American League Roundup : Blyleven Completes the Job for 12th Time

Bert Blyleven pitched his 12th complete game to tie Mike Witt of the Angels for the American League lead and improved his record to 14-10 Thursday as the Minnesota Twins beat the Brewers, 6-2, at Milwaukee.

The 35-year-old Blyleven struck out seven and walked three while scattering seven hits, holding the Brewers hitless in the final four innings.

“He became a better pitcher in the last couple innings,” Brewer Manager George Bamberger said. “He had that look like, ‘I’m closing these guys out.’ ”

The Brewers, on the other hand, started 23-year-old Chris Bosio, a short reliever on their Vancouver farm club earlier this year, and had to replace him in the fourth inning after Gary Gaetti hit an eye-level fastball for a three-run home run.

“Not too many guys are going to do that with a fastball up around their eyes,” said Bosio, who is 0-3 and has an 8.15 earned-run average as a starter. “If he does that for a living, he’s a scary hitter.”

That was the 27th homer for Gaetti and gave him a career-high 85 runs batted in, and Roy Smalley later became the fifth Twin this year to reach the 20-homer mark.

Oakland 5-8, Baltimore 4-7--In the first game, Dave Kingman moved into a tie for the major league lead with his 30th home run, a two-run shot off Don Aase with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning at Oakland.

It was the first homer allowed by Aase (5-5) in two months. He relieved Mike Flanagan in the eighth with a 4-1 lead, gave up a two-run single to pinch-hitter Bruce Bochte and then lost a chance for his 32nd save.

Dave Leiper (2-2) pitched the bottom of the ninth and got the win.

Baltimore’s Cal Ripken hit his 21st homer.

In the nightcap, Carney Lansford’s two-run triple gave Oakland a sweep as Aase blew another ninth-inning lead when the A’s scored three runs.

Mark McGwire’s second home run of the season put the A’s ahead, 3-0, in the second inning.

Toronto 9, Cleveland 1--The Blue Jays, 8 1/2 games behind Boston and in fourth place on Saturday, moved within 4 1/2 games of the idle Red Sox as Tony Fernandez and George Bell each had four hits at Cleveland.

It was Toronto’s fifth straight victory and eighth in the last 10 games.

Blue Jay pitcher Jim Clancy (14-7) gave up nine hits but did not allow a walk en route to his fourth complete game. He lost the shutout in the sixth when Andre Thornton hit his 17th home run.

“I think people were counting us out in the early part of the season, saying that Boston would run away with it,” Clancy said. “I think this is it, that we’re going to get on that roll. It’s the greatest time of the season to do it. Everybody’s at their peak now.”

Chicago 6, Texas 2--At Chicago, Steve Carlton won his 321st career game and his second in four decisions since coming to the American League as the White Sox defeated the Rangers for the first time in 10 games this season.

Carlton allowed 6 hits, walked 4 and struck out 4 in 6 innings.

Ron Hassey’s two-run double, one of his three hits, and Harold Baines’ 20th home run led the White Sox offense. Baines’ homer, which gave him 20 in five straight seasons, staked Carlton, to a 3-0 lead in the third inning.

In the sixth, a bases-loaded throwing error by Texas catcher Don Slaught allowed two more Chicago runs to score, and Jack Perconte followed with an RBI single. The Rangers got both of their runs in the seventh.

“I thought Carlton pitched excellent,” Chicago Manager Jim Fregosi said. “He’s had four starts and he’s had three good games. He could have won all three.”

New York 4, Seattle 2--Rickey Henderson and Dan Pasqua hit first-inning home runs at Seattle as the Yankees broke a four-game losing streak.

Henderson, who was in an 0-for-17 slump, led off the game by lining a 1-and-0 pitch from Mike Morgan (9-14) into the left-field stands. It was Henderson’s 22nd homer and his seventh leading off a game this year, tying his league record set last season.

Dennis Rasmussen (14-4) allowed seven hits in 6 innings. Dave Righetti pitched the final two innings for his 31st save, equaling his career high and tying him with Aase for the major league lead.