Major League Roundup : Blue Jays Continue to Roll, Down Orioles, 9-3

Commissioner Peter Ueberroth has a lot on his mind with negotiations and the strike that could end the season. But, even if the rest of the season is played, Ueberroth might just have to think about inventing rules for playoff baseball in sub-zero temperatures or even snow at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium.

The Blue Jays, who defeated the Orioles, 9-3, Thursday night are running away from the field in the American League East. They have won 11 of their last 12 games and are making a mockery of what is considered the best division in baseball.

Toronto, which won three out of four at Baltimore, has an 8 1/2-game lead over the Yankees and leads third-place Detroit by 10.

Manager Earl Weaver, who was supposed to turn the Orioles around, must be up to smoking two packs of cigarettes a game as the fifth-place Orioles are now 12 1/2 games out. Baltimore has lost 14 out of its last 21.

Willie Upshaw hit his 11th homer of the season, and former Dodger Al Oliver, a career .300 hitter who has gotten his hitting stroke back with the Blue Jays, hit a three-run homer and a double.

Oliver hit his fourth homer since joining Toronto on July 9. He told the Associated Press that joining the Blue Jays was “like being reborn. When I got over here, the first thing Bobby Cox told me was that I’d platoon as the designated hitter. I said, ‘Fine, I’m easy to work with.’ That really relaxed me.”

Cleveland 9, New York 1--On Wednesday night Ron Guidry lost to Tom Waddell, that was bad enough. But, on Thursday night, Phil Niekro lost to Roy Smith, who hasn’t pitched for a month. The Yankees have lost eight of their last 11.

Smith (1-0) was hit by a Phil Bradley line drive in the ear on June 30 was reactivated on Wednesday and pitched a three-hitter and his first complete game in 17 starts.

Julio Franco collected three hits, drove in a run and scored three times for Cleveland, which won its third straight game to match its longest winning streak of the season.

Chicago 7-3, Boston 2-4--Dave Stapleton doubled home the tying run and scored on Steve Lyons’ one-out single in the ninth inning to give the Red Sox a split of a doubleheader at Boston.

Gene Nelson (7-5) pitched his first complete game of the season as the White Sox took the opener.

Harold Baines, Greg Walker and Oscar Gamble each drove in two runs to lead the White Sox.

The Red Sox rebounded in the second game after the White Sox had gone in front, 3-2, on a two-run homer by Carlton Fisk. It was his 28th of the year, tying his career high.

Lyons singled in Stapleton from third in the ninth inning to give the Red Sox the win and helped break their four-game losing streak.

San Diego 6, Atlanta 0--Andy Hawkins won his first 11 starts but pitched his first shutout of the season Thursday nightat Atlanta. He also extended his string of scoreless innings to 17 as he threw a six-hitter.

Hawkins (14-3) didn’t allow a runner past second base. “I had the kind of stuff I had tonight before I hurt my finger. I think I’m back 100 percent, “ Hawkins told AP. “I had all four of my pitches going for me. I could throw any one of them and get people out.”

Carmelo Martinez drove in four runs with a pair of singles and a double, and Steve Garvey went 4 for 4 and scored three runs.

The Padres, who have won only three of their last 11 games, moved to within 4 1/2 games of the idle Dodgers.

Cincinnati 5, Houston 2--The Reds were expected to fade out of the NL West race, but have hung around and now trail the Dodgers by 5 games. The Reds open a four-game series with the Dodgers tonight at Riverfront Stadium.

Andy McGaffigan struck out a career-high 11 batters and pitched his first major league complete game at Cincinnati and helped the Reds win their eighth in their last 11 games.

Nick Esasky paced the Cincinnati offense with a two-run homer. Player-manager Pete Rose didn’t play and remains 25 hits shy of breaking Ty Cobb’s hit record of 4,191.

Philadelphia 3, Pittsburgh 0--Former Cy Young award winner John Denny threw his first shutout in more than two years as the Phillies won at Pittsburgh. He allowed only three hits and struck out three as he won his first game since June 26.

The Pirates have lost eight of their last nine games and trail the first-place St. Louis Cardinals by 28 games.

Chicago 9, St. Louis 8--Larry Bowa drove in four runs, including the game-winning two-out suicide squeeze in the 14th inning, as the Cubs won their second straight over the Cardinals at Chicago.

The Cubs, who had blown an 8-2 lead as the Cardinals, came back and finally tied it with three runs in the ninth.

Vince Coleman stole two bases to give him 74 for the season, surpassing the rookie record of 72 set by Juan Samuel of Philadelphia last year.

George Frazier (6-4), the Cubs’ fifth pitcher, was the winner. He allowed just one hit while striking out three in two innings.