American League Roundup : Fisk Continues to Pick On Red Sox, Helping White Sox Win Again, 7-2

Carlton Fisk is 37, an age at which many players are either retired or beginning to think seriously about it. However, as long as he gets to face Boston Red Sox pitching every once in a while, the Chicago White Sox catcher is not going to even think about it.

Fisk hit a two-run double to key a seven-run seventh inning Sunday at Chicago that enabled the White Sox to beat the Red Sox, 7-2, and it was just one big game in many Fisk has had against his former team.

An arbitrator’s decision granted Fisk free agency before the start of the 1981 season after he had spent a decade with the Red Sox. He signed with the White Sox and the first time he played his old teammates, he beat them with a home run.

He has made many key hits against them since then and shows no sign of letting up.

In five games against the Red Sox this season, Fisk is 8 for 18, he has hit three home runs and three doubles and has driven in 11 runs. He has played in only two other games and is 3 for 9 without an extra base hit or an RBI.

“It’s fun to be healthy, and I think the good weather has something to do with it,” Fisk said. “It helps that I’ve been playing most of my games against the Red Sox. I just seem to get up for them.

“Sometimes they get me out, but I have had more good games against them than they’ve had against me.

“I worked my tail off last winter to get in shape, and I’m fully recovered from the stomach muscle injury that hampered me last season.”

Loser Roger Clemens had a two-hit shutout working until the White Sox broke it open in the seventh. A wild throw by relief pitcher Mark Clear let in two of the runs and Fisk then delivered the knockout.

Tim Lollar held the Red Sox to three hits in seven innings, but one of them was a home run by Tony Armas.

“I could have gone nine,” Lollar (1-1), who struck out Mike Easler three times, said. “I had a real good breaking ball, especially against left-handers.”

Minnesota 2, Oakland 0--John Butcher pitched a three-hitter and Kirby Puckett hit a two-run single in the fifth inning at Oakland to put an end to the Twins’ nine-game losing streak.

Butcher, a 13-game winner for the surprising Twins last season, did not issue a walk and faced only 28 batters. Dave Collins singled in the fourth and was thrown out stealing. Carney Lansford singled in the seventh and was erased by a double play.

The Twins had the bases loaded and two out in the fifth when Puckett lined a 1-and-1 pitch into right for the only runs of the game.

Cleveland 3, New York 0--Tony Bernazard, who hit only two home runs in 439 at-bats and batted .221 last season, hit his second home run in two games at Yankee Stadium to give the Indians the victory.

While Bernazard was equaling his home run output of last season in just 17 at-bats this year, relief pitcher Dave Von Ohlen pitched four innings of two-hit ball to gain his second victory.

Von Ohlen took over in the fifth inning when Vern Ruhle’s shoulder stiffened, and retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced. When Don Mattingly singled to open the ninth, Tom Waddell retired three batters to earn the save.

“I didn’t train myself properly last season,” Bernazard said. “Anything I do this season is an improvement.”

Indian shortstop Julio Franco, fined for missing Saturday’s game, was 1 for 4 and his average dropped to .486.

Kansas City 3, Detroit 2--Darryl Motley hit a 400-foot smash off the wall in right center at Detroit in the 13th inning with the bases loaded, but it provided only one run.

George Brett, who was on second, thought the ball would be caught, hesitated and was thrown out at the plate.

Motley wasn’t really upset at losing a run batted in, because the hit won the game.

“The umpires told me I could have been called out, because I didn’t touch second on my way back to first,” Motley said.

Dan Quisenberry, bombed for seven hits Saturday night, pitched one-hit ball for 2 innings to gain the victory.

Texas 5, Milwaukee 2--The way the Ranger pitchers are going, they need only a little hitting to win. In this game at Milwaukee, catcher Don Slaught hit his first home run of the season and two singles to provide the offense.

Mike Mason (2-1) and Dave Stewart combined on an eight-hitter to give the Rangers the victory. Third baseman Buddy Bell, who drove in two runs, also made two diving stops to make it easier for the pitchers.

Baltimore 3, Toronto 2--Gary Roenicke hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning at Toronto to give the Orioles the lead. The Martinez boys, Dennis and Tippy, made it stand up.

In the other two games of the series the Orioles blew the lead. But Dennis pitched 8 innings for the win and Tippy got the final out.