American League Roundup : Just Batting Leadoff, Mariners’ Tartabull Is Really Cleaning Up

Danny Tartabull is used to batting cleanup, but the Seattle Mariners expect him to do his cleaning up in the leadoff spot.

Tartabull capped his biggest day yet in the majors by hitting a two-run homer in the eighth inning Sunday to give the Mariners a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Minneapolis.

“It’s kind of tough to hit fourth with the big boys on this team,” Tartabull said. “I don’t look at it as batting leadoff here. I go up there with my own style, hitting aggressively.”

Tartabull, son of former major leaguer Jose Tartabull, added a pair of doubles and three runs batted in to his second homer of the season.

Batting cleanup for Calgary in the Pacific Coast League last season, Tartabull hit 43 homers.

However, Manager Chuck Cottier isn’t necessarily looking for the long ball from another member of the best looking rookie crop in several years.

“I just think he is going to hit the ball hard,” Cottier said. “When you hit the ball hard, things are going to happen. The ball just jumps off his bat.”

Mike Moore (1-0) limited the Twins to four hits over the final eight innings, finishing with a six-hitter, five strikeouts and one walk. Mike Smithson (1-1) went the distance for the Twins and took the loss despite tying his career high with nine strikeouts.

Seattle scored in the first on Tartabull’s bloop double down the right-field line, a fly ball and Ivan Calderon’s grounder.

The Twins went ahead in the bottom of the first on Randy Bush’s two-run homer. Seattle tied it in the sixth on Spike Owen’s single and Tartabull’s RBI double.

Cleveland 8, Detroit 2--Scott Bailes picked up his first major league victory with 5 scoreless innings of relief and Andre Thornton’s homer highlighted a five-run first inning as the Indians routed the Tigers at Cleveland.

Bailes yielded only singles by Kirk Gibson in the seventh inning and Larry Herndon in the eighth in relief of starter Don Schulze. The 24-year-old left-hander struck out four and walked three in his third major-league appearance.

Frank Tanana (0-1) managed to get only one out before being chased in the bottom of the first inning. Brett Butler tripled and scored on Julio Franco’s single. After a wild pitch, Franco scored on Joe Carter’s single and Thornton hit his first homer. Brook Jacoby singled and was doubled home by Carmen Castillo.

Rookie catcher Andy Allanson went 3 for 4 and has 10 hits in 20 at-bats. Tony Bernazard also had three of the Indians’ 19 hits.

New York 3, Milwaukee 2--Don Mattingly capped a three-run third inning with a two-run single and Ron Guidry made it stand up to give the Yankees their third straight victory over the Brewers at New York.

Guidry (2-0) scattered eight hits over seven innings. Rod Scurry and Bob Shirley pitched the eighth inning and Dave Righetti struck out the side in the ninth for his third save.

Robin Yount homered for the Brewers.

Jaime Cocanower (0-1) allowed only three hits but walked nine in seven innings.

Kansas City 7, Toronto 4--Willie Wilson, George Brett and Steve Balboni hit solo home runs as the Royals beat the Blue Jays at Kansas City.

Wilson also singled home the tie-breaking run in a three-run fifth inning that broke a 4-4 tie. After an intentional walk to Brett, Hal McRae and Frank White followed with run-scoring singles.

Steve Farr pitched four innings of one-hit relief to gain his first save. Farr was aided by a spectacular diving catch by right fielder Darryl Motley in the eighth that turned into a double play.

The victory went to Bud Black (1-1), who gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings.

Dave Stieb (0-2) gave up homers to Wilson and Brett on back-to-back pitches to start the third.

George Bell hit his second homer for Toronto.

Baltimore 3, Texas 2--Cal Ripken blooped a two-run single down the right field line in the eighth inning to give the Orioles a victory over the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Lee Lacy, carrying the go-ahead run on Ripken’s hit, was met at the plate by Rangers’ catcher Don Slaught, who took the throw from Scott Fletcher. Lacy knocked the ball from Slaught’s hands and fell on the plate as the ball rolled all the way to the Rangers’ dugout.

Scott McGregor (1-0) scattered eight hits over 7 innings for the victory, with Don Aase pitching the final 1 innings to get the save.

Texas took a 2-0 lead on run-scoring singles by Curtis Wilkerson in the second inning and Gary Ward in the sixth inning.

Ranger pitcher Jose Guzman (1-1) lost his shutout in the seventh when Eddie Murray was safe on an error, took third on Fred Lynn’s single and scored on Jim Dwyer’s groundout.

Boston 12, Chicago 2--Wade Boggs hit three singles and drove in four runs as the Red Sox collected 16 hits while trouncing the White Sox at Chicago.

Jim Rice added three RBIs, two on his second home run, and Bill Buckner and Dwight Evans each had two RBIs.

Boston’s Tim Lollar (1-0) allowed his former teammates only two hits and one run in six innings, but issued seven walks.

Joe Cowley (0-1) was knocked out in the third inning, when the Red Sox sent 10 men to the plate and scored five runs.