American League Roundup : Fisk Homer Spoils Oil Can’s Return

Dennis (Oil Can) Boyd made his first start since his July 11 suspension Tuesday night at Boston, and his luck was no better than it has been ince he jumped the Red Sox after not being named to the American League All-Star team.

Boyd, whose record fell to 11-7 when the Chicago White Sox scored a 3-1 victory over the fading Red Sox, pitched well for someone who had been out of action for 28 days.

During his suspension, Boyd was arrested twice and tested for drugs.

Tuesday’s game was the culmination of a month of frustration.

He was done in by the hitter who was the worst in the majors in July (Carlton Fisk) and the pitcher who was the worst in the American League in July (Richard Dotson).

Fisk was 4 for 49 in July and had only six hits and one home run in his last 64 at-bats when he hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning to give Dotson all the help he needed.

Dotson was 0-4 in July with an earned-run average of 9.82, but he gave up only three hits in seven innings against the slump-ridden Red Sox. One of the hits was a sixth-inning home run by Tony Armas.

Armas’ home run was matched by Harold Baines’ 16th home run with two out in the eighth to finish Boyd. Boyd, who gave up eight hits, received a standing ovation from the Fenway Park crowd and tipped his cap after being replaced by Calvin Schiraldi.

After giving up a game-opening single to John Cangelosi, Boyd retired 11 batters in a row before Jerry Hairston’s bloop double in the fourth.

Rookie Russ Morman singled to open the fifth, and Fisk hit an 0-and-2 pitch off the left-field foul pole for his ninth home run.

How Boyd felt about his return is a mystery. As he has since he was reinstated by the club last Friday, Boyd maintained his silence. Manager John McNamara was his designated spokesman.

“Yes, he pitched good,” McNamara said. “He threw strikes all night. He got burned on one pop fly, the ball Fisk hit.”

Baltimore 9, Texas 2--Averaging a home run every eight at-bats, rookie sensation Jim Traber is leading the Orioles’ surge into contention in the East.

Traber hit his eighth home run since joining the Orioles July 18 in this game at Baltimore to help the Orioles win for the ninth time in 12 games and pull within 2 1/2 games of the Red Sox.

Traber hit a two-run home run to key a five-run third inning. He has driven in 22 runs in 17 games. The Orioles are 13-5 since he joined them.

Larry Sheets followed Traber’s homer with his 12th, and Lee Lacy had three hits, including his 10th homer to help Storm Davis improve his record to 2-2.

Detroit 6-11, Cleveland 5-9--The Tigers used the home run to sweep a doubleheader at Detroit and move to within five games of first place in the East.

Darrell Evans hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of the opener that brought the Tigers from behind.

Lou Whitaker started a four-run first inning with a home run, then hit a two-run homer in a five-run third that helped the Tigers build a 9-1 lead in the nightcap. The Indians fought back and had the potential tying runs on base when Randy O’Neal got the last out.

Milwaukee 2, New York 1--Dennis Rasmussen pitched gave up just three hits in six innings at New York in his first appearance since suffering a bruised elbow July 22.

But he had nothing to show for it, because the Yankees lost in the 10th when Cecil Cooper singled home Paul Molitor from second base.

Rookie Dan Plesac pitched two scoreless innings of relief to win. The Yankees, who have lost seven of their last eight games with the Brewers, are 13-25 against left-handers.

The only run off Rasmussen was Gorman Thomas’s 13th home run with two out in the sixth.

Yankee owner George Steinbrenner blamed the loss on the umpires and said he would ask the game films be taken to the commissioner’s office.

Kansas City 8, Toronto 6--Lloyd Moseby hit two home runs at Toronto, Rick Leach hit a three-run home run and George Bell hit his 26th home run, but the Royals jumped on Dennis Lamp for a five-run third inning and handed the Blue Jays their fourth loss in the last five games.

Angel Salazar went 3 for 3 and drove in two runs, while George Brett hit his 11th home run and drove in two runs.

Oakland 10, Seattle 4--Dave Kingman hit two solo home runs, Jose Canseco hit a three-run shot and Mickey Tettleton added an inside-the-park homer at Seattle.

Kingman went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs. He homered in the fourth inning and again in the ninth, giving him 26 this season. Canseco’s homer, his 25th, came during a six-run seventh and gave him a major league-leading 90 RBIs.

Curt Young (8-7) allowed eight hits over seven innings, striking out six and walking four. Jim Beattie (0-6), who has not won since Aug. 14, 1985, gave up three runs and five hits in 3 innings and took the loss.