Detroit’s Morris Calm After Error Ends Streak at 31

In the days when his explosive temper earned him the nickname “Mount St. Morris,” it would have been a bad scene.

But Jack Morris has changed.

He was the first to console Alan Trammell when an error by the Detroit Tigers shortstop in the first-inning Wednesday night ended the Morris’ string of shutouts at three and scoreless innings at 31.

His streak of consecutive complete games also was to end at seven.

Trammell’s two-out boot allowed Minnesota’s Kirby Puckett, who had opened the game with a walk, to score from third.

The resurgent Tigers went on to beat the Twins, 12-2, with an attack that included to a pinch grand slam by John Grubb, but that seemed secondary to the Morris story.

“I told Alan right away to forget it,” Morris said. “There was never a hesitation. Alan Trammell’s glove helped make me what I am today. All of these guys have made me a damn good living over the years.

“Besides that, Alan is probably my closest personal friend on the team.”

Morris string of scoreless innings ended far short of Don Drysdale’s record of 58.

“I’m telling you, that’s an amazing record,” Morris said. “People don’t realize how fantastic Mr. Drysdale’s record is. “In my opinion, it beats Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. You can’t understand that, I guess, unless you’re a pitcher.”

The Tigers’ team record is 34 scoreless innings by Harry Coveleski in 1914.

But there was no disappointment for Morris, whose turnabout seems to mirror the team’s rebound.

Morris, 11-6, has reeled off four consecutive victories and the Tigers have gone 7-1 since the All-Star break to get into the race in the American League East where six teams are within eight games of the first-place Boston Red Sox.