American League Roundup : Blyleven’s 200th May Be His Last for Indians

Bert Blyleven pitched a five-hitter for his 200th career victory as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Oakland A’s, 6-1, Friday night at Cleveland.

Blyleven may not be wearing a Cleveland uniform when he pitches his 201st. Blyleven has asked to be traded, and the Indians are expected to oblige him.

“I guess this was my swan song,” he said. “I know my being traded is on the horizon. I’m a realist. I’m 34 years old and I know I don’t fit into the Indians’ future.”

Blyleven reportedly is being sought by the Angels, Minnesota, St. Louis and Toronto. “Every time the phone rings, I expect to hear I’m gone,” he said.

Blyleven, a 15-year veteran who lives in Villa Park, Calif., is 200-173 in his career. This season, he is 5-6 with seven complete games, three shutouts and an ERA of 3.48.

The Indians scored all six runs in the first two innings off loser Bill Krueger (4-7). Brook Jacoby drove in three runs.

The A’s only run was unearned, coming on a pair of first-inning errors by shortstop Julio Franco.

“Blyleven pitched superbly,” A’s Manager Jackie Moore said. “Would I like to have him in my rotation? Who wouldn’t?”

Blyleven is the 83rd pitcher in major league history to reach the 200-win plateau.

Including Blyleven, seven of those pitchers are active--Steve Carlton of Philadelphia (314 victories), Tom Seaver of the Chicago White Sox (295), Phil Niekro of the New York Yankees (291), Don Sutton of Oakland (284), Nolan Ryan of Houston (238) and Jerry Koosman of Philadelphia (217).

Cleveland Manager Pat Corrales said: “Bert’s the best I’ve managed since I had Carlton in Philly. They’re both great pitchers.”

Boston 4, Toronto 1--Dennis (Oil Can) Boyd scattered 11 hits in his sixth straight complete game, and Mike Easler drove in two runs with a double and a single at Boston as the Red Sox won for the 11th time in 12 games. Boyd (8-4) has nine complete games, tops in he American League.

Boyd struck out four and walked only one.

The Red Sox broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning on Easler’s first RBI of the game. With one out, Wade Boggs singled to left, advanced to second on Bill Buckner’s single and scored on Easler’s single to center.

Boston added two runs in the fifth off loser Jim Clancy (2-4).

Baltimore 9, Milwaukee 3--Earl Weaver had that left-out feeling in his first game back since ending a 2 1/2-year retirement. “The guys aren’t going to let me help at all,” Weaver said after the Orioles collected 11 hits at Baltimore and Storm Davis pitched a four-hitter.

Weaver, hired Thursday to replace the fired Altobelli, received a standing ovation from the crowd of 39,142 when he brought out the lineup card. Weaver, who managed the Orioles for 14 1/2 years, came out of the dugout at the end of the game and tipped his cap to the cheering fans.

Jim Dwyer, 2 for 16 in his last six games, singled home a run in the second and doubled in three more in the third. Fred Lynn and Rick Dempsey each had two hits and two RBIs.

Detroit 4, New York 0--Walt Terrell, 11-12 last season with the New York Mets, is now 7-2 with the Tigers after 8 innings of five-hit pitching at New York.

“I think I’m a better pitcher,” said Terrell, who was traded to the Tigers for third baseman Howard Johnson last December. “I hope I am. I’m starting to throw more strikes, get ahead of the batters. Last year, I’d get two outs, but I couldn’t finish anybody off.”

Terrell got support in the form of four solo homers off Dennis Rasmussen--by Tom Brookens, Barbaro Garbey, Kirk Gibson and Larry Herndon--as the Tigers won their fifth straight. Willie Hernandez got the final two outs to complete the five-hitter and earn his 12th save.

Texas 4, Minnesota 2--Toby Harrah and Larry Parrish each homered as the Rangers won at Arlington, Tex. Burt Hooton (3-1) yielded eight hits and two runs over 6 innings to earn the victory. Dave Schmidt relieved to notch his first save.

The Twins’ Tom Brunansky hit a two-run homer in the sixth, his 15th, to tie Chicago’s Carlton Fisk for the American League lead.

Seattle 13, Kansas City 5--Alvin Davis and Gorman Thomas hit three-run homers, and Bob Kearney drove in three runs with a home run and a triple to power the Mariners past the Royals at Seattle.

The Mariners, ending a four-game losing streak, broke the game open with seven runs in the fifth inning for a 9-2 lead.