American League Roundup : Blue Jays Beat Indians in Two Tough Games and Close In on Red Sox

It may be that the Boston Red Sox flop, as predicted by the New York Yankees, has begun. But it also may be that the Toronto Blue Jays, not the Yankees, are going to be the team to take advantage of it.

After winning a hard-fought doubleheader Wednesday night, the Blue Jays moved within five games of the slumping Red Sox in the American League East.

The Indians and Blue Jays battled to a 6-6 tie Tuesday night before rain wiped out the game in the 10th inning. They engaged in a pair of similar struggles Wednesday.

In the opener, Ernie Whitt hit his 12th home run leading off the 12th inning to give the Blue Jays a 3-2 victory.

In the second game, it was a 3-3 tie going into the eighth, when Garth Iorg singled, was sacrificed to second and scored on Tony Fernandez’s double to break the tie. With two more runs in the ninth, the Blue Jays prevailed, 6-3.

While Toronto is moving up on Boston, hard-luck Cleveland is 10 games behind.

The Blue Jays scored three runs in the ninth inning Tuesday night to avoid defeat, and in the opener of Wednesday night’s doubleheader, they trailed, 2-1. Rookie Greg Swindell, a loser in a 24-5 loss to the Red Sox in his debut last week, held the Blue Jays to four hits through seven innings. Two singles and an error by shortstop Cory Snyder allowed the Blue Jays to tie it in the eighth.

In the second game, Whitt homered in the sixth to give Toronto a 3-2 lead, but Andre Thornton tied it in the home half with his 16th hit.

Tom Henke, who pitched a scoreless 12th to save the opener, retired the last five Indians in the second game to get his 19th save.

It has been a long, tough road for the Blue Jays. Their best pitcher, Dave Stieb, has struggled most of the season. They were almost left at the post. One month into the season, after 30 games, they were eight games out of first place.

The Blue Jays have won four in a row, and Whitt has been a factor in all of them. He won two with home runs in extra innings. He had three hits in the first game of the streak.

“The way we have been winning lately,” Whitt said, “it is a lot easier to forget all the problems we had earlier.”

Texas 4, Boston 1--The Rangers are showing no signs that they are planning to let the Angels run off with the pennant in the West.

In this game at Arlington, Tex., Larry Parrish and Toby Harrah hit sixth-inning home runs to help Ed Correa (8-11) win for only the third time in his last 12 starts.

Correa lasted only 5 innings before Mitch Williams took over to pitch 3 hitless innings. When Correa left, the Rangers held only a 2-1 lead. But Parrish hit his 21st home run to open the sixth, and two outs later, Harrah hit his sixth.

It was the fifth loss in six games for the Red Sox, who lead the East. The Rangers cut the idle Angels’ lead to 3 1/2 games in the West.

Minnesota 7, Milwaukee 5--Kirby Puckett came roaring out of his worst slump of the season to lead the Twins to victory at Milwaukee.

Puckett was 1 for 21 going into the game, but he hit three singles and a double, drove in three runs and scored another.

Neal Heaton, with superb relief help from George Frazier, improved his record to 5-12. Frazier pitched three scoreless innings, striking out five Brewers.

The Twins, behind Puckett’s hitting, built a 7-1 lead, but the Brewers chased Heaton in the seventh when Rick Cerone opened with a home run and Cecil Cooper hit a three-run home run before Heaton could retire a batter.

Chicago 3, Kansas City 1--Apparently Manager Jim Fregosi’s angry lecture after the White Sox lost their fifth game in a row Tuesday night, accomplished what he desired.

Floyd Bannister (8-10) pitched a six-hitter at Chicago, and rookie catcher Ron Karkovice hit a three-run home run in the second inning. It was the seventh game for Karkovice and his first home run.

“Who knows whether the meeting helps or hurts,” Fregosi said. “Karkovice’s home run put us on top and we shut them down.”

Seattle 4, Baltimore 1--Mike Trujillo, made an auspicious debut for the Mariners at Seattle. Trujillo (1-0), acquired from Boston last week, held the Orioles to five hits in five innings, and Mark Huisman gave up two more in the last four innings.

Ken Phelps hit a two-run home run to highlight a four-run first inning that gave Trujillo a comfortable lead.

The loss left the Orioles 8 1/2 games back of the Red Sox.