ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 16, 1996 TAG: 9609170064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DETROIT
SOURCE: Associated Press
The Baltimore Orioles had their priorities in order Sunday after passing one New York Yankees team and pulling closer to another.
The Orioles moved within 21/2 games of first-place New York in the AL East, breaking the single-season home run record by the 1961 Yankees in a 16-6 romp over the Detroit Tigers.
Cal Ripken homered twice and Bobby Bonilla hit a grand slam for the Orioles, who also opened a 21/2-game lead over Chicago in the AL wild-card chase.
Brady Anderson started the game with a homer and Mark Parent also homered for Baltimore. The latter was the Orioles' 241st this year, breaking the major league mark of 240 held by Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle and the 1961 Yankees.
``I guess later on down the road it might mean something,'' said Bonilla, who hit his fifth career grand slam in a six-run eighth inning.
``Right now we just want to keep winning, because now it's all about getting to the postseason.''
The Orioles have won eight of their last nine and swept a three-game series in Detroit for the first time since 1977.
After a makeup game at home today against Milwaukee, the Orioles play a three-game series at Yankee Stadium beginning Tuesday.
``Obviously going to New York is a big series,'' Ripken said. ``But the only thing you can control is how well you play. We still have a lot of season left, and every game is big.''
Ripken drove in four runs Sunday and now has 1,359 career RBI, moving past Brooks Robinson's 1,357 for first place on the Orioles' career list.
Anderson hit a leadoff homer and Ripken a three-run drive in the first inning to tie the record. Parent's three-run homer in the third broke both the record and a 4-4 tie.
Parent, signed by the Orioles in late August after he was waived by the Tigers, wasn't aware his homer set the record.
``I had no idea,'' Parent said. ``People in the dugout weren't sure if Cal tied it or I tied it. The important thing was that it put us ahead.''
Bonilla's grand slam and Ripken's second homer of the game were back-to-back blows in a six-run eighth.
Tony Clark homered twice, including a roof-clearing shot, in Detroit's ninth straight loss.
Archie Corbin (2-0) pitched 21/3 shutout innings in relief of starter Rocky Coppinger.
Todd Van Poppel (3-7) was touched for five hits, including three homers, and walked five in just 22/3 innings. The right-hander, making his seventh start for Detroit, had won his previous two decisions.
Coppinger gave up six runs on five hits in 42/3 innings.
Anderson hit his 10th leadoff homer of the season, breaking the AL record set by Rickey Henderson in 1986. Bobby Bonds holds the major league mark of 11 in 1973.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Bobby Bonilla is congratulated by manager Daveyby CNBJohnson (center) and coach Pat Dobson after hitting a grand slam.
color. KEYWORDS: BASEBALL