American League Roundup : Brunansky Keeps Twins Winning

Tom Brunansky homered leading off the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night at Minneapolis to give the Minnesota Twins their sixth victory in a row, an 8-7 win over the Oakland A’s.

The six-game winning streak began after the Twins, expected to be a contender in the Western Division, had lost nine in a row.

The Twins had to overcome two more home runs by Oakland’s Mike Davis, who leads the majors with eight and has driven in 25 runs.

It was the sixth home run for Brunansky, who has had the key hit in three of the six wins in a row.

“With Kent (Hrbek) having trouble getting started, Tom has been the guy getting us going on offense, “ Twins Manager Billy Gardner said. “It was nice to see Kent hit his second home run.”

Chicago 4, New York 2--Ed Whitson lost his no-hitter when rookie Ozzie Guillen singled to lead off the sixth inning at Chicago and lost the game a few minutes later when Harold Baines hit a three-run home run.

Baines’ drive to left, into the teeth of a 15 m.p.h. wind, enabled Tom Seaver to gain his second victory of the season and move within 10 victories of 300.

Although he gave up only one run in seven innings, Seaver struggled. He gave up five hits and five walks and the Yankees, in another performance that undoubtedly didn’t please owner George Steinbrenner, stranded 10 runners in the first six innings.

Seaver, 40, was a 15-game winner last season for the White Sox.

“One bad pitch and 14 runners left on base,” moaned Yankee Manager Yogi Berra as rumors persisted he is about to be fired.

Detroit 1, Milwaukee 0--Jack Morris overpowered the Brewers with a five-hitter at Milwaukee to give the Tigers just their third victory in the last nine games.

In improving his record to 3-2, the hard throwing right-hander struck out nine and walked two. He had retired 14 batters in a row until Cecil Cooper doubled with one out in the ninth.

The Tigers scored the only run in the first inning when Kirk Gibson tripled into the gap in right-center and then scored when the relay from Jim Gantner skipped past third baseman Paul Molitor for an error.

“I think there’s always an advantage for a pitcher in cold weather,” said Morris, who was a loser in the only two starts he made during the unseasonably warm weather. He was sharp again as cold weather returned to the Midwest.

Baltimore 6, Cleveland 3--Dennis Martinez battled a heavy cold and Indian batters for 5 innings at Baltimore and came away with his second victory of the season. Sammy Stewart gave up only one hit in 3 innings to preserve the victory.

“I was pitching well,” Martinez said. “But suddenly I started to get tired and I started rushing myself. I didn’t ask to come out. It was Joe’s (Manager Altobelli) decision.”

Cal Ripken and rookie Fritz Connally each drove in two runs as the Orioles won their fourth in a row to remain in first place in the East, one-half game ahead of Detroit.

The loser was Vern Ruhle, who had to leave the game in the fourth inning because of a strained right shoulder.

Boston 5, Kansas City 2--Kansas City Manager Dick Houser already knew that Roger Clemens was a standout pitcher, so he didn’t need the demonstration at Boston.

Clemens gave up two runs on four singles in the second inning then held the Royals to one hit the rest of the way and evened his record at 2-2.

“Clemens is one of the better-looking pitching prospects in baseball,” Houser said. “Last year he had the best game pitched against us all season. He’s a good pitcher. We already knew that.”

Slugger Jim Rice, recently named only the third captain in Red Sox history, drove in two of the runs. Previous captains were Bobby Doerr and Carl Yastrzemski.

Jackie Gutierrez, the No. 9 hitter in the powerful Red Sox lineup, also drove in two runs and scored another.

Toronto 6, Texas 5--Bill Caudill, who has been mostly a disappointment to the Blue Jays this season, retired the last five batters at Arlington, Tex., to earn only his second save of the season.

Although he had a 3-2 record going into the game, Caudill, considered a key man in the Toronto bid for a division title, had an earned-run average of 9.23.

“I stumbled out of the blocks this season,” Caudill said. “Maybe I was trying too hard. I felt good tonight.”

Buddy Bell got his 2,000th hit of his career in the first inning for the Rangers.