Baerga

CLEVELAND -- Craig Lefferts' fifth start for the Orioles here last night was not unlike three of the previous four.The veteran left-hander displayed an ability to avert disaster, but he also found himself in trouble more often than he would have liked.As a result, the Cleveland Indians were able to overcome a four-RBI performance by Cal Ripken to beat the Orioles, 8-5. Lefferts, who was not helped by a shoddy defense that contributed to half the Cleveland runs, allowed 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings in losing for the third time in four decisions since being obtained from the San Diego Padres on Aug. 31.Only in his previous start, a 2-0 win over the Boston Red Sox a week ago, was Lefferts effective from start to finish.

The Baltimore Orioles are banking heavily on the continuing development of their youthful starting rotation, but right-hander Jose Mesa appears to be going in the opposite direction.Mesa turned in another ragged performance last night, lasting four innings in a 6-5 loss to the last-place Cleveland Indians at Memorial Stadium.How ragged was it? Mesa gave up six runs on six hits and six walks to stake the Indians to a four-run lead, and it would have been worse if outfielder Joe Orsulak had not tied a club record with three outfield assists in the first five innings.

CLEVELAND -- The Indians lost Games 1 and 2 of the World Series and manager Mike Hargrove kept talking about how resilient his team really is. Sounded strange at the time, considering how Cleveland rolled through the regular season and AL playoffs almost without challenge.Hargrove's words made complete sense last night, however, when the Indians beat the Braves, 7-6, in Game 3 -- after blowing a three-run lead and falling behind, tying the game in the eighth inning and winning in the 11th, on Eddie Murray's RBI single.

Players who received bonuses for their election to Tuesday's All-Star Game:AMERICAN LEAGUE $100,000 Kirby Puckett, Minn.Cal Ripken, OriolesRick Aguilera, Minn.Roberto Alomar, Tor.Wade Boggs, N.Y.Joe Carter, Tor.Ken Griffey, Sea.Jimmy Key, N.Y.J. Montgomery, K.C.John Olerud, Tor.Greg Vaughn, Milw.Duane Ward, Tor.$25,000 M. Mussina, OriolesCarlos Baerga, Cleve.Albert Belle, Cleve.Cecil Fielder, Det.Travis Fryman, Det.Paul Molitor, Tor.Devon White, Tor.$10,000 Ivan Rodriguez, Tex.NATIONAL LEAGUE $50,000 Darren Daulton, Phi.Tom Glavine, Atl.Bryan Harvey, Fla.David Justice, Atl.John Kruk, Phil.

It's a matchup between the best-hitting team in the American League and the second-worst -- the Orioles, who have a .255 team batting average. The Indians couldn't be arriving at a more inopportune time for the free-falling Orioles, who have not beaten the Indians in six tries this season. The Indians lead the league in home runs (145) and team batting average (.290) and are second in runs (560). They have five players -- Carlos Baerga (.328), Albert Belle (.305), Eddie Murray (.312), Jim Thome (.332)

Athletics: Oakland has not reached double figures in hits since July 23, a span of 12 games.Brewers: Milwaukee has won every season series against Oakland since 1990.Mets: Carlos Baerga missed his fourth straight game with a lower abdominal strain.Padres: Six-time batting champion Tony Gwynn, who has missed more than a month with a slightly torn right Achilles' tendon, may return this week.Phillies: Pitchers Sid Fernandez and Mike Grace will go to Clearwater, Fla., for injury rehabilitation.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Former Orioles infielder Manny Alexander sat in front of his locker in the New York Mets' clubhouse yesterday, wearing his blue uniform jersey and a new number.Alexander said he was happy and more comfortable with his new team, but in the ultimate coincidence, he was given No. 8, the same as Cal Ripken, whose consecutive-games streak kept Alexander mostly on the bench.Alexander said he's going to exchange numbers today with Mets second baseman Carlos Baerga, who wears Alexander's old No. 6."