American League Roundup : Yanks’ Stopper Righetti Wants to Start Again

After helping the New York Yankees win for the third day in a row, Dave Righetti admitted he was “a little tired” and expressed the hope that he might return to the starting rotation next season.

Righetti earned his 21st save Saturday at Boston when he pitched two scoreless innings in the Yankees’ 7-3 victory over the Red Sox. Friday night, he pitched an inning, and Thursday night he went 1 against Cleveland.

“I’ve lived up to the challenge as a reliever,” the 26-year-old left-hander told the Associated Press, “and I like the challenge. But whether I’m in the bullpen for good, I just don’t know.

“Billy Martin (Yankee manager) all along wanted me to be a starter, and I think (owner) George Steinbrenner wanted me to be a starter, but someone was needed to fill some shoes in the bullpen. Now, I would like to think that someone would have to fill my shoes.

“I am hoping they can move me back next year.”

Righetti based his hope, at least in part, on the acquisition this season of two relievers. The Yankees picked up Brian Fisher from Atlanta and Neil Allen from St. Louis.

The Yankees obtained Righetti in a nine-player trade with Texas in 1978 when he was a promising teen-ager. He joined the Yankees in 1981 and within two years had developed into a star.

In his last season as a starter, he was 14-8 and pitched a no-hitter against the Red Sox July 4, 1983.

But then Rich Gossage, the Yankee bullpen ace, became a free agent and signed with San Diego. The Yankees talked Righetti into filling the shoes of Gossage. In his first season as a reliever, he was 5-6 and had 31 saves while appearing in 64 games.

Today was his 51st appearance this season. He is 7-7, has an earned-run average of 3.20 and has pitched 74 innings.

He replaced Joe Cowley (10-5) after Jim Rice opened the eighth inning with his 19th home run and cut the Yankee lead to 5-3. Righetti gave up a hit and a walk and struck out two.

Don Mattingly, who led the Yankee attack with three hits, also made two outstanding fielding plays in the fourth inning after the Red Sox loaded the bases with nobody out. First, he scooped up Tony Armas’ slow roller, stepped on first and fired home to cut down Wade Boggs trying to score. Then, he made a diving stop of Mike Easler’s smash to end the inning.

Oakland 11, Seattle 5--Dave Kingman hit his 400th career home run, and Donnie Hill collected four hits at Seattle to lead the A’s to their fifth victory in a row.

Kingman had batted 51 times since hitting No. 399 before he hammered his 23rd homer of the season with one on in the first inning. He is the 21st player to hit 400 home runs.

Rookie Tom Birtsas gave up six hits in seven innings to improve his record to 9-2.

Dusty Baker’s two-run double capped a four-run second inning that gave Oakland a 6-0 lead before the Mariners got started.

Kansas City 4, Toronto 3--Jim Sundberg hit a towering home run off reliever Bill Caudill with one out in the 10th inning at Kansas City to give the Royals their fourth straight win. Their fourth loss in the last 19 games cut the Blue Jays’ lead to seven games over the Yankees in the East.

Dan Quisenberry pitched 3 scoreless innings of relief to win his sixth game to go with 25 saves. He took over when Charlie Leibrandt walked Jeff Burroughs with the bases loaded and two out in the seventh.

“I was trying to hit a home run,” Sundberg said after hitting No. 9. “I had been feeling good and feeling strong. It was up, and I hit it hard.”

Baltimore 9, Texas 8--Eddie Murray, Lee Lacy and Floyd Rayford hit home runs during a seven-run third inning at Arlington, Tex., and the Orioles barely hung on for the victory.

Murray’s two-run home run was his 20th homer of the season. It was the ninth straight season he has hit at least 20 home runs.

Storm Davis improved his record against the Rangers to 6-0 but was shelled out in the seventh when Cliff Johnson hit a three-run home run. Don Aase finally stopped the Rangers in the ninth for his sixth save.

Detroit 5, Cleveland 4--When center fielder Brett Butler robbed Lance Parrish with a leaping catch in the first inning at Cleveland, he merely made the Tiger catcher more determined.

In the seventh, Parrish crushed his 18th home run, and in the 11th, he singled home Lou Whittaker with the winning run. Parrish has five home runs in his last eight games.

The single made a winner of Willie Hernandez, the bullpen ace who blew a save opportunity when Carmen Castillo tripled in the tying run with two out in the ninth.

Milwaukee 5, Chicago 2--Randy Ready, just called up from Vancouver of the Pacific Coast League, hit a two-run home run in the 11th inning at Chicago to lift the Brewers to their fifth win in a row.

Ken Higuera (9-6) allowed only six hits through 10 innings to gain the victory. Bob Gibson earned his ninth save.

With one out in the 11th, Earnie Riles was hit by a pitch, and Ready hit a 1-1 pitch into the left-field seats to break the tie.