American League Roundup : Walk on the Wild Side Gives Twins a 2-1 Win

Minnesota’s Al Newman knew the pressure was on Wes Gardner Thursday and merely let the Boston reliever wilt with the bases loaded in the 10th inning.

Gardner walked Newman, forcing home the winning run to give the Twins a 2-1 victory over the Red Sox at the Metrodome.

The Twins, who increased their lead in the American League West to two games over idle Oakland, matched their 1986 victory total with 71.

“I decided after he (Gardner) threw the first ball that I was going to wait until he threw a strike over,” Newman said. “I wanted to keep the pressure on him.”

Said Gardner: “I wasn’t missing by a whole lot, I just missed. I never was nervous, though I maybe backed off a little against Newman, and it hurt me.”

The Twins tied the score, 1-1, on Kirby Puckett’s 22nd homer, with two out in the ninth.

In the 10th, Gene Larkin doubled with one out off Gardner (1-6). After Randy Bush was intentionally walked, pinch-hitter Roy Smalley walked to load the bases.

Keith Atherton (6-4) pitched the final inning for the Twins after Bert Blyleven went nine innings, striking out 11 and allowing 6 hits and 1 run.

Boston’s Calvin Schiraldi, making his first start of the season, struck out 11 while pitching 7 shutout innings.

Detroit 3, Cleveland 1--Walt Terrell, continuing his mastery at Tiger Stadium, got home run support from Lou Whitaker and Kirk Gibson as the Tigers beat the Indians.

The Tigers, winners of 9 of their last 12 games and 21 of 29, increased their lead over idle Toronto in the American League East to 1 1/2 games.

Terrell (12-10) allowed six hits, walked two and struck out four en route to his eighth complete game. He improved his home record to 11-2 this season and 30-7 since coming to the Tigers from the New York Mets for Howard Johnson before the 1985 season. On the road, Terrell is 12-25 as a Tiger.

Rich Yett (3-6) allowed 7 hits, including four in the Tigers’ three-run third inning, in the 5 innings he worked.

Whitaker hit his 15th homer and Gibson his 19th, both on 3-2 pitches in the third. Alan Trammell, who went 4 for 4, doubled and scored on a single by Darrell Evans.

Milwaukee 8, Kansas City 2--Greg Brock went 4 for 5 with three run-scoring singles as the Brewers swept a three-game series from the Royals at Kansas City.

It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Royals, who have fallen 5 1/2 games behind the American League West-leading Twins. Kansas City managed just eight hits in the three-game series.

Chris Bosio, who threw a two-hit shutout in his previous start, improved to 9-5. He gave up four hits while striking out seven and walking one in seven innings.

Mark Gubicza (9-16) lost his sixth consecutive start.

Chicago 5, Texas 2--Floyd Bannister gave up 8 hits in 7 innings and struck out a season-high 9 as the White Sox beat the Rangers in Chicago.

Bannister (11-10) walked none en route to his third straight win.