American League Roundup : Rice Gets Steamed; Red Sox Win Streak Stopped at Six Games

Jim Rice, the Boston Red Sox slugger is one of the most powerful men in baseball. Rice, 6-2, 205, is an easy going man who can usually be found acting as peacemaker when fights break out.

Rice lost his cool Saturday at Boston and had to be restrained from going after catcher Bob Kearney, whom he held responsible when Seattle pitchers threw two high inside pitches to him.

The Rice outburst occurred in the fourth inning of the Mariners’ 10-3 romp that ended the Red Sox six-game winning streak.

In the first inning, Mark Langston threw a high inside pitch and Rice responded by hitting a long home run. In the fourth inning, reliever Roy Thomas threw another high, tight pitch. Instead of going after the pitcher, Rice turned on Kearney. He gave the catcher a shove and umpire Tim McClelland stepped between them as both benches emptied.

Maybe, Rice, who was only 5 for 33 before hitting his 18th home run in the first inning, was just taking out his frustration. When he came up the next time he apologized to Kearney.

“They threw at my head the first time up today, once last night and once Thursday night,” Rice told the Associated Press. “That’s three times they threw at my head, and it made me mad. But, it’s forgotten now. Everything’s cool.”

Rice struck out three times after the altercation. Thomas pitched one-hit ball in 6 innings of relief to help the Mariners end a six-game losing streak.

Gorman Thomas, who missed most of last season because of rotator cuff surgery, hit two home runs and drove in four runs to lead the Mariners.

For the Red Sox, Tony Armas came off the 21-day disabled list and hit his 15th home run with two out in the ninth. It was his first home run since June 1.

While the Red Sox welcomed one of their stars back, they lost another. Wade Boggs, whose 28-game hitting streak ended Friday night, missed the game because of a stiff neck. Boggs complained of the neck problem before Friday night’s game, but he insisted on playing.

Kansas City 6, Cleveland 3--Dan Quisenberry has regained his top form, and the Royals are moving in on the Angels.

In this game at Kansas City, the Royals won their fifth in a row to cut the Angels’ lead in the West to four games. Quisenberry, who calls this his poorest season, has saved four of them and leads the league with 22 saves.

In the last three games the underhand specialist has pitched six scoreless innings.

Dane Iorg doubled in one run and scored another in a three-run third inning that enabled Bud Black to improve his record to 7-11.

Baltimore 9, Chicago 1--Cal Ripken singled, doubled and tripled at Chicago to lead an 18-hit attack that helped Storm Davis gain his first victory in six weeks.

Davis, loser of four in a row, pitched a seven-hitter for his sixth complete game.

Rick Dempsey and Mike Young hit home runs for the Orioles and Alan Wiggins emerged from a long slump with three hits, scored twice and drove in two runs.

The Orioles, who blew a 7-2 lead Friday night, have won three out of four since Manager Earl Weaver had his meeting with his pitching staff.

“We’re hitting everybody right now,” Weaver said. “We’ve had 32 hits in the last two games and we’re leading everyone in runs scored.”

Minnesota 11, Detroit 4--The Tiger bullpen collapsed in the sixth inning at Minneapolis and turned a 4-2 lead into a 9-4 deficit.

Three relievers gave up four walks, a wild pitch, a two-run single by Kirby Puckett and a two-run home run by Roy Smalley.

Starter Randy O’Neal held the Twins to three hits in five innings but had to depart because of a leg injury.

The defeat dropped the world champion Tigers 8 1/2 games behind Toronto in the Eastern Division.

Milwaukee 4, Oakland 3--Rick Manning capped a three-run seventh inning for the Brewers at Milwaukee when he hit a two-run home run. It was his first home run of the season and gave Pete Vuckovich his fifth win against seven defeats.

Vuckovich needed help from Rollie Fingers in the ninth. Fingers gave up a run but gained his 11th save.

Although the three runs for the Brewers in the seventh were unearned because of an error by Rob Picciolo, it still cost Chris Codiroli his fifth consecutive defeat.

New York 14, Texas 2--Mike Pagliarulo drove in four runs with two home runs, and Willie Randolph was 3 for 3 at Arlington, Tex., as the Yankees made it easy for Phil Niekro (10-8) to win his third in a row and 294th of this career.

For the third time this season Rickey Henderson led off a game with a home run. In the bottom of the first Oddibe McDowell hit a home run. It was the rookie’s ninth home run and his fourth in the last five games.

Randolph and Ron Hassey also homered for the Yankees.