ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 9, 1993                   TAG: 9304090152
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CLEVELAND                                LENGTH: Medium

BAERGA MAKES HISTORY

Carlos Baerga became the first player in major-league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning, highlighting a nine-run seventh inning that led the Cleveland Indians over the New York Yankees 15-5 Thursday night.

Baerga, batting right-handed against Steve Howe, hit a two-run homer to put the Indians ahead 8-5 with no outs in the seventh. With two outs, he hit a solo homer while batting left-handed against Steve Farr.

Baerga is the first Indians player to homer twice in an inning. The feat, accomplished 26 times in the majors, was last done by Boston's Ellis Burks on Aug. 27, 1990.

Cleveland got eight hits in its big inning, including Alvaro Espinoza's three-run homer and single. Albert Belle was hit by a pitch from Howe after Baerga's first home run, then Farr was ejected by plate umpire Al Clark after a pitch close to Belle's knee after Baerga's second homer.

Baerga went 4-for-5 with a double, scored four runs and drove in three. He marked the 92nd time that a switch hitter had homered from both sides of the plate in a game; Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray each have done it 10 times.

Glenallen Hill had three hits and drove in three runs. Hill, Reggie Jefferson and Kenny Lofton also had RBI singles during the nine-run burst.

Mike Bielecki, pitching for the first time since tearing a ligament in his right elbow July 28, went six strong innings for the victory. He gave up two runs on six hits, struck out five and walked one.

Cleveland scored five runs in the first 2 2/3 innings against Sam Militello (0-1). Hill had a two-run double in the third.

Paul O'Neill hit a solo homer, his first in the American League, and had a run-scoring single for the Yankees. Pinch-hitter Jim Leyritz had a two-run single to pull the Yankees to 6-5 in the seventh.

Keywords:
BASEBALL 

Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.
by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB