American League Roundup : Winfield Plays a Dual Role in Yankees’ Victory

The Kansas City Royals weren’t too happy with Dave Winfield after their 6-5 loss to the Yankees Wednesday at New York.

It wasn’t so much that Winfield’s bloop single with one out in the bottom of the ninth drove in Rickey Henderson with the winning run, either. It was due more to the pep talk Winfield gave Henderson before the game, a chat that contributed directly to the Royals’ downfall.

Henderson, the major leagues’ leading hitter, twisted his ankle slightly Tuesday night, it puffed up, and he wasn’t planning to play. Winfield told Henderson the Yankees had to have him in the lineup.

The fleet center fielder not only played, he was a one-man offense. All he did was reach base every time--on two singles, two walks and an error--score four runs and steal three bases.

He opened the bottom of the ninth with a single off Kansas City bullpen ace Dan Quisenberry. After Ken Griffey fouled out, Henderson stole second. Don Mattingly, who doubled home the tying run in the seventh, was given an intentional walk.

Winfield’s ninth game-winning hit was just a pop fly, but it was barely out of the reach of shortstop Onix Concepcion, and the fleet Henderson hurried home.

Henderson’s spectacular day offset a grand slam by Frank White, and two hits, including a home run, by George Brett.

The 2-for-3 effort increased Henderson’s average to .361. He has 41 steals in 44 attempts this season.

“I was going to sit this one out,” Henderson told the Associated Press. “But Winny came up to me and said, ‘Come on, let’s play. You’re the guy who makes things happen. We need you.’ So I put some ice on the ankle, it felt better, and I played.”

The stage is set for a hot battle for the American League batting championship between Henderson and Brett. At .353, Brett trails by 8 points but is red-hot.

Brett has already won two batting titles and has been hitting lately the way he did in 1980, when he flirted with .400 and wound up hitting .390. That season, he was so hot in July that he easily wiped out all competition.

Henderson’s best previous season was in 1981, when he hit .319. He has been leading or near the top all season. But just a couple of weeks ago, he had a 37-point lead over Brett.

Toronto 11, Seattle 1--Al Oliver celebrated his return to the American League by hitting his first home run in nearly two years to help the Blue Jays romp at Seattle.

Oliver, traded Tuesday by the Dodgers, had not hit a home run in 79 at-bats this season and did not hit one in 432 at-bats last season. In addition to his two-run home run that highlighted a five-run fifth, he also drove in a run in the seventh. In 79 at-bats for the Dodgers, he drove in eight runs.

Oliver last played in the American League, where he has a lifetime .319 average, with Texas in 1981.

Lloyd Moseby also homered, and Jim Clancy won his fourth in a row for the Blue Jays.

Oakland 5, Boston 4--It was a good day for former Dodgers. At Chicago, Davey Lopes helped the Cubs beat San Diego, and at Oakland, Dusty Baker hit a home run and a double.

However, after the A’s built a 4-0 lead, they barely hung on to win it. Rich Gedman’s two-run single cut the lead to 5-4 in the eighth.

In the ninth, Bill Buckner, Jim Rice and Steve Lyons singled in succession off bullpen ace Jay Howell, but on Lyons’ single, Jeff Heath’s throw from left field nailed Buckner at the plate and gave Howell his 18th save.

Texas 4, Cleveland 1--Another ex-Dodger, Charlie Hough, pitched a no-hitter at Cleveland with his special pitch, the knuckleball, but he didn’t fare as well with his fastball.

Two of the fastballs Brett Butler hit for singles, the only hits off Hough (7-10).

Pete O’Brien hit a two-run home run, and Oddibe McDowell hit a solo shot as the Rangers ended a four-game losing streak.

Detroit 1, Chicago 0--Tom Seaver lost a heartbreaker in his bid for No. 297 in this game at Detroit.

Seaver gave up only four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five, but lost on a two-out bloop single in the eighth inning. Seaver retired the first two batters in the inning before Tom Brookens laced a double to left. On a 3-1 pitch, Lou Whitaker placed a pop fly strategically into short center, just out of the reach of three converging White Sox defenders.

Jack Morris gave up five hits and walked four, but he struck out nine and pitched his fourth shutout to raise his record to 10-6.

Minnesota 2, Baltimore 1--Ray Miller was more than just a pitching coach under Earl Weaver. He understood and absorbed some of the fiery manager’s ideas.

Weaver, who recently returned as Oriole manager, could only sit and watch as Miller, now managing Minnesota, gave a winning sign in this game at Baltimore.

Going into the ninth, Mike Boddicker had given up only two hits and had a 1-0 lead. But after Mike Stenhouse opened the last inning with a single, Boddicker went to 3-and-0 on Tom Brunansky. Miller flashed the hit sign, Brunansky followed orders and hit a pitch over the 376-foot sign in left-center for his 19th home run of the season.