Streaks: Boston`s Luis Rivera broke an 0-for-17 slump with a double in the fourth inning Friday night. . . . Baltimore shortstop Cal Ripken set a major league record Friday night for most consecutive games at one position with 1,308, one more than Everett Scott.
Stats: Pittsburgh is 13-5 when Doug Drabek starts. . . . Chuck Cary`s complete game Friday vs. the White Sox was his first in 12 starts and only the seventh for Yankee pitchers this season.
Swings: The Pirates didn`t win their 51st game last season until Aug. 16.
Sluggers: Chris Sabo`s 16 homers this season are one short of his combined total over the last two years.
Starters: San Diego`s Dennis Rasmussen is 0-4 in five career starts against Pittsburgh, the only NL team he hasn`t defeated. . . . Jim Abbott pitched a four-hitter to win his first home game in nearly a year as California beat Toronto 2-0 Friday. Abbott (6-7) hadn`t won in Anaheim Stadium since July 27, 1989, when he beat the White Sox.
Stoppers: Pittsburgh`s Bob Patterson hasn`t allowed a run in 18 innings over his last six appearances.
Slumps: In their first 85 games this season, the St. Louis Cardinals failed to score as many as three runs 34 times.
