Schofield’s Grand Slam in 9th Wins, 13-12

For eight and a half innings Friday night, the Detroit Tigers played at their own personal little game of “Who Can Hit the Ball the Farthest and Hardest.”

There were lots of candidates, considering the Tigers had three homers and a total of 12 runs.

The Angels, meanwhile, were getting lots of hits--they finished with 17--but all but three were singles.

Then, trailing, 12-5, in the bottom of the ninth, they bunched together four singles, a double and finally a dramatic grand slam by shortstop Dick Schofield to come from behind for a 13-12 victory in front of what was left of a crowd of 32,922 at Anaheim Stadium.

It was the kind of win that special seasons are made of and this one kept the Angels 4 1/2 games ahead of Texas.

Detroit’s Frank Tanana gave up nine hits in his six innings of work, but he was leading by three before he threw a pitch, by four in third and was working with a seven-run margin in the fifth.

With one out in the first, Alan Trammell drew a walk and Kirk Gibson muscled a broken-bat single to center. Designated hitter Grubb hit a shot down the left-field line that was inches foul, a drive down the right-field line that was a few feet foul and then deposited a 2-2 pitch in the right-field bleachers.

One out later, Dave Collins hit a sharp single to center and Darnell Coles followed with a double into the right-field corner. But starter Kirk McCaskill escaped further damage when Gary Pettis ran down Lemon’s drive on the warning track in right-center.

McCaskill was a long way from sharp, but the damp marine layer that usually keeps the Big A from becoming a launching pad on even the warmest summer evenings never arrived on this night.

Just ask Brian Downing.

The Angel left-fielder, who had just three hits in his previous 25 at-bats and had seen his average plummet to a season-low .260, hit a two-out fly ball to left in the first and started trotting to first, shaking his head in disgust.

It was Tanana who was disgusted a few seconds later, however, when the ball landed just beyond the reach of Collins into the seats next to the left-field foul pole. It was Downing’s first home run at home since July 26.

The Tigers increased their advantage to 5-1 in the third and it could have been more. Gibson doubled to left-center and one out later, Evans crushed a towering homer to right.

Collins kept the hit parade going with a triple to left-center. Coles followed with a fly to right and the speedy Collins easily beat George Hendrick’s throw which eluded catcher Bob Boone. Doug DeCinces picked up the ball, tagged Collins as he headed for the dugout and home plate umpire Larry McCoy ruled Collins never touched the plate.

Not even bizarre double plays could save McCaskill. He never got another out, leaving in favor of Chuck Finley with two on and no one out in the fourth, after allowing eight hits and five runs.

Detroit, maintaining its score-in-every-other-inning pace, pushed Finley around for three more runs in the fifth. Two walks, a sacrifice and fielder’s choice set up Lemon’s two-run double and No. 9 hitter Mike Heath singled home Lemon to put the Tigers up, 8-1.

Then Lemon really appeared to turn things sour for the Angels with his fly-ball three-run homer in the seventh and Trammell added a solo shot in the eighth.

But then came the Angels’ scoring parade, topped off by Schofield’s slam.

Angel Notes

Three hours before the first pitch Friday night, third baseman Doug DeCinces was celebrating his 36th birthday by sitting on the Anaheim Stadium field and sweating in the afternoon sun. DeCinces, who has battled lower back problems for years, goes through a stretching and exercise regimen before every game. “Every game is like the second game of a doubleheader for him,” Manager Gene Mauch said. “He’s does more work getting ready for a game than most ballplayers ever do in a game.” DeCinces’ back is feeling fine these days, and he’s obviously comfortable in the batter’s box, too. He has had 8 home runs, 14 runs and 20 RBIs in August through Thursday. He also was hitting .421 in the five games before Friday night to lift his average to .267, the highest it has been since April 22. “I do at least 20 minutes of stretching,” DeCinces said. “It’s an everyday ritual. And I’ve found it’s not worth it not to do it.” . . . Pitcher Ron Romanick, who figures to be one of the players recalled from Edmonton Monday when major league rosters can be expanded to 40 players, wasn’t exactly awe-inspiring Thursday night against Phoenix. He gave up 12 hits in 7 innings but did manage to allow just 1 earned run. . . . The Angels will pass the two-million mark in attendance tonight. It will be the seventh time they have reached that plateau and the fifth year in a row. . . . The sometimes-maligned Angel pitching staff took the league’s fourth best earned-run average (3.95) into Friday night’s game. Milwaukee (3.90), Kansas City (3.92) and Boston (3.94) were ahead of the Angels, who have never won a team ERA title. . . . The Tigers announced that pitchers Bryan Kelly and Chuck Cary, infielder Doug Baker and outfielder Bruce Fields will be recalled from the club’s Nashville affiliate next week.