American League Roundup : Lombardi Looks for Spot With Yankees, Homers to Beat Baltimore, 4-2

If Phil Lombardi can continue to hit with authority, the New York Yankees seem willing to find a spot for him in the lineup.

Lombardi certainly didn’t hurt his chances Monday night at Baltimore, where he hit a two-run homer to power the Yankees to a 4-2 victory over the Orioles. It was his second homer since being recalled from Columbus, the Yankees’ affiliate in the International League.

Lombardi, who was picked by the Yankees in the third round of the 1981 summer draft after helping Kennedy High of Granada Hills win the City championship, is a catcher by trade, but he made his second start in left field since being recalled.

“A young man like that can be a valuable commodity, especially on a 24-man roster,” Yankee Manager Lou Piniella said. “He can play the outfield, a little third base, and be the third, second . . . or the first catcher.”

Lombardi, who caught and played the outfield at Columbus, plans to work at third base over the winter.

“I’m going to to the instructional camp to take some ground balls at third base,” he said. “I’m not out to steal Pags’ (third baseman Mike Pagliarulo) job.”

Lombardi homered in the second inning, after a walk to Dave Winfield. Willie Randolph also homered to support the strong pitching of Bob Tewksbury, who allowed only five hits over seven innings. It was the first victory for Tewksbury (7-5), a rookie right-hander, since July 9.

Don Mattingly hit his 49th double of the season in the fourth inning to extend his hitting streak to 21 games, tying Cleveland’s Joe Carter for the longest streak in the majors this season.

By winning, the Yankees moved into a tie with Toronto for second place in the East, 10 games behind idle Boston.

Detroit 2, Toronto 1--Jack Morris pitched a six-hitter at Detroit to earn his 19th victory. He struck out five, and his only walk came after Ernie Whitt homered in the second inning.

Jim Clancy (14-12), who lost his fifth straight decision, allowed just three hits, two coming in the first inning when the Tigers scored their runs. John Grubb doubled home Alan Trammell and scored on a single by Darnell Coles.

The loss by the Blue Jays lowered Boston’s magic number for clinching the East title to three.

Minnesota 2, Kansas City 1--Tim Laudner doubled home Tom Brunansky from first base with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning at Minneapolis.

Twins’ reliever Keith Atherton (6-10) pitched 2 innings of two-hit, shutout ball to snap his personal seven-game losing streak.

A base-running blunder by Bo Jackson prevented the Royals from taking the lead in the fifth inning. Minnesota starter Neal Heaton walked Frank White and Jackson to start the inning. White was picked off second by catcher Laudner, with Jackson talking second during the rundown. Jim Sundberg then singled to center and Jackson came home, but he was called out on an appeal for missing third base.

Oakland 5, Chicago 3--Jose Canseco hit his 33rd homer and scored two runs to lead the A’s at Oakland.

Canseco’s homer moved him into a tie for the league lead with teammate Dave Kingman, Toronto’s Jesse Barfield and Milwaukee’s Rob Deer. Canseco leads the league with 115 RBIs.

Texas 2, Seattle 0--Ruben Sierra and Pete O’Brien homered, and Edwin Correa pitched a six-hit shutout, striking out 10, to lead the Rangers at Seattle.

The Mariners’ Mark Langston yielded only three hits while striking out 11. Among his strikeout victims was rookie Pete Incaviglia, who fanned three times, giving him 175 for the season to tie the league record set by Dave Nicholson of the Chicago White Sox in 1963 and equaled by Gorman Thomas of the Milwaukee Brewers in 1979.