American League Roundup : Lynn’s Homer Gives Orioles a Win Over Twins

Fred Lynn homered with one out in the ninth inning Friday night at Baltimore to give the Orioles a 6-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins and enable them to remain atop the American League East.

The former Angel hit a 1-1 pitch from Ron Davis over the right-field fence for his fifth home run to give another ex-Angel, Don Aase (4-0), the victory in relief.

The Twins, who had won 13 of 15, held a 5-3 lead going into the seventh. Lynn doubled, and rookie Larry Sheets followed with his fifth home run of the season to tie it.

Normally a slow starter, Lynn is batting .295 and has been outstanding in center for the Orioles. He is the player the Orioles said they needed to challenge the Detroit Tigers.

“The home run was a surprise,” Lynn said. “I didn’t expect to see a breaking ball from Davis. It was a good time to hit No. 200.”

Lynn has impressed the Orioles with the quiet way he has done his job. “Despite all the honors he has won and the big seasons he’s had,” Rich Dauer said, “he works as hard as any player on the team. He’s always ready to help, too.”

Now 33 with a lifetime .295 average, Lynn said he doesn’t have any individual goals. “I want to play on a championship team,” he said. “I’ve had enough individual honors, I want a championship.”

The Twins, who averaged 7.3 runs in the previous 15 games, quickly went to work in this one. They jumped on Dennis Martinez for four runs in three innings as Kent Hrbek and Tom Brunansky hit home runs. But the Orioles’ bullpen held them to one run in the last 6 innings.

Detroit 3, Chicago 1--There is usually nothing cheap about the home runs that Tom Seaver serves up. In the third inning, Kirk Gibson hit a Seaver pitch over the roof at Comiskey Park. It gave the Tigers the lead and enabled Walt Terrell to keep his record perfect in the American League (4-0).

Gibson’s towering drive cleared the 75-foot high pavilion at the 350-foot sign. It was the 32nd fair ball hit out of the 75-year-old park. The most recent previous blow was hit in 1984 by the Tigers’ Ruppert Jones, also against Seaver.

Willie Hernandez continued to prove that last season was no fluke. The Tiger reliever pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his seventh save.

Toronto 8, Seattle 3--Damaso Garcia came out of a season-long slump by driving in a career-high six runs at Toronto.

Garcia, batting only .216 going into the game, went 4 for 5, including a bases-loaded triple. Jimmy Key pitched 2 hitless innings of relief to even his record at 2-2.

New York 6, Kansas City 4--Butch Wynegar hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning at Kansas City to bring the Yankees from behind to their fourth win in a row over the Royals.

“I’m not a home run hitter,” Wynegar said. “When I hit one, the pitcher made a mistake.”

Boston 5, Oakland 4--Reid Nichols, getting a chance to play because of an injury to Dave Singleton, singled home Bill Buckner from second with one out in the 10th at Boston to give the Red Sox the victory. Nichols was a late-inning substitute at second base for Stapleton’s replacement, Marty Barrett.

Dwight Evans tied the game, 4-4, with a home run off Jay Howell in the ninth. Howell, who had either won or saved a win in eight consecutive games, was the loser.

Texas 5, Cleveland 2--Gary Ward hit a two-run double in the fifth inning at Arlington, Tex., to highlight a three-run rally that carried the Rangers to victory.

Charlie Hough, with ninth-inning help from Dave Rozema, improved his record to 3-1. Hough gave up two runs in the first inning, then held the Indians in check until he put two on with one out in the ninth. Rozema got his second save.