American League Roundup : Sutton Gets 5th Straight Victory, 5-1

During his 21-year major league career, there have been times when Don Sutton has pitched about as well as anyone.

When he gets in a groove, he is almost unbeatable. One that many Dodger fans will recall came in 1974, when the right-hander pitched the Dodgers to the pennant, then won two games in the playoffs and the only game the Dodgers took in the World Series against the Oakland A’s.

Could it be that at age 40 Sutton is in one of those grooves? He thinks so, and the American League hitters are beginning to believe him.

Sutton (8-5) held the Toronto Blue Jays, the team with the best record in the majors, to five hits in eight innings Saturday at Oakland and pitched the A’s to a 5-1 victory. It was his fifth consecutive win and left him only 12 away from his goal of 300.

Doubles by Dave Collins and Carney Lansford and a single by Bruce Bochte in the third inning gave Sutton the two runs he needed. He lost his shutout when Rance Mulliniks led off the fourth with his fifth home run. Sutton struck out four and did not walk a batter.

On the morning of May 27, Sutton was 3-5 and had an earned-run average of 7.09.

But that night Sutton held the New York Yankees to two hits in seven innings, and it was the start of something big. In his last nine starts Sutton has pitched 66 innings and has given up 12 runs for an ERA of 1.63. In addition to his five victories, the A’s have won three of the four in which he did not have a decision.

Sutton, who uncharacteristically walked 22 batters in his first 37 innings this season, has walked 13 in the last 83 innings.

“These last few games are the kind I should have on videotape,” Sutton said. “I’m in a groove and am comfortable. These are the games you should go back and watch whenever you get out of that groove.

“I started putting it together after charting a game by Baltimore’s Mike Boddicker. It reminded me of the importance of changing speeds. He didn’t throw two pitches in a row at the same speed. I have to pitch that way, too. And, I’m doing it now.”

Baltimore 8, Kansas City 3--Fred Lynn brought back memories of 1975, when he was both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player.

In this game at Kansas City, Lynn had a single, triple and a grand slam. He also made two brilliant catches in center field.

The left-handed hitter’s opposite-field home run climaxed a seven-run fifth inning and came exactly two years after his grand slam in the All-Star game helped the American League gain a 13-3 victory.

“I’m glad I didn’t know before the game it was an historical occasion,” Lynn said. “I might have choked.”

Lynn tripled in the second inning and scored on an infield out. When the Royals gave an intentional walk to Eddie Murray to fill the bases in the fifth, Lynn hit his 14th home run to give Scott McGregor (7-7) an 8-0 lead.

Lynn made a leaping catch of Hal McRae’s long drive in the second and crashed into the wall grabbing Jim Sundberg’s drive in the fifth.

Detroit 4, Texas 3--At Arlington, Tex., Lance Parrish smashed a two-run home run in the seventh inning to end the Tigers’ skid. In ending their two-game losing streak the Tigers pulled within 2 1/2 games of Toronto in the East.

Rookie Randy O’Neal ran his record to 5-1 on the strength of Parrish’s blast off former teammate Dave Rozema. Willie Hernandez, although he gave up four hits in 2 innings, earned his 17th save.

Rookie Glen Cook, seeking his third victory in his third start, left after six innings with a 3-2 lead. But Rozema gave up a single to Kirk Gibson before Parrish hit his 12th home run.

Chicago 6, Cleveland 4--Luis Salazar’s pop fly in the 10th inning at Cleveland eluded second baseman Mike Fischlin and fell for a single to drive in the go-ahead run. Salazar stole second and scored the final run on a single by Rudy Law.

The Indians took a 3-0 lead in the first inning before losing their fifth in a row and 13th in the last 17 games.

Seattle 5, Milwaukee 3--At Seattle, Phil Bradley hit a solo home run leading off the eighth inning to snap a tie and lift the Mariners to their fourth straight victory.

Bradley took Pete Vuckovich (3-6) to the opposite field, belting his second pitch over the right-field wall for his 12th home run of the season.

The Mariners have won 13 of their last 15 games. The Brewers have lost four straight.

Roy Thomas (4-0) Seattle’s third pitcher, got the victory. He came in with one out in the eighth and got last-out relief help from Brian Snyder, who picked up his first save.

Minnesota at New York--A two-run home run by Gary Gaetti and a 6-2 Twins’ lead were wiped out at New York when rain forced postponement of the game. Umpires waited two hours before calling it. The teams will play a doubleheader today.