American League Roundup : Hatcher Keeps Twins’ Streak Alive

Mickey Hatcher’s base hit string ended at nine, but not before he helped the Minnesota Twins extend their streak to eight wins in a row with a 10-1 rout of Oakland Sunday at Minneapolis.

Hatcher, who opened the season by getting only three hits in 21 at-bats, went 5 for 5 Saturday in an 8-6 victory and had hits his first four times Sunday, but flew to right in his final at-bat.

On his hot streak which raised his average to .400, he tied Tony Oliva’s club record for consecutive hits and tied the league record for consecutive hits in two nine-inning games.

The former Dodger outfielder, in his seventh major league season, had two doubles and two singles, scored two runs and drove in two to help Mike Smithson (3-2) breeze to victory. On the streak he had six singles and three doubles, drove in four runs and scored three.

“Everything we threw, he hit,” Oakland Manager Jackie Moore said. “Every pitch, every location, he didn’t care. He’s in a streak and the Twins are in a streak.”

Smithson, who lost his bid for a second consecutive shutout when Dusty Baker singled in a run, was content to let Hatcher have the glory. “I’ll get my name in the paper at the end of the season when I get 20 wins,” he said.

While the Twins are on a roll, the A’s are not high on indoor baseball. They are 0-7 in games played in parks that are weatherproof. Playing out in the air, the A’s are 9-3.

Chicago 4, New York 3--In his final game this time around as manager of the Yankees, Yogi Berra watched helplessly at Chicago as pitcher Joe Cowley walked rookie Ozzie Guillen with the score tied, two out and the bases loaded in the ninth inning.

A two-run home run by former Yankee Oscar Gamble tied the score in the seventh inning and the first came on Carlton Fisk’s home run.

In the ninth with the score tied, 3-3, Greg Walker singled and was sacrificed to second. Cowley gave Gamble an intentional walk and retired Daryl Boston. Cowley walked Jerry Hairston to load the bases. Maybe, just maybe, the last straw for Owner George Steinbrenner was that Berra left his apparently tired starting pitcher in to face Guillen.

Baltimore 8, Cleveland 7--A two-run double by Eddie Murray tied the score in the eighth inning at Baltimore and John Lowenstein’s sacrifice fly climaxed a big comeback by the Orioles.

The Indians built a 7-1 lead for Bert Blyleven, who still had a 7-5 lead when he left after walking Jim Dwyer to open the eighth. Blyleven, winless in four starts this season, gave the fans several obscene gestures as he walked off the field.

Don Aase, bombed in the Indians’ eight-run eighth Saturday, pitched 2 scoreless innings to win this one.

Hot-hitting Pat Tabler keyed the Indians’ attack with two hits, including a bases-loaded triple. Tabler has hit safely in 15 games in a row and is hitting .390.

Toronto 6, Texas 3--With little notice, Doyle Alexander continues to pile up an enviable winning record. The former Dodger right-hander gave up 10 hits at Arlington, Texas, but with the help of two Willie Upshaw home runs, improved his record for the season to 3-0.

In his previous time around as manager of the Yankees, Billy Martin released Alexander in May, 1983, after he posted an 0-2 record. The Blue Jays picked him up and he lost six more.

Then, in August, 1983, Alexander started to win. He won seven in a row to finish the season and was 17-6 last season, so he is 27-6 for less than two full seasons of outstanding pitching.

George Bell and Buck Martinez also homered for the Blue Jays, who handed the Rangers their fifth loss in a row.

Detroit 5, Milwaukee 0--One would have thought the way the Tigers breezed last season they were a team that had everything. But Manager Sparky Anderson thought his team needed another starting pitcher, so he obtained Walt Terrell in a trade with the New York Mets.

In scoring his second win without a defeat for his new club, Terrell pitched a four-hitter at Milwaukee for his first American League shutout and complete game. Despite his 1-0 record going in, Terrell had a 5.68 earned-run average before his shutout.

Lance Parrish and Alan Trammell hit eighth-inning home runs to back Terrell’s brilliant pitching and the Tigers stayed in first place in the East.

Kansas City 5, Boston 2--Frank White, for years regarded as not much of a home run hitter, has been much more of a threat in recent years. The 12-year second baseman hit two home runs in a game for the third time to help the Royals win this one at Boston.

White, who hit a career-high 17 home runs last season, now has 90. He also had a double.

George Brett also had three hits as the Royals tagged loser Dennis (Oil Can) Boyd for 11 hits in 8 innings. Boyd (1-2) had 12 strikeouts.

Charlie Leibrandt (3-0) also gave up 11 hits, but Joe Beckwith bailed him out of a jam with one out in the eighth and went on to pick up his first save of the season.