American League Roundup : Seaver Wins 299th as White Sox Rally in 10th to Beat Red Sox, 7-5

Tom Seaver blew a four-run lead Tuesday night at Boston but finally won his 299th game when the Chicago White Sox scored three times in the 10th inning to beat the Red Sox, 7-5.

The 40-year-old Seaver, who was beaten last Wednesday in his first try for No. 299, was given a 4-0 lead in the first four innings. A home run by Wade Boggs in the fourth was only the second hit off Seaver.

The Red Sox finally got even in the seventh, when an error by third baseman Tim Hulett paved the way for an unearned run.

Hulett made amends when he opened the 10th with a single. Luis Salazar singled in one run, Bryan Little singled in another, and the last run came in on a sacrifice fly by Greg Walker. The Red Sox scored once in the bottom of the inning.

Seaver, who will go for No. 300 Sunday at New York, pitched nine innings, giving up eight hits and three earned runs to improve his record to 11-8.

“It took me two tries to reach 299,” Seaver told the Associated Press, “so I hope it only takes one to make it 300. It would be nice to win it in New York after winning most of my games for the Mets.

“People have asked me about 300 since I arrived at spring training. Now I’m on the verge, and I would like to get it over with.

“Despite all the talk, I haven’t really thought too much about 300, or felt the so-called pressure until tonight. Then, before the game, I did a lot of thinking.”

New York 8-2, Cleveland 5-3--Ramon Romero, who went into the game with a 6.08 earned-run average, pitched brilliantly in the second game of a doubleheader at Cleveland as the Indians ended their latest losing streak at five games.

Although the league’s leading hitter, Rickey Henderson, hit two home runs, Romero gave up only two other hits in 7 innings to win his first game.

The Indians scored all three runs in the seventh inning. Chris Bando, batting .095, singled with the bases loaded to hand Bob Shirley a tough loss.

With the split, the Yankees, who clinched the opener when Don Baylor hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning, were left 6 1/2 games behind Toronto in the East.

Once again the Yankees were playing without Manager Billy Martin, who remains in a hospital in Texas because of a slightly punctured right lung.

Martin kept in touch with acting manager Lou Piniella by phone during both games.

Baltimore 4, Toronto 3--On the way to their big lead and their best season yet, the Blue Jays still find it difficult winning at Baltimore.

Lee Lacy’s sacrifice fly with one out and the bases loaded in the 10th inning gave the Orioles a home record against Toronto of 45-14.

The Orioles spent most of the game missing opportunities to put the Blue Jays away. But in the 10th, a single and two walks loaded the bases with one out, and Lacy hit the fly ball that ended the Blue Jays’ nine-game winning streak.

Although he didn’t win the game, Mike Flanagan pitched well for the third time in his third start this season. Flanagan, out most of the season because of an Achilles’ tendon injury, gave up only four hits in eight innings.

Milwaukee 6, Texas 3--Charlie Moore emerged from a deep slump with a two-out triple to drive in two runs in the sixth inning and lead the Brewers to victory at Milwaukee.

Moore was hitting .219 and had gone hitless his first two times at-bat before coming through in the clutch.

“It’s been a long time since I made a big hit,” Moore said. “I can’t explain the long slump, but it feels good to help win a game.”

Bob McClure pitched four scoreless innings to improve his record to 3-1. Although he gave up three hits, McClure struck out five.

Minnesota 12, Seattle 4--Mike Smithson scattered eight hits in eight innings for his sixth straight victory, and Kent Hrbek rapped out four hits, including a two-run homer, to lead the Twins at Seattle.

Smithson (11-7) who hasn’t lost since June 23, allowed all the Seattle runs before Curt Wardle pitched the ninth. For Hrbek, struggling with a .238 average, it was his second four-hit game of the season. He had three singles and a walk to go with his home run.

The Twins scored in the second inning off Billy Swift (3-5) when Dave Engle walked, Randy Bush singled and Gary Gaetti grounded out. The Mariners took a 2-1 lead in their half of the second on RBI singles by Harold Reynolds and Phil Bradley, but the Twins went ahead to stay with four runs in the third.