American League Roundup : Tigers Still Don’t Have Any Luck in Their Tank

A year ago, when the Detroit Tigers were breezing to the pennant and later breezing through the World Series, everything went their way. They could do no wrong.

Now, as they steadily slip out of contention in the American League East, it seems they can do no right.

A good example was Wednesday afternoon. The Tigers and Kansas City Royals were tied, 2-2, going into the ninth inning at Detroit. George Brett opened with a walk off Walt Terrell, and Hal McRae bunted.

Tiger catcher Lance Parrish pounced on the ball and fired to second for an apparent force on Brett. However, plate umpire John Hirschbeck ruled that Parrish touched McRae. This made Brett safe at second because he wasn’t tagged, and McRae out on a sacrifice. The Tigers argued, to no avail, so they decided to walk Frank White intentionally.

Steve Balboni hit Terrell’s first pitch into the second deck in left field for his 21st home run, and it gave the sizzling Royals a 5-2 victory. If the umpire had not made the ruling, it’s possible that Balboni wouldn’t have batted.

“I never touched McRae,” Parrish told the Associated Press. “But, that’s the way the calls go when you’re going bad.”

Balboni is one of three players Manager Dick Howser has said is largely responsible for the Royals’ surge into contention in the West. The other two are Lonnie Smith, who had three hits, and McRae, who laid down the disputed bunt.

Balboni singled earlier to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. The home run, the first off Terrell (10-6) in 77 innings, was his fourth in four games.

“I’ve been a little lucky,” he said. “I’ve had some hits drop in.

“I’ve struck out 107 times. I’m sure that’s why they walked Frank to get to me.”

The home run made a winner out of Danny Jackson (10-6), who had a career-high 10 strikeouts and gave up eight hits in 8 innings.

It was the eighth win in the last nine games for the Royals. In seven of the victories Dan Quisenberry has registered a save. He came in with two on in the ninth to get the last two outs and pick up his league-leading 24th save.

Smith, obtained from St. Louis earlier in the season, has raised his average from .190 to .250 and McRae, the full-time designated hitter, has hit safely in nine games in a row.

Cleveland 6, New York 5--The major league team with the worst record ended Ron Guidry’s winning streak at 12. To add insult to injury in this game at Cleveland, Tom Waddell, who had made 97 relief appearances, was the winner in his first starting assignment.

Guidry trailed, 3-2, when he made a big mistake in the seventh inning. He let the Indians’ Pat Tabler come up with the bases loaded. Naturally, Tabler unloaded them with a double. The third baseman is 5 for 5 this season with the bases full and has driven in 13 runs.

In three seasons with the Indians Tabler, in bases loaded situations, is 21 for 33 and has 52 RBIs.

Toronto 5, Baltimore 3--The Blue Jays continue to build on their big lead in the East. In this game at Baltimore they stretched their lead to 7 1/2 games over the Yankees by hammering out four home runs.

Jesse Barfield, 0-9 going into the game, hit two home runs, while Rance Mulliniks and George Bell also homered.

Rookie Tom Henke pitched two hitless innings to gain his second victory in three days for the Blue Jays.

Seattle 12, Minnesota 3--Gorman Thomas can no longer play the outfield because his rotator cuff problem makes it difficult for him to throw. The injury has done nothing to curb his power.

Thomas hit a two-run home run in the first inning at Seattle to get the Mariners off to a fast start for their fourth win in five games. In those four victories Thomas has hit six home runs to raise his season’s total to 23.

Teammate Jim Presley went 4 for 4, which included his 23rd home run.

All of this made it easy for Jim Beattie. Beattie, who spent 44 days on the disabled list with an arm injury, went five innings to gain his first victory since June 3.

Milwaukee 5, Texas 2--The Brewers have believed for some time that Jamie Cocanower is a prize prospect. But they have almost lost patience with the 28-year-old right-hander’s control problems.

Before this game at Milwaukee Cocanower (2-1) had walked 30 batters in 36 innings and thrown wild pitches in each of his last eight appearances. A shortage of pitchers forced them to start him.

Cocanower responded by pitching a complete game victory in which he did not walk a batter and struck out five.

“I kept reminding myself not to walk anyone,” Cocanower said. “Even when I went 3-and-0 on a couple of hitters I got them out today. Before, I fell apart when I got behind the hitters.”

Boston 1, Chicago 1 (tie)--Dave Sax drove in a fly just before the rains came at Boston to stop play in the seventh inning. All statistics count in the game, which will be replayed in its entirety as part of a doubleheader today.

It was the first tie for the Red Sox in 3,869 games since June 8, 1961.