American League Roundup : Fog, Armas’ Catch Beat Indians

Boston center fielder Tony Armas made possibly the most difficult catch of his career Tuesday night to save the Red Sox’s 2-0 fog-shortened victory over the Cleveland Indians at Cleveland.

“I picked it up off the bat, then I just saw it at the last minute when it was coming down. It was very tough,” said Armas, who banged into the fence and plucked Mel Hall’s drive out of the fog in what became the game’s final play.

The Indians had two runners on base with two out in the bottom of the sixth inning after Armas’ catch. Umpire Larry Barnett, the crew chief, then delayed the game because of the bad visibility. After waiting 1 hour 35 minutes for the fog to lift, Barnett called the game.

“In my 23 years (as an American League umpire), this is the first time I’ve ever seen fog like this sock us in,” Barnett said. “We waited 1 1/2 hours and then went into the outfield. Any fly ball would have still been impossible.”

Cleveland Manager Pat Corrales, of course, didn’t agree with the decision to call the game.

Corrales also disagreed with a 15- minute delay in the bottom of the fifth, when Cleveland batting coach Bobby Bonds was asked to hit fly balls to Red Sox right fielder Dwight Evans to test the visibility.

“(Evans) said he couldn’t see the ball out there, but I could, and he’s a better outfielder than me,” Corrales said.

Mike Brown pitched five scoreless innings and the Red Sox scored both their runs in the first inning. It was Boston’s third straight victory and ninth in their last 10 games and gave the Red Sox a two-game lead over the idle New York Yankees in the American League East.

It was Cleveland’s fourth consecutive loss.

The fog began rolling into Municipal Stadium off the shores of Lake Erie in the third inning. Said Brown, the winning pitcher: “The fog was pretty weird, and I noticed it started lifting just after the game was called.”

Texas 6, Chicago 3--Leadoff hitter Oddibe McDowell had three hits, including his sixth homer of the season, as the Rangers won at Arlington, Tex.

McDowell broke an 0-for-14 slump in the Rangers’ 7-2 win over Chicago on Monday night, going 2 for 5. During McDowell’s dry spell, the Rangers, as a team, were hitting only .209.

Now, McDowell and the Rangers, who increased their lead over the second-place Angels to a full game, are hitting again.

McDowell had one of the Rangers’ four doubles as they backed the four-hit pitching of Charlie Hough (3-2) with an 11-hit attack against Chicago starter Richard Dotson (2-5) and two relievers.

The loss was the fourth straight for the White Sox, who are 4 1/2 games out.

Milwaukee 9, Kansas City 1--Rob Deer’s name is misleading. The 25-year-old outfielder is better known for his power than his speed as he showed in this game at Kansas City, hitting a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the ninth.

Both home runs landed about halfway up on the terrace beyond the left-field wall--shots well over 400 feet. Deer has nine home runs this season.

“He’s got tremendous power,” Milwaukee Manager George Bamberger said. “He can hit 20 or 30 home runs.”

Winning pitcher Teddy Higuera (6-4) scattered seven hits and was aided by seven unearned runs in the first three innings.

In the last 35 innings, the Royals have scored only three runs.

Minnesota 7, Toronto 6--Tim Laudner’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the 11th inning gave the Twins a victory at Minneapolis. Frank Pastore (2-0) gained the win after relieving Ron Davis in the eighth inning.