie Williams to ground into a double play.