Baseball Roundup : It’s a First for the Orioles: They Wind Up Last

The Baltimore Orioles, baseball’s winningest team for the past 30 years, will finish in last place for the first time in their 33-year history. They guaranteed that Friday night by losing to Detroit, 6-3, at Baltimore.

Kirk Gibson hit two home runs, drove in four runs and went 4 for 5 to lead the Tigers.

Gibson, who hit a solo homer in the first inning, hit a two-run shot off Scott McGregor (11-15) in the third to break a 2-2 tie and give Walt Terrell (15-12) the victory.

The Orioles, who had never finished last since arriving from St. Louis in 1954, were only 2 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East Aug. 5 but are 14-40 since then.

“You think you’d accidentally win more than that,” Manager Earl Weaver said. “I’ve been first, second or third most of my life. Now, I’m managing a last-place team. Thank God, it didn’t happen 15 other years. If it did, instead of looking at retirement, I’d be looking for a job.”

Minnesota 9, Chicago 2--Steve Lombardozzi, Minnesota’s rookie second baseman, hit his first grand slam as the Twins won at Minneapolis. Kirby Puckett hit a solo homer for the Twins, running his season home run total to 31. Winner Mike Smithson (13-14) gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked two in eight innings.

Cleveland 6, Seattle 5--Chris Bando singled home Pat Tabler from third base with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning at Cleveland as the Indians assured themselves of finishing above .500 for the first time since the strike year of 1981, when they went 52-50. The loss was the Mariners’ seventh straight.

Milwaukee 4, Toronto 1--Bill Wegman (5-12) won his first game since Aug. 20, combining with two relief pitchers on a four-hitter, and Rick Manning hit a solo homer to lead the Brewers at Toronto. Making his first start in two weeks, Wegman allowed only three hits until Jesse Barfield’s 40th homer in the seventh inning sent him to the showers. Barfield leads the majors in homers.

Kansas City 8, Oakland 4--Jamie Quirk hit a two-run homer, and Buddy Biancalana tripled home two runs in a four-run fourth inning as the Royals won at Oakland. All of the Royals’ runs came off Joaquin Andujar (12-7). Charlie Leibrandt (14-11) pitched a six-hitter for 8 innings to get the win.

Houston 6, Atlanta 2--Glenn Davis hit his 31st home run and drove in his 100th run, and Nolan Ryan allowed five hits in seven innings to lead the Astros at Houston.

With his two-run, fifth-inning homer, Davis became first Astro since Bob Watson in 1977 to drive in 100 or more runs in a season.

Ryan (12-8) retired the Braves in order for four innings. In the fifth, Bob Horner led off the fifth with his 27th homer. Ryan struck out six and walked one.

Cincinnati 6, San Diego 3--Ted Power struck out a career-high eight batters in seven innings, and Tony Perez drove in two runs with a fourth-inning double to lead the Reds at Cincinnati. The Padres’ Tony Gwynn went 2 for 4 and is now hitting .330.

Montreal 6, Philadelphia 5--Al Newman’s one-out double in the ninth inning scored Dann Bilardello with the winning run as the Expos won at Philadelphia. After reliever Kent Tekulve (11-5) struck out pinch-hitter George Wright to open the inning, Bilardello, who earlier had hit a three-run homer, doubled to left. Newman followed with a drive to left-center. Montreal’s Tim Raines did not play and remained the National League batting leader with a .335 average.