Sam Horn

DETROIT -- The Baltimore Orioles dealt a severe blow to the pennant hopes of one team Thursday, and last night they put another on the canvas.After rallying for a dramatic victory over the Boston Red Sox in the second game of a doubleheader, the Orioles rode a five-RBI outburst by Cal Ripken to a 9-7 conquest of Detroit and left the Tigers' elimination from the American League East pennant race almost a foregone conclusion.Whatever faint chance the Tigers nurtured in the race disappeared when Ripken knocked home two unearned runs in the eighth inning and pushed the Orioles into a three-run lead.

* The Atlanta Braves just enjoyed their first winning month since August 1987, but not 1 player still on the team could remember those halcyon days. The stretch of 22 straight losing months is the fifth longest in major-league history.* The Tigers' Frank Tanana pitched a shutout in the inaugura game at the new Comiskey Park in April. But in his 7 starts since then, he has pitched 33 1/3 innings, given up 11 HRs and run up a 6.75 ERA.* Red Sox starters had the best combined ERA in the AL las year, but they have fallen on some hard times.

CHICAGO -- Frank Robinson trotted out a "new look" lineup in last night's 5-1 victory over the White Sox, starting all five of the lefthanded hitters he had available.Glenn Davis was missing for the second straight night, but he managed to hit his fourth home run in his last eight games as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning.In addition to regular designated hitter Sam Horn (who struck out all three times he batted), outfielders Brady Anderson and Joe Orsulak, catcher Ernie Whitt and second baseman Juan Bell swung from the left side against knuckleballer Charlie Hough (0-1)

SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was only the first game -- heck, it was only the first exhibition game -- and I made myself promise not to get carried away under any circumstances. And then Sam Horn hits the mother of all home runs in the very first inning, and I can't help myself.If this team doesn't win the div. . . .OK, I'll stop before I say something stupid.But, as Vin Scully would be the first to point out, it was a glorious day for baseball. The sun was shining, it was 82 degrees, Ben McDonald was on the mound, and the Orioles were on their way to an 8-0 slam-dancing of the White Sox. And you're supposed to stay calm?

BASEBALL American League * Orioles -- Agreed to terms with Sam Horn and Juan Bell (infielders) on one-year contracts.* Milwaukee Brewers -- Renewed the contract of George Canale (first baseman).

Nobody in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse wanted to touch the dreaded "P" word last night.As in, "Do you think the team is pressing now?""I'm not going to say anything about moods, attitude, or anything like that," said second baseman Jody Reed. "That's a piece of dynamite. Things are getting taken out of context."The Red Sox are fast becoming a powder keg entry in the American League East pennant race. With last night's 8-4 loss to the Orioles at Memorial Stadium, they relinquished their grip on first place, a grip they had held for 50 days.