American League Roundup : Molitor’s Streak at 38; Brewers Win, 10-5

The suspense lasted until the fifth inning Sunday at Milwaukee. That’s when Paul Molitor, after hitting flyball outs his first two at-bats, lined a single to left field to extend his hitting streak to 38 games.

After a two-minute ovation from a crowd of 33,887, the Brewers went on to beat the Kansas City Royals, 10-5. It was the only hit for Molitor, but it gave him the fifth-longest hitting streak in the majors since 1900.

It is the longest in the American League since 1941, when Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees set the record by hitting safely in 56 straight.

Bill Schroeder and Greg Brock each drove in three runs for the Brewers, who are 24-14 during Molitor’s streak.

The next target for Molitor is Ty Cobb, who hit in 40 straight in 1911. Then, there is George Sisler, who hit safely in 41 in a row in 1922. Molitor, who has a day off today, could equal Pete Rose’s 44-game streak (1978) next Sunday, weather permitting.

“It’s nicer, the higher you go,” Molitor said, “but there’s not a lot of difference between 37 and 38. I was thinking about 38 today. That’s a long way away, but there’s still a long way to go.

“The numbers still seem far away out there. I’m just trying to take them one at a time.

“I think it’s a good time for a day off. I’ll be glad to get away from the park for a day. I think we’ve only had one day off since the All-Star break. I’m going to enjoy a day at home.”

Molitor got the hit off Charlie Leibrandt, one of the league’s top left-handers. Robin Yount followed Molitor with a hit, and Leibrandt was taken out.

“I jammed him the first two times up,” Leibrandt said. “The third time I threw a slider that I got out over the plate, and he hit it to left.”

Molitor walked in the sixth and and struck out in the seventh to finish 1 for 4. During the streak he is 67 for 160, a .419 average, and has been held to one hit in 19 games.

“I have to watch myself carefully,” Molitor said. “Since getting well into the streak, I’ve had to battle the tendency to overswing and pull the ball. I think it is important to have a day of rest at this stage. I’ll be ready to go again Tuesday.”

Molitor’s streak has been a tremendous boost to Milwaukee’s attendance. The three-game series with the Royals drew 108,768.

The Royals, who missed a chance to close to within 2 1/2 games of the slumping Minnesota Twins in the West, jumped off to a 4-0 lead, but Leibrandt, a 12-game winner, couldn’t hold it.

George Brett and Danny Tartabull hit homers, but the Brewers pounded out 17 hits, four of them by Brock.

Detroit 4, Cleveland 3--Jack Morris described himself as “wildly effective” as he improved his record to 15-6 with a complete game at Cleveland. With Toronto losing to the Angels, the Tigers lead the East by one game.

Kirk Gibson climaxed the Tigers’ four-run third inning with a three-run home run.

Although Morris walked five batters in the first five innings, he was tough in the clutch and gave up only five hits.

“I didn’t have good stuff,” Morris said, “but I knew I had to stay in there. It was ‘suck it up, Jack’ today. I got tougher later. I was tired late, but maybe that actually helped my rhythm.”

Tom Candiotti (6-13) was victimized by first baseman Joe Carter’s throwing error just before pitching a knuckleball that “didn’t do anything” to Gibson, which Gibson hit for his 18th home run.”

Boston 6, Minnesota 4--The Twins are headed home after another disastrous trip, clinging to just a two-game lead in the West. Even though they open a series with the East-leading Tigers, the Twins can’t wait to get back to Minneapolis, where they are 42-18.

Don Baylor hit a grand slam off Steve Carlton (6-12) in the fifth inning at Boston to wipe out a 4-1 deficit. The Twins were 0-6 on the trip and are 24-42 on the road this season.

“The Red Sox play well in their park like we do in ours,” Kirby Puckett said. “We’ve had bad trips before, but we’re going home on top. It could be worse.”

Gary Gaetti hit his 27th homer for the Twins, and Kent Hrbek hit his 31st.

New York 4, Oakland 0--In his previous three games, the Athletics scored 35 runs for Dave Stewart. But this time, they came up empty at Oakland.

With Claudell Washington driving in three runs, Stewart (17-9) lost for only the second time in his last 12 decisions.

Rick Rhoden (15-8) lasted five innings before his shoulder stiffened. Tim Stoddard pitched four scoreless innings for the save.

Baltimore 6, Seattle 5--Ken Dixon (7-8) held the Mariners to three hits in six innings, and Larry Sheets and Mike Hart hit homers for the Orioles at Seattle.

But the Oriole bullpen almost blew it. The Mariners scored four times in the ninth before Tom Niedenfuer, after giving up two hits, struck out Gary Matthews with two on to end the game.

Chicago 8, Texas 1--Floyd Bannister scattered seven hits, and the Rangers pounded out 13 hits while routing the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Bannister (9-10) went the distance for the seventh time this season, striking out three and walking none. He allowed only three hits after the third inning.

Greg Walker hit his 22nd home run for the White Sox in the ninth inning, a solo shot, and also singled home a run in the third.

Chicago knocked out Texas starter Jeff Russell (4-4) after 4 innings, building a 4-1 lead.

Texas got its only run off Bannister in the second inning when Pete Incaviglia and Larry Parrish singled and Mike Stanley brought home Incaviglia with a sacrifice fly.