American League Roundup : Resurgent Tigers Sweep a Pair From the Fast-Fading Indians, 15-1, 6-2

With a key series coming up against American League East leader Boston, Detroit Manager Sparky Anderson is concerned most about saving his starting pitchers.

So even though Tiger ace Jack Morris (13-7) was cruising along on a four-hit shutout through seven innings in the first game of the Tigers’ doubleheader sweep of the Cleveland Indians, Anderson had the hook ready.

“I was going to get him out after six innings, but I allowed him to go seven,” said Anderson, whose Tigers won by scores of 15-1 and 6-2 at Detroit. “If I had another pitcher, he might have been gone after five. I was watching him real close. You don’t fool with your pitchers.”

In the nightcap, Anderson pulled Mark Thurmond after six shutout innings, and then turned the ball over to Bill Campbell, who picked up his third save of the year.

Thurmond (2-1), who made only his third start for Detroit after being acquired from San Diego July 9 in a trade for Dave LaPoint, earned praise from Anderson after allowing the Indians only six hits.

“To pitch Tuesday (three innings in relief) and come back and go six innings two days later, that’s tremendous,” Anderson said. “Maybe he’s better with less rest, I don’t know.”

The Tigers have won five straight games and 17 of their last 23.

Lou Whitaker drove in six runs, three in each game. Kirk Gibson’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run fourth inning in the first game.

Detroit’s 15 runs and 20 hits in the opener were both season highs for the team.

Milwaukee 10, New York 2--Cecil Cooper and Rick Manning hit three-run homers to help the last-place Brewers gain their third victory in the four-game series at New York.

The Yankees, meanwhile, have lost 8 of their last 11 games.

Cooper’s homer gave Milwaukee a 5-1 lead in the fifth. Manning hit his third homer of the season in the seventh.

Tim Leary (8-11) won only his second game in his last eight starts, allowing five hits and two runs in 5 innings. John Henry Johnson pitched 3 innings of three-hit relief for his first save since 1984.

Joe Niekro (8-8) was chased in the fifth, the eighth start in a row that he has failed to pitch beyond the fifth inning.

Texas 9, Baltimore 8--Gary Ward drove in five runs, including the first of four Texas runs in the seventh inning, spurring the Rangers to their second straight comeback victory at Baltimore.

On Wednesday night, Texas scored six runs in the eighth to erase an 11-6 deficit. On Thursday night--with Oriole reliever Don Aase out of the lineup with a back injury--the Rangers battled back against Brad Havens and Mike Flanagan, who made his first relief appearance since 1982.

Run-scoring singles by Ward and Larry Parrish in the seventh inning followed a double by Toby Harrah and a one-out walk to Pete Incavaglia, finishing Havens (3-2). Flanagan then yielded a run-scoring single to Don Slaught and a sacrifice fly to Steve Buechele.

In the game, Ward had a homer, three singles and a stolen base.

The Orioles took an 8-5 lead with five runs in the fifth.

The teams traded three-run homers early. Ward connected off starter Scott McGregor in the first, and John Stefero countered for the Orioles in the second.

Toronto 5, Kansas City 4--The Royals’ Steve Farr balked home the tying run, and Willie Upshaw singled home the winner in the eighth inning for the Blue Jays at Toronto.

Mark Eichhorn (8-3), who relieved Jim Clancy with Toronto trailing, 4-2, in the sixth, went 3 innings for the victory. Tom Henke finished for his 17th save.

With Toronto trailing, 4-3, starter Mark Gubicza walked Lloyd Moseby to lead off the eighth. Farr (7-3) relieved, and George Bell and Jesse Barfield greeted him with singles to load the bases. With Upshaw at the plate, Farr balked, scoring Moseby with the tying run. Upshaw then lined a single to center, scoring Bell and giving Toronto the lead.