American League Roundup : Boggs Extends His--and Red Sox--Streak, 3-2

Mike Easler and Rich Gedman hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning at Boston, but it was a line drive single by Wade Boggs in the sixth inning that provided the Red Sox with a 3-2 victory over the Oakland A’s Tuesday night.

It was the 26th consecutive game in which Boggs has hit safely, tops in the majors this season, and it scored Steve Lyons from second.

Bruce Hurst, who has become the ace of the Boston staff since returning to the starting rotation June 28, struck out a career-high 11 and pitched a seven-hitter. He is 5-0 in his last six starts.

The Red Sox have won three in a row, and the fans are going wild over Boggs. Each time he extends his hitting streak, Fenway Park fans give him a standing ovation.

Until just recently, Boston has been trying to trade the third baseman. Management was upset when Boggs, after batting .325 in his third major league season, was awarded a $1 million contract in arbitration.

As a rookie in 1982 Boggs hit .349. The next year his .361 won the batting title.

Not being able to swing a deal was a blessing. Boggs, 27, is challenging for the batting title and has been a model of consistency. He has reached base on either a walk, a hit or by being hit with a pitch in 47 consecutive games.

“I’m really thankful for the ovations,” Boggs told the Associated Press, “but luck is a big part of the streak. All I’m trying to do is hit the ball hard. I don’t really feel any differently than when I was hitting .280 at the All-Star break a year ago.

“Hitting streaks are like no-hitters--you don’t talk about them.”

Boggs is hitting .403 during the streak, but he scoffed at any idea of matching Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak in 1941.

“We’ve got to win ball games, not talk about what happened in the ‘40s,” he said. “If the streak ends, it ends. You can’t think about it. But nothing goes on forever.”

Hurst is another player Boston was trying to deal. A few weeks ago he was 2-7. Now, he’s evened his record at 7-7.

“I’m still the same pitcher,” he said. “It’s the same arm, but I am making more good pitches.”

In his last six starts Hurst has struck out 45 and allowed just nine earned runs.

Texas 8, Cleveland 4--Oddibe McDowell became the first Texas player to hit for the cycle and went 5 for 5 at Arlington, Tex., giving him eight consecutive hits.

McDowell tripled home the go-ahead run in the fourth and completed the cycle with his seventh homer in the eighth. He also singled twice and doubled.

The former Arizona State star who played on the U.S. Olympic team, had hits his last three at-bats Monday night, including a game-winning homer in the eighth.

Kansas City 5, New York 2--There is not much doubt that Bret Saberhagen, the talented youngster from Reseda, has everything under control these days.

In this game at Kansas City Saberhagen gave up six hits in eight innings to improve his record to 11-5. The 21-year-old right-hander did not walk a batter. It was the fourth time in his last five starts that he did not walk a batter.

It was the second time in two weeks that Saberhagen beat the Yankees. This defeat dropped the Yankees 3 1/2 games behind Toronto in the East.

The league’s two top hitters, Rickey Henderson of the Yankees and George Brett of the Royals each went 0 for 4.

Dan Quisenberry picked up his third save in the Royals’ last four games. However, he has not been impressive. In the three saves, he has pitched 5 innings and given up three runs and eight hits.

Toronto 4, Seattle 2--For the time being at least, the Blue Jays have weathered another storm. With Doyle Alexander striking out a career-high 11 in eight innings at Toronto, the Blue Jays increased their lead to 3 1/2 games.

Alexander was replaced by Bill Caudill after giving up 12 hits in eight innings. Caudill, who went more than a month without a save, pitched a perfect ninth to gain his second save in two nights.

“We had a little meeting before Sunday’s game and we’ve won three in a row, so maybe it did some good.”

Chicago 5, Detroit 3--Britt Burns struck out 11 and gave up just six hits at Chicago, and the fading world champion Tigers dropped 6 1/2 games out of first place.

Burns lost his shutout, and his string of scoreless innings ended at 19 innings when Darrell Evans hit his 19th home run, leading off the seventh.

Minnesota 5, Baltimore 2--Consecutive hits by Kirby Puckett, Ron Washington and Gary Gaetti in the first inning at Minneapolis helped the Twins to get a three-run jump and beat the Orioles.

Scott McGregor (8-8) was the victim of the Twins’ opening onslaught, and the Orioles fell 9 1/2 games back of Toronto.