American League Roundup : Yankees Find Finishing Touch, 5-2

Billy Martin waves his magic wand, and pitchers start throwing complete games. It happened when he was managing Oakland, and it’s happening in his fourth time around as manager of the New York Yankees.

Ron Guidry pitched a four-hitter Saturday at New York as the Yankees defeated the Kansas City Royals, 5-2. It was the second complete game in a row for the Yankees. In their first 19 games they had two pitchers go the distance, and both of them lost.

Friday night, Dennis Rasmussen turned in only his second complete game in 29 major league starts, a 7-1 victory. Guidry, who had only five complete games in 28 starts in 1984, pitched his second of the season. In the first one, he gave up seven runs in nine innings. He went into this game with a 1-3 record and an earned-run average off 4.26.

When Martin managed the A’s several seasons back, he hardly needed a bullpen. Most of his starters finished what they started. Some people believe that is why none of them are doing well these days. In the early ‘80s Rick Langford, Matt Keough, Mike Norris and Steve McCatty were ironmen. Only McCatty is still around and he has become a spot pitcher.

Guidry, who will be 35 in August, is a slender left-hander who doesn’t figure to become a complete-game pitcher at this stage of his career. Except for home runs by Darryl Motley in the second and George Brett in the sixth, he was in charge. Guidry has given up eight home runs in 40 innings this season.

Brett’s home run made it a 2-2 game, but shortstop Greg Pryor, inserted in the lineup because he hit well against the Yankees last season (.364), helped New York to a three-run seventh.

Charlie Leibrandt retired the first two Yankees in the inning, but Don Mattingly blooped a single to left. Dave Winfield hit a sharp grounder into the hole that Pryor fielded. Instead of getting the easy force at second to end the inning, Pryor threw the ball past second baseman Frank White into right field and Mattingly went all the way home. Don Baylor followed with a two-run home run and it was all over.

“Those two complete games gave us a chance to rest Dave Righetti, who went four innings Thursday,” Martin said. “In tight ones, we won’t be going for complete games, especially when Dave is rested.”

Boston 5, Oakland 4--Steve Crawford, usually a long reliever for the Red Sox, pitched six strong innings as a starter at Oakland to gain his third win of the season.

Bill Buckner had three hits, including a two-run home run in the fourth to give the Red Sox the lead. Crawford, filling in because the Sox needed a fifth starter, had a 4-1 lead when he was replaced by Bob Stanley with one out in the seventh.

“I worked hard this spring to increase my power,” Buckner said after hitting a home run for the second game in a row. “We have six guys who could hit 20 or more homers and I want to be one of them.”

Detroit 7, Chicago 1--The Tigers have been struggling at the start of this season, but they do have one big plus. They have found another solid starting pitcher.

In this game at Detroit, Walt Terrell held the White Sox to two hits in eight innings to improve his record to 3-0. Until the Sox scored in the eighth, Terrell had not permitted a runner to reach second.

The Tigers obtained Terrell, 11-12 last season, from the New York Mets for third baseman Howard Johnson.

Another former National Leaguer, Tim Lollar started for the White Sox, giving up five runs and seven hits in five innings. Lollar struck out five, getting Kirk Gibson three times.

Minnesota 8, Baltimore 6--A well-rested Mike Stenhouse capped a five-run first inning with a two-run home run at Minneapolis to get the Twins off to a fast start.

Stenhouse started the season as the designated hitter. But he was benched when Roy Smalley injured a leg and could not play regularly. He became the DH. This was Stenhouse’s first chance since April 19 and he made the most of it.

Kent Hrbek and Tom Brunansky each had three hits to pace a 15-hit attack. Despite the big lead, Ken Schrom couldn’t make it through the eighth. Ron Davis was finally summoned to get the last four outs.

Cal Ripken, playing in a Baltimore record 464th game, hit a home run for his third consecutive game. It came after a three-run home run by Wayne Gross in the third inning and cut the Twins’ lead to a run, but the Orioles never got any closer.

Cleveland 3, Texas 1--Brett Butler tripled in the winning run in the fifth inning at Cleveland and Neal Heaton, with the help of three relievers, improved his record to 2-1.

Rich Thompson, Jamie Easterly and Tom Waddell gave up two hits, but no runs in the last two innings. Waddell pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

Frank Tanana gave up only four hits in seven innings, but he lost his fourth without a victory.

Seattle 8, Toronto 1--Matt Young pitched a five-hitter at Seattle and Al Cowens doubled in two runs to cap a four-run first inning for the Mariners.

Young, who has not had a shutout since his rookie season, 1983, retired 11 batters in a row before George Bell ruined his shutout by hitting a home run with one out in the ninth.