When they scored four runs in the seventh inning Tuesday, the Reds broke a streak of 77 straight innings during which they failed to score more than two runs in an inning.
The Detroit Tigers began the year 8-7. Since then, they have lost eight straight, won one, lost four straight, won one, lost six straight, won one, lost two, won one and lost eight straight.
Since Aug. 1 last year, Albert Belle has hit 48 homers and had 108 RBIs -- in 380 at-bats.
In Colorado on May 17, the St. Louis Cardinals allowed the Rockies' leadoff hitter to reach base in all eight innings that Colorado batted, and seven times the leadoff man scored.
The career home run leaders among active players, through Wednesday's games: 1. Eddie Murray, 484; 2. Andre Dawson, 437; 3. Joe Carter, 337; 4. Cal Ripken, 329; 5. Jose Canseco, 311; 6. Harold Baines, 310; 7. Barry Bonds, 309; 8. Fred McGriff, 301.
With 12 errors, Atlanta shortstop Jeff Blauser has a fielding percentage of .878, 63 points lower than any other major-league shortstop. Blauser's career high in errors is 19 in 161 games in 1993.
When Philadelphia placed Lenny Dykstra on the disabled list last week, the Phillies had $17,095,000 of their '96 payroll committed to seven players on the DL, more than $4.5 million over what they're paying their 25 active players ($12,514,500).
Pittsburgh lefty Denny Neagle is 8-1 with a 2.72 ERA against teams from California since the start of the 1995 season.
Pub Date: 5/26/96
