NAMES AND NUMBERS

Of his team’s 13-4 record in their new ballpark, Baltimore Oriole Manager John Oates said, “I think the credit belongs to the team playing in the stadium and not the stadium, but I also think that playing in front of a full house every night has definitely been a motivational factor.”

* Add Orioles: Can they continue to contend in the American League East: “Toronto has an awfully good ballclub that might win 110 games at the rate they’re going, but I’m now confident we can contend because every night we send out a pitcher capable of keeping us in the game,” Oates said.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates released their 1991 save leader, Bill Landrum, in a cost-cutting maneuver, but their relief committee remains strong enough to have helped the Pirates to an 18-1 record in games they have led after the sixth inning.

* Opponents have a .318 batting average against Tom Browning of the Cincinnati Reds, and teammate Jose Rijo is 0-3 with three no-decisions as he continues to operate within a pitch limit stemming from his spring elbow problems.

The pitch limit, Rijo said, leaves him feeling as if he’s a “pitching vegetable,” and he added, “It’s a terrible feeling to go out there and not get a win. I’m 0-3 with three no-decisions and I’ve thrown the ball well, but I’d rather be 3-0 and have thrown (poorly).”

* Matt Williams was hitting .179 in Kevin Mitchell’s vacated cleanup spot with the San Francisco Giants, but has been on fire since returning to his familiar No. 5 spot. He had nine homers in his last 22 games--20 as the No. 5 hitter--and a 10-game hitting streak in which he hit .424 with five homers.

* Detroit Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson bettered his world record for hyperbole the other day at Anaheim Stadium when he watched Tony Clark, the club’s No. 2 draft choice in 1990 and a basketball player at San Diego State, put on an impressive power display in a solo workout. Anderson said, “Whether or not he ever plays a game in the majors, he’s the best power-hitting switch-hitter I’ve ever seen. He has more power than Darryl Strawberry.”

* The Cleveland Indians made 44 errors in 37 games, which projects to 181, and prompted Manager Mike Hargrove to say: “If we make 181 errors they should blow our plane up.”