American League Roundup : Yankees and Their Unlikely No. 1 Pitcher Beat the Red Sox, 8-1

Just before the season, Manager Lou Piniella reluctantly named left-hander Dennis Rasmussen as the New York Yankees’ fifth starter. It had been thought that Britt Burns, Tom Seaver and John Montefusco would be around and that Rasmussen would be in the minors.

However, Burns and Montefusco were hurt and the Yankees were unable to pry Seaver from the Chicago White Sox. By the process of elimination, Rasmussen won the job.

It has taken less than half the season for Rasmussen to jump from No. 5 to No. 1 on the beleaguered Yankee pitching staff. Surprisingly, he has developed into their most dependable pitcher.

Rasmussen turned in another strong performance Tuesday night at Boston as the Yankees routed the Red Sox, 8-1, to move within four games of first place in the American League East.

In improving his record to 7-2, Rasmussen held the division leaders to just six hits in 7 innings before giving way to bullpen ace Dave Righetti for the last four outs.

Ron Hassey provided much of the offense as the Yankees, beaten three times in a row at home by the Red Sox last week, won their second one-sided victory in a row at Boston. Hassey went 4 for 4, including his fifth home run, and drove in three runs for the Yankees, who jumped on rookie Rob Woodward (1-3) and four relievers for 12 hits.

“We got the pitching tonight,” Hassey said. “We’ve been struggling with the pitching lately, and Dennis pitched a good game for us. He has been a key to our success.”

In the early part of the season, Rasmussen, as the fifth starter, pitched sporadically. Several times he went eight days between starts. This was his 14th start, and he has pitched well in all but three of them.

His earned-run average is a little over 4.00, but on a staff that has been as erratic as the Yankees, he has seemed a gem of consistency.

Before the season started, Rasmussen, who was 3-5 in part-time duty with the Yankees last season, was expected to be included in the deal for Seaver. This is no longer the case. With the Yankees’ best pitcher, Ron Guidry, trying to fight his way out of a slump that has reached six consecutive defeats, Rasmussen is keeping the team in the race.

Originally drafted by the Angels in 1980, Rasmussen is in his second stint with the Yankees. He was originally traded by the Angels to the Yankees in 1982 for Tommy John. Next, he went to San Diego in the deal that sent Montefusco to New York. Finally, just before the 1984 season opened, the Padres sent him back to the Yankees for Graig Nettles.

Rasmussen left Tuesday night’s game after Boston’s Marty Barrett and Wade Boggs singled with two out in the eighth. It was the second hit for Boggs, who is 4 for 8 since rejoining the Red Sox after the death of his mother in a car accident.

“We came in here with the idea that we had to win this series,” Piniella said. “The big game for us now is tomorrow.”

The Red Sox will bring Al Nipper, who suffered a deep gash in his knee two weeks ago, off the disabled list to face rookie Doug Drabek in the series finale.

Seattle 7, Cleveland 6--Jim Presley’s two-run double in the ninth inning lifted the Mariners over the Indians at Seattle.

Trailing 7-6, going into the bottom of the ninth, John Moses drew a leadoff walk from reliever Ernie Camacho (1-1). Phil Bradley, who earlier hit a three-run homer, also walked and Gorman Thomas sacrificed. Presley then sliced his double to right field just beyond the reach of Cory Snyder.

Matt Young (6-4) who got the final out in the top of the ninth, was the winning pitcher.

Tom Candiotti allowed the first six Seattle runs in 7 innings and tied a career high with 10 strikeouts. He also allowed eight hits, four walks and four wild pitches.

Oakland 8, Kansas City 4--The A’s jumped all over Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen and ended their club-record string of defeats on the road at 15.

Saberhagen, only 4-8 after posting a 20-6 mark last season, gave up five hits and five runs in 3 innings.

Jerry Willard drove in two runs and Mike Davis had three hits as the A’s won for only the fourth time in the last 20 games.

The A’s gave Eric Plunk a 5-0 lead, but he went kerplunk in the sixth and Steve Ontiveros had to save the rookie’s second victory.

Toronto 8, Milwaukee 0--Rookie John Cerutti pitched a six-hitter at Toronto for his first major league shutout, and George Bell hit a two-run home run to lead the Blue Jay attack.

While Cerutti was ending a string of six starts in which he hadn’t figured in the decision, the Blue Jays were routing Ted Higuera.

Higuera was shelled in the third inning, giving up eight hits and four runs. His record fell to 9-6.

“We didn’t know what he (Cerutti) was throwing,” Manager George Bamberger of the Brewers said. “A forkball? A screwball? Whatever it was, he changed speeds very well with it, and you know the rest.”

Baltimore 2, Detroit 1--In a season in which high-scoring games have been the rule, Oriole veteran Scott McGregor and Tiger rookie Eric King engaged in a pitching duel at Detroit.

McGregor gave up just three hits and a run in 8 innings, and King did even better, giving up just two hits and a run in nine innings. Neither had any decision to show for their fine pitching.

Tom O’Malley’s two-out single to left field in the 10th inning scored Lee Lacy from second base to give Don Aase the victory and saddle Bill Campbell with the loss.

O’Malley has 16 hits in 53 at-bats and has driven in 11 runs since being recalled on June 3 from Rochester of the International League.

Minnesota 2, Chicago 1--Rookie Allan Anderson pitched a three-hitter at Chicago to earn his first victory. He struck out nine and lost a no-hitter when Tim Hulett homered in the fifth.