American League Roundup : Blue Jays Keep Their Distance From Yankees

Just over a week ago, the Toronto Blue Jays were losing altitude. The New York Yankees were going to catch them any day now, it was being said and written.

Since then, the Blue Jays have soared.

Lloyd Moseby hit a tie-breaking triple in the eighth inning Saturday to touch off a four-run eighth inning that carried the Blue Jays past the Chicago White Sox, 6-2, and maintained their five-game lead over the New York Yankees.

“We don’t know when, where or how, but at some point in the game, we’re going to have a big inning,” Moseby told the Associated Press. “We just know we’re going to win close ball games. It’s a funny feeling.”

The Blue Jays’ eighth victory in their last 11 games boosted them to 33 games over .500, a franchise record.

With the score tied, 2-2, Tony Fernandez opened the eighth inning with a walk, was sacrificed to second by Damaso Garcia and scored when Moseby hit his triple high off the fence in right center. Rance Mulliniks followed with his 10th homer of the season.

Willie Upshaw drove in Toronto’s final run when he singled in Al Oliver, who had doubled.

Rookie Joel Davis (1-2) had Moseby by the collar with two pop-ups and a strikeout until the eighth.

“I kind of thought a lefty would be coming in,” he said. “Then at 3-and-0 I thought he’d walk me. But he threw me a fastball and was trying to get it in. He pitched me that way all game and got me out three times. I can’t blame him or say he made a mistake by coming back with it.”

Added Chicago Manager Tony LaRussa: “I don’t think Davis thought Moseby would be swinging at the 3-and-0 pitch. We were yelling from the bench that Moseby would be swinging, but I don’t think he heard us.”

Gary Lavelle (4-6), who took over for Doyle Alexander in the eighth, picked up the victory.

Detroit 4, Oakland 1--Tom Brookens and Alan Trammell hit solo home runs and Walt Terrell pitched 7 strong innings to lead the Tigers past the A’s at Detroit.

Both homers came against A’s rookie Tim Birtsas (10-5), who lost to the Tigers for the third time this year. Birtsas gave up six hits in 7 innings.

Terrell (13-7) scattered eight hits, struck out seven and walked two. Randy O’Neal got the last out in the eighth, and Willie Hernandez pitched the ninth, striking out the side, for his 28th save.

Minnesota 6-5, Boston 5-4--Gary Gaetti hit a two-run homer in the third inning of the second game that held up to give the Twins a doubleheader sweep of the Red Sox at Minneapolis.

In the first game, the Twins won when Ron Washington hit a run-scoring single off Steve Crawford (5-4) with two out in the ninth.

Bert Blyleven (13-13) went the distance for the 20th time, yielding only one earned run in the opener.

Blyleven took a 4-0 lead into the sixth, but after an error by Washington, Mike Easler hit a grand slam to tie the score.

Texas 6, Kansas City 4--Gary Ward, Don Slaught and Oddibe McDowell hit solo homers to lift the Rangers past the Royals at Arlington, Tex.

Greg Harris (4-3) earned the victory, striking out seven in 3 innings in relief of starter Jeff Russell. The homers all came off Charlie Leibrandt (13-7).

The loss left the Royals 2 1/2 games behind the Angels in the West.

Kansas City’s George Brett hit his 22nd homer of the season, a two-run blast, to tie the score, 3-3, in the sixth.

Slaught broke the tie with his fifth home run of the season with one out in the sixth, and McDowell hit his 14th in the seventh.

Milwaukee 10, Cleveland 8--Paul Molitor, Robin Yount and Jim Gantner had three hits apiece at Milwaukee as the Brewers beat the Indians, who earlier in the day became the first team in the league to be eliminated from pennant contention.

Rookie Ted Higuera (12-6) earned his eighth victory in his last nine decisions. He allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out three. Bob Gibson picked up his 11th save.

Gibson got the last two outs by getting Pat Tabler to hit into a bases-loaded double play. In six previous at-bats this season with the bases loaded, Tabler had six hits and 15 runs batted in. Tabler had a .647 lifetime average with 54 RBIs with the bases loaded.

Seattle 6, Baltimore 0--Gorman Thomas hit a pair of two-run homers, and Mike Moore pitched a four-hitter as the Mariners defeated the Orioles at Baltimore.

The Mariners, blanked by Baltimore pitchers in the first two games of the series, ended a streak of 20 scoreless innings on Thomas’ two-run homer in the first off Mike Flanagan (2-4). Thomas hit his 28th homer with a man aboard in the fifth on a 3-and-2 pitch from Sammy Stewart.

Moore (12-8) struck out eight and walked two.