American League Roundup : Upshaw Recovers His Home Run Stroke and Blue Jays Are Now 2-0

After Willie Upshaw hit 27 home runs and drove in 104 runs in 1983, just his second full season in the major leagues, the Toronto Blue Jays thought they had one of baseball’s best young sluggers.

Somewhere along the way, the first baseman, who batted .306 that season at age 26, lost his home run swing. His total dropped each season, and last year he hit only nine and was a factor in the Blue Jays’ failure to repeat as champions of the AL East.

Upshaw’s home run swing may have returned. The left-handed hitter hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning Wednesday at Toronto to power the Blue Jays to a 5-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

He also hit a home run on opening day. Last season, Upshaw did not hit his second home run until the 59th game.

The home run made it easy for Jim Clancy to earn his first victory since last August. Clancy, who was 14-14 last season after closing out the year with seven defeats, held the heavy-hitting Indians to seven hits and a run in six innings.

“I just tried to find my stroke again,” Upshaw said. “I didn’t change anything. I just kept working and concentrating, trying to get it back. It feels good to start off this way. It helps my confidence.”

Confidence is something the Blue Jays have. They are convinced they are the best team in the East.

“I don’t think we’ve ever been this confident at the beginning of a season,” Clancy said. “We are making great defensive plays, especially Tony Fernandez at short.”

The Blue Jays have never opened with two consecutive victories in their 11-year history.

New York 6, Detroit 5--If Dave Righetti’s left arm holds up, the Yankees are prepared to battle the Blue Jays for honors in the East.

For the second game in a row at Detroit, the Yankees won in their last at-bat. Righetti pitched three scoreless innings Monday to get the victory and came back to pitch one inning Wednesday for the save.

Willie Randolph’s single capped a two-run ninth off Willie Hernandez as the Yankees overcame a 5-0 deficit.

Yankee starter Tommy John, 43, was shelled for five runs and seven hits in 3 innings before giving way to Charlie Hudson, who pitched 4 innings of hitless relief to get the victory.

Texas 6, Baltimore 4--Scott Fletcher drove in two runs in a four-run fourth inning at Baltimore, then won the game in the ninth for the Rangers.

The shortstop doubled home two runs in the ninth to break a 4-4 tie and give Dale Mohorcic the victory in relief.

Ray Knight had two hits for the Orioles, including a bases-loaded single in the first inning that gave them a 2-0 lead.

Minnesota 4, Oakland 1--Frank Viola struck out the first six batters he faced at Minneapolis and went on to strike out a career-high 11 in just seven innings.

Viola had a no-hitter until two were out in the fifth inning. Keith Atherton pitched the eighth, and newcomer Jeff Reardon pitched the ninth to gain his first save for the Twins.

The Twins gave Viola a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and Tom Brunansky homered in the fourth.

Kansas City 9, Chicago 3--Buddy Biancalana, who had hit five home runs in nearly 500 previous at-bats in the majors, hit a three-run home run at Kansas City to lead the Royals.

Steve Balboni, who was 1 for 3 as a designated hitter in the opener, also had a home run and scored three runs to make it easy for Charlie Leibrandt.

Leibrandt had a no-hitter through five innings, but Gary Redus opened the sixth with a double and Leibrandt (1-0) went only seven innings.

Milwaukee 3, Boston 2--Billy Jo Robidoux singled home Glenn Braggs in the seventh inning at Milwaukee to break a 2-2 tie.

Braggs singled to open the inning and former Dodger Greg Brock, who drove in the first Brewer run with an infield out, singled him to third.