American League Roundup : Blue Jays’ Barfield Thriving on Regular Work

During the offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays knew that if they were going to challenge Detroit and Baltimore in the American League East, they would have to shore up their bullpen.

Reluctantly, they sent Dave Collins, their .308-hitting outfielder, to Oakland in order to obtain Bill Caudill, a superb relief pitcher.

Although Caudill has been a bit of a disappointment, the Blue Jays have been rolling along in first place, five games in front of the pack.

One of the reasons is that in the absence of Collins, the Blue Jays have been forced to use Jesse Barfield more or less full time in the outfield. In his fifth season at Toronto, Barfield is having his biggest year.

Barfield hit two home runs and drove in three runs Wednesday night at Toronto to lead the Blue Jays to a 5-0 victory over the skidding Minnesota Twins.

Barfield’s blasts helped Doyle Alexander improve his record to 7-2 and send the Twins down to their 12th loss in the last 13 games. The Blue Jays have won 12 out of their last 14.

As a platoon player last season, Barfield hit 14 home runs and drove in 49 runs. With this season not quite one-third completed, Barfield has hit 12 home runs and driven in 28 runs.

With the Blue Jays holding a 1-0 lead and Ernie Whitt on second in the fifth, Barfield, one pitch after getting a strike call he didn’t agree with, hammered the ball 20 rows deep into the center-field bleachers.

“No hitter likes to get a ball like that called a strike in that situation,” Barfield said. “I was upset, no doubt. A call like that, I got a little beside myself, you can say. I got fired up. I stepped out of the box and regrouped. Then I went in there ready to hit.”

In the seventh, Barfield hit the left-field foul pole. He has hit safely in 19 of his last 22 games.

“Consistency,” he said. “That’s what it’s all about. Consistent is what I want to be.”

Speaking of consistency, there’s Alexander. Although he missed by one out of completing the shutout, Alexander has been a model of consistency since late in the 1983 season. During that time, Alexander is 30-8.

Alexander held the Twins to five hits and struck out five. With two out in the ninth, he issued his first two walks, and Manager Bobby Cox brought in Gary Lavelle to get the last out.

Milwaukee 10, Kansas City 2--The speed of Paul Molitor helped rookie Earnie Riles perform an unusual feat in this game at Kansas City.

Riles drove in three runs with a single.

With the hot-hitting Brewers holding a 3-0 lead, the Royals walked Molitor to fill the bases with two out in the third inning. Mike Jones went into a windup on a 3-and-2 count, and Molitor was at second base when Riles singled to left. Molitor scored standing up.

With a six-run lead, it was easy for Ted Higuera to pick up his fourth victory. He allowed only four hits in seven innings.

Detroit 5, Seattle 2--The Tigers went to their stopper to end a mild skid, and Jack Morris responded with a six-hitter.

Morris (7-5) struck out eight and walked two, and only one run was earned, Phil Bradley’s 10th home run.

Bradley, the former Missouri quarterback, hit only three home runs in more than 1,000 at-bats in the minors, but he has hit 10 in 200 American League at-bats this season.

Alejandro Sanchez and Tom Brookens each homered for the Tigers, who will open a four-game weekend series with Toronto at Toronto.