American League Roundup : Yankees, Down to Final Out, Rally to Win, 4-3

One out away from the first title in their nine-year history, the Toronto Blue Jays allowed two runs in the top of the ninth inning Friday night, keeping the New York Yankees alive in the American League East.

The Yankees won, 4-3, at Toronto.

Trailing 3-2, the Yankees evened the score with two out in the top of the ninth when Butch Wynegar blasted a 1-1 delivery off Tom Henke over the right-field fence for his fifth homer. It was his first since June 7.

Bobby Meacham reached on a single off the glove of second baseman Garth Iorg and Rickey Henderson followed with a walk. Rookie Steve Davis relieved Henke. Don Mattingly lofted a routine fly ball to center that Lloyd Moseby dropped, allowing Meacham to score.

Wynegar said he had only one thought when he went to the plate.

“I didn’t want to make the last out and have them celebrating with me at home plate,” he said. “I’ve been trying to find my stroke all year. I didn’t even feel it hit my bat. It flew out of there.”

A disconsolate Moseby said, “I just dropped it. It hit me right in the glove.”

Said Meacham: “I couldn’t believe it. He’s a great center fielder. I feel bad for him.”

The victory went to Rod Scurry (1-0), who relieved Ed Whitson with two out in the fifth and worked 3 innings. He allowed one run on two hits while striking out four. Dave Righetti worked the final inning for his 29th save.

Henke (3-3) worked 1 innings and allowed two runs on a pair of hits.

Toronto took a 3-2 lead in the eighth on an RBI single by Cliff Johnson.

New York had opened a 2-0 lead in the fifth on Meacham’s RBI double followed by Henderson’s run-scoring single.

Following a 59-minute rain delay, the Blue Jays evened the game in their half of the fifth on a pair of unearned runs. Ernie Whitt drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on Damaso Garcia’s two-out single. With Moseby batting, Whitson uncorked a wild pitch to advance the runners to second and third. Moseby bounced what should have been an inning-ending chopper to Andre Robertson but Robertson skipped the ball past first baseman Mattingly and both runners scored, evening the score.

With the score tied 2-2, a record crowd of 47,866 saw Moseby lead off the eighth by drawing a walk.

Moseby advanced to second on pinch-hitter Iorg’s sacrifice and, after Willie Upshaw popped out to third, Johnson ripped a grounder that appeared headed to center field. Meacham ranged 15 feet to his left to snare the ball but his throw to catcher Wynegar was high and up the first base line, allowing Moseby to score the go-ahead run.

Whitson was making his first appearance in 19 days since his much-publicized fight in which he broke New York Manager Billy Martin’s arm. The layoff did not appear to hurt Whitson, who shut out Toronto on two hits before the rain delay.

The Blue Jays again will try to wrap up the division today when they send ex-Yankee Doyle Alexander (16-10) against New York’s Joe Cowley (12-5).

Chicago 7, Seattle 5--Tom Seaver, with relief help, raised his record to 16-11 with his 304th career victory at Chicago.

Seaver, 40, moved past Gaylord Perry into third place on the all-time strikeout list with 3,537.

Baltimore 5, Detroit 2--Fred Lynn hit his 23rd home run, a three-run shot, and Scott McGregor evened his record at 14-14 in his final start at Baltimore.

Milwaukee 8, Boston 7--Billy Joe Robidoux doubled home Ted Simmons with the running run in the 12th inning at Boston.

Boston’s Wade Boggs singled in the third inning, marking the 134th game in which he has hit safely, breaking the American League record of 133 set by Al Simmons of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1925. The major league mark is 135 by Chuck Klein of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1930.

It was Boggs’ 185th single, breaking the American League record set by Kansas City’s Willie Wilson in 1980. Pittsburgh’s Lloyd Waner set the major league record of 198 in 1927.