American League Roundup : Orioles’ Dixon Notches Third Win

Ken Dixon held the Royals to four hits in eight innings at Kansas City, helping earn the Baltimore Orioles a 4-2 victory in his fourth straight sharp performance.

Larry Sheets hit a two-run home run, and Mike Young also homered to help the rookie right-hander raise his record to 3-0.

Dixon didn’t make his first start of the season until April 20 for the pitching-rich Orioles, but he apparently has clinched a spot in the rotation. In his four starts he has pitched 30 innings and given up only five runs, while striking out 21 batters.

He is another successful project of pitching coach Ray Miller. When Dixon, a hard thrower, came to the Orioles’ training camp in the spring of 1984, he had a career minor league record of 31-48.

Instead of teaching Dixon a new pitch or changing his motion, Miller merely gave the pitcher a tongue lashing.

Miller said: “You can throw the ball almost 100 miles per hour, but if you don’t kick yourself in the butt and put up some numbers, you won’t ever get to the majors. If everybody thinks you’re so good, why don’t you ever do anything?”

Dixon got the message. After posting a 16-8 record at Charlotte (Double-A)of the Southern League and pitching well in training camp this spring, Dixon made the staff. Now, he appears to be just another in the long line of pitching stars Miller has developed.

“We didn’t know two years ago what we had in Mike Boddicker,” Manager Joe Altobelli said. “Maybe we don’t know what we have in Dixon now. All I know is I like what I’ve seen.”

Dixon has heard from teammates and opposing hitters that he’s a major leaguer and next he hopes to hear it from Miller.

“There’s no doubt that his talk started me in the right direction,” Dixon said. “I just have to prove to him every time out that I have learned his lessons well.”

Minnesota 8, New York 6--Roy Smalley caused no end of trouble for his former Yankee teammates in this game at Minneapolis. His two-run double in the first inning put the Twins ahead, and he then made four fielding gems to keep them in front.

Smalley, playing at shortstop for the first time since the third game of the season, made four over-the-shoulder catches of pop flies running out toward left field. A hamstring pull has kept Smalley from doing anything but bat in recent weeks.

Frank Viola became the league’s first five-game winner. He held the Yankees to three runs in seven innings, then turned it over to the bullpen, which allowed the Yankees to get close.

Toronto 10, Oakland 1--In his three defeats Dave Stieb got only a total of three runs from his teammates. This game at Toronto was a welcome change.

“It was nice,” Stieb said after going six innings to improve his record to 2-3. “It’s tough to pitch well with a big lead, so I’m happy with the performance.”

Ernie Whitt hit a two-run home run and George Bell singled home two runs in a six-run sixth inning to lead the Blue Jays’ attack.

Detroit 10, Texas 1--The Tigers went on a home run spree at Arlington, Tex., to make it easier for Jack Morris to win his fourth.

Larry Herndon and Nelson Simmons homered on consecutive pitches in the fourth inning. Lance Parrish and Lou Whitaker also homered. Kirk Gibson didn’t hit a home run, but he had four hits.

Chicago 7, Cleveland 4--Brook Jacoby hit a grand slam in the first inning at Cleveland, but Floyd Bannister survived to win his first game.

Ron Kittle, who had struck out all six times he had batted since returning from a shoulder injury, hit a home run in the second inning to get the White Sox going.

Greg Walker hit a two-run home run in the fifth of Bert Blyleven (1-3) to give the White Sox a 6-4 lead.

The White Sox used Tom Seaver to get two outs in the seventh inning. It was the 600th game in which Seaver has pitched, but only the ninth time he relieved. Seaver worked because the schedule calls for him to have an extra day off before he makes his next start.

Milwaukee 5, Seattle 2--Ben Oglivie hit his first home run of the season and drove in three runs at Milwaukee to back the five-hit pitching of Moose Haas.

Haas, in improving his record to 2-2, struck out seven and pitched his second complete game.

Oglivie’s home run gave the Brewers a 5-1 lead in the sixth inning and assured Jim Beattie his third loss.