American League Roundup : Rangers Going for Record Book

The Texas Rangers may be all but eliminated from the American League West race, but they still have enough incentive left to set a few records before calling it a season.

“We’ve got to win as much as we can, but I’d rather be in California’s place right now,” said Texas’ Larry Parrish, who drove in four runs with two homers to lead the Rangers over the A’s, 10-6, at Oakland on Tuesday.

“All we can do right now is keep hammering away and hope the bottom falls out” from under the division-leading Angels, Parrish said.

Parrish’s two homers helped the Rangers set a team record with 442 extra base hits on the season, including a triple by Gino Petralli, the Rangers’ 41st triple of the season.

But not all of the records are good ones. When starter Bobby Witt threw two wild pitches on successive batters as the A’s mounted a 4-1 lead in the second inning, it gave the Rangers a total of 73 wild pitches this season--tying the 1973 Cleveland Indians for the American League record.

“Well, when you can strike out 10 batters, you can get away with a couple of wild pitches,” Ranger Manager Bobby Valentine said. “Witt had his ball moving well today, but he just looked like he ran out of gas.”

Witt combined with winning pitcher Ron Meridith and Greg Harris to post 16 strikeouts, tying the Rangers’ season high. After trailing, 5-3, in the sixth, the Rangers jumped on five relievers for seven runs as starter Joaquin Andujar left the game with a stiff elbow.

“Overall, we didn’t play good,” Oakland Manager Tony LaRussa said. “Of course, when you play like we have lately, it’s not much of a contest.”

Dave Von Ohlen (0-3) was tagged with the loss, while Meridith picked up his first American League victory against no defeats.

Parrish homers increased his season total to 26, while Oakland’s Jose Canseco had an RBI single to raise his league-leading RBI total to 111.

New York 8, Baltimore 1--Don Mattingly hit his second home run in two nights, went over the 100 RBI mark for the third straight season, and set a career mark with 213 hits, to lead the Yankees over the Orioles at New York.

Mattingly hit a two-run homer in New York’s three-run first inning, singled in the third inning and doubled and scored in front of Dave Winfield’s three-run homer in the seventh. Mattingly added an RBI on a forceout in the eighth for the Yankees’ final run.

Rookie Doug Drabek (6-7) won his third in a row, allowing a run on seven hits in five innings. Bob Shirley pitched the last four innings for his third save. Scott McGregor (10-13) was the loser.

Boston 2-9, Milwaukee 1-3--Dwight Evans scored the tiebreaking run and forced in another with a bases-loaded walk in a six-run eighth inning as the Red Sox defeated the Brewers in the nightcap for a sweep of the doubleheader at Boston.

Roger Clemens scattered six hits for his major league-leading 23rd victory, and Evans led off the seventh with a homer in the opener.

With their 14th victory in the last 17 games, the Red Sox reduced their magic number for winning their first American League East title since 1975 to nine.

Minnesota 7, Cleveland 3--Billy Beane hit a three-run homer, and Mark Portugal pitched 6 innings of one-run relief as the Twins ended their nine-game road losing streak with the win at Cleveland.

Portugal (5-8) allowed three hits and struck out four while walking one as he snapped the Indians’ four-game winning streak.

Tom Brunansky went 3 for 5 and knocked in two runs for the Twins, who broke the game open with a five-run third when they padded their lead to 6-1 against Scott Bailes (10-9).

Toronto 6, Detroit 4--Jimmy Key won his first game at home in a month, and Ernie Whitt hit a solo homer at Toronto as the Blue Jays snapped the Tigers’ five-game winning streak.

Key allowed six hits, struck out five and walked two over 6 innings to improve his record to 13-10. Walt Terrell (12-12) was the loser.

Seattle 7, Chicago 0--Mike Morgan pitched a four-hit shutout, the first of his major league career, and Scott Bradley and Harold Reynolds homered as the Mariners beat the White Sox at Seattle.

Morgan (11-15) allowed only four singles, walked none and struck out six for his ninth complete game of the season.