American League Roundup : Slumping Orioles Shape Up, 8-3

With the new boss scheduled to arrive in Baltimore tonight, the slumping Orioles were on their best behavior Thursday night, pounding the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-3, to snap a five-game losing streak.

Fred Lynn hit a two-run homer, and Cal Ripken Jr. added a pair of run-scoring doubles to enable Scott McGregor to even his record at 5-5. The homer was Lynn’s 10th.

The new boss will be a familiar face to many of the Orioles since owner Edward Bennett Williams is returning feisty Earl Weaver to the field after a 2 1/2-year absence. Weaver is taking over for Joe Altobelli, who was fired earlier Thursday.

Ripken’s father, Cal Sr., the Orioles’ third-base coach, managed the team in place of Altobelli. Understandably, Ripken Jr. thinks the interim selection should be a better permanent choice.

“Earl is a fan favorite, and I enjoyed playing under him when he was here, but I’m going to continue to do my job no matter what happens with the ballclub,” said the younger Ripken. “I had no say in the matter. But I think he (the elder Ripken) deserves an opportunity. He has paid his dues. It didn’t turn out that way, but who knows what the future holds.”

McGregor went the distance, despite allowing 10 hits. Milwaukee’s Cecil Cooper extended his hitting streak to 13 games with his fourth homer in the first, and teammate Paul Molitor extended his streak to 15 with a single.

Boston 8, Toronto 7--Trailing, 6-4, in the seventh, the streaking Red Sox rallied for four runs and then held off the first-place Blue Jays at Boston.

Rich Gedman’s two-run double was the key blow in the rally, which resulted in the Red Sox’s 10th win in the last 11 games. Winner Mike Trujillo (1-1) pitched 2 innings of scoreless relief, and Bob Stanley worked the final two innings to post his eighth save, surviving Len Matuszek’s solo homer in the ninth.

The save was the 105th of Stanley’s career, surpassing the previous team record of 104 held by Dick Radatz.

Boston began its comeback when Wade Boggs walked. Dennis Lamp then replaced reliever Ron Musselman, and Jim Rice greeted Lamp with a double to left center, scoring Boggs. Gary Lavelle (2-1) entered and, two outs later, walked Dwight Evans. Gedman then doubled home Rice and Evans, and Marty Barrett singled off the next reliever, Bill Caudill, to score Gedman.

Minnesota 7, Texas 5--Twin pitcher Mike Smithson snapped a personal three-game losing streak and raised his record to 3-1 against his old team in a victory at Arlington, Tex.

Tim Laudner drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and Kirby Puckett and Greg Gagne each homered for the Twins.

Smithson (5-5) pitched the first 6 innings in rather generous fashion, allowing eight hits and five runs. However, Ranger starter Frank Tanana (1-7) was hardly a mystery, and Smithson left with a 7-5 lead. Reliever Rick Lysander worked the final 2 to get his third save.

Kansas City 4, Seattle 3--Mariner starter Bill Wilkinson made his major-legue debut in dramatic style, striking out the first two batters he faced at Seattle. However, Frank White singled, Steve Balboni walked and Darryl Motley parked Wilkinson’s first pitch in the bleachers for his sixth home run of the season. The Mariners never recovered.

Wilkinson settled down but made another bad pitch in the fifth, and Jim Sundberg jumped on it for his sixth home run.

Mark Gubicza (3-4) struck out a career-high nine batters in 5 innings for the Royals. He gave up six hits, including home runs by Alvin Davis and Ivan Calderon. Joe Beckwith pitched 2 innings, and Dan Quisenberry worked the ninth for his 12th save.