American League Roundup : Now, the Brewers Are Heady Over Schroeder

Catcher Bill Schroeder showed Friday night why the Milwaukee Brewers felt comfortable trading veteran Jim Sundberg to the Kansas City Royals.

Schroeder knocked in six runs, including his first major league grand slam, during an 11-6 win over Texas in the Rangers’ home opener before 27,163 fans at Arlington, Tex.

“That’s the idea of why we wanted to make him our No. 1 catcher,” Brewer Manager George Bamberger said. “That’s why we thought we could trade Sundberg. Bill batted only 210 times last year and hit 14 homers.”

Schroeder said his third-inning slam off Frank Tanana (0-1) was a dream come true.

“You don’t get many of those, not even in the minor leagues,” Schroeder said. “I just kind of floated around the bases.”

He said he appreciated the confidence the Brewers had in him.

“They gave me an opportunity because I could hit the ball out of the park, and that’s what I want to do,” he said.

Bob Gibson (1-0) was the winner in relief of Danny Darwin, a former Ranger who started against his old teammates.

“I guess I was just trying too hard to beat them,” Darwin said. “I really wanted it, but I just couldn’t hold the big lead. We won, and that’s the most important thing.”

Darwin lasted 4 innings and was touched for five hits and six runs, including Cliff Johnson’s two-run homer in the first.

Schroeder delivered a two-run single in the second inning off Tanana, and Randy Ready added a sacrifice fly as the Brewers rallied to take a 3-2 lead.

The next inning, Cecil Cooper led off with a double, Mark Brouhard singled and Paul Householder walked to load the bases. Schroeder then lofted a drive that just cleared the wall in left field to make it 7-3.

Texas cut its deficit to 7-6 in the fifth with four runs. Curtis Wilkerson’s walk, Don Slaught’s single and Toby Harrah’s walk loaded the bases with two out. Gary Ward singled across two runs, and Buddy Bell doubled in two more.

Bell’s hit knocked out Darwin and brought on Gibson, who went 2 innings.

The Brewers iced it with four unearned runs in the eighth off Ranger reliever Dave Schmidt. Doug Loman, Paul Molitor and Cecil Cooper all contributed run-scoring singles.

Baltimore 7, Toronto 2--Gary Roenicke snapped a 2-2 tie with a home run in the fourth inning, and Jim Dwyer hit a three-run triple in the seventh for the Orioles at Baltimore.

Roenicke’s shot off loser Jimmy Key (0-1) was his first home run of the season and came after Toronto’s Willie Upshaw tied the score, 2-2, in the top of the inning with a home run.

The Orioles added four runs in the seventh off Ron Musselman, Toronto’s third pitcher. Lenn Sakata’s leadoff single, Cal Ripken’s double and an intentional walk to Eddie Murray loaded the bases. Dwyer, pinch-hitting for Roenicke, tripled to left-center and scored on a wild pitch.

Toronto’s George Bell hit a first-inning home run off Baltimore starter Scott McGregor (1-0).

McGregor, making his first appearance since he broke a finger Aug. 28, 1984, departed after five innings and 104 pitches in favor of Sammy Stewart, who finished and picked up his second save.

Seattle 2, Minnesota 1--Jim Presley’s third homer in three games broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning at Seattle to give the Mariners their fourth win in four games.

Seattle left-hander Matt Young, who went 8 innings, allowed five hits while striking out seven and walking two as he picked up the victory. Right-hander Ken Schrom (0-1), who allowed only three hits, took the loss.

Young was relieved by Edwin Nunez, who picked up his third save.