American League Roundup : After 2 Years, Barker Wins--for the Brewers

Len Barker has finally regained his fastball, but it is the Milwaukee Brewers, not the Atlanta Braves, who are reaping the benefit.

The 31-year-old right-hander pitched five shutout innings Wednesday at Milwaukee in the Brewers’ 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals and won his first game in nearly two years.

In his second start since being brought back to the majors, Barker, once one of baseball’s hardest throwers, threw a fastball timed at 92 m.p.h.

He gave up 4 hits and struck out 3, and the Brewers, bringing him along carefully, decided he had gone far enough.

A two-run double by Cecil Cooper was the big hit of a four-run second inning that sent the streaky Brewers on the way to their fifth win in a row.

“It has been a tough road back,” said Barker, who once pitched a perfect game for the Cleveland Indians. “The arm is finally back to where it used to be. It keeps getting stronger. The big thing is it doesn’t bother me after the game. I don’t have to ice my elbow for 30 minutes and there’s no big knot on it.”

Barker, a 19-game winner for the Indians in 1980, signed a multiyear contract for $2.6 million with the Braves in 1984. That season, the elbow problems began. He had surgery in August. In 1985, he strained the elbow and had a 2-9 record. Last spring, the Braves released him. They are still paying on the contract.

After spending last season in the minors trying to regain his fastball, Barker was signed to a minor league contract a little over a month ago by the Brewers. They sent him to Denver of the American Assn. When word came back that he was throwing a 90-m.p.h. hummer, the Brewers summoned Barker.

Last Saturday, in his first start since late in 1985, Cleveland pounded him for 6 hits and 5 runs in 3 innings. But Manager Tom Trebelhorn liked the way the big pitcher was throwing.

“He was even better today,” Trebelhorn said. “He hadn’t reached his quota of pitches, but we just decided five innings was enough. He looks good to me.”

Toronto 7, Seattle 2--Slowly but surely, Dave Stieb is approaching the form that made him the ace of the Blue Jays’ staff.

Stieb gave up only 1 hit in 5 innings at Toronto but needed help in the sixth to win for the fourth time in his last five decisions, improving his record to 4-3.

“I felt good today,” said Stieb, a big winner for the Blue Jays until arm trouble contributed to a 7-12 record last year. “But I am disappointed that I didn’t go farther with the big lead. I relaxed too much.”

Cecil Fielder hit a two-run home run and a run-scoring double to lead the Toronto attack.

Detroit 15, Cleveland 3--Chet Lemon, Tom Brookens and Alan Trammell hit home runs, and Matt Nokes had four hits in the Tigers’ 20-hit attack at Cleveland.

Jack Morris (7-2) breezed through seven innings for his sixth victory in a row.

Oakland 7, Baltimore 3--Jose Canseco hit a two-run home run, and Curt Young pitched a strong seven innings at Baltimore to improve his record to 7-3.

Young gave up a two-run home run to Mike Young in the eighth, and Jay Howell came in to get the last five outs.

Texas 14, Chicago 3--Pete Incaviglia hit a three-run home run in the first inning at Arlington, Tex., and both Scott Fletcher and Mike Stanley had four hits in the 20-hit Texas barrage.

Stanley, in his first start since being called up from Oklahoma City, had three singles and a home run.

Boston 7, Minnesota 6--Mike Greenwell hit a two-run home run off bullpen ace Jeff Reardon to tie the game in the ninth inning at Boston, and batting champion Wade Boggs delivered the winning hit in the 10th.

Calvin Schiraldi won in relief for the second game in a row.