American League Roundup : Indians’ Farrell Starts Season by Defeating Texas, 4-1

The early assessment is that six months hasn’t done much to deter the notion that John Farrell is one of the rising pitching stars of the major leagues.

After going 6-12 in the minor leagues, Farrell ended the 1987 season by joining the Cleveland Indians and posting a 5-1 mark with a 3.39 earned-run average in 10 games. He was also the pitcher who stopped Paul Molitor’s 39-game hitting streak.

Thursday night at Arlington, Tex., Farrell raised his career major league record to 6-1 by beating the Texas Rangers, 4-1.

Cory Snyder supplied the necessary Indian offense with a two-run homer in the seventh inning that broke a 1-1 tie.

Farrell, a 6-foot 4-inch, 210-pound right-hander, pitched six innings and allowed one run and six hits. Chris Codiroli came out of the bullpen for the save.

Jose Guzman took the loss for Texas, despite striking out a career-high 12 batters.

Texas’ Pete O’Brien went 2 for 4, making him 8 for 11 after the first 3 games of 1988.

Kansas City 7, Toronto 4--The Royals used a variety of home runs at Kansas City, where Danny Tartabull hit a three-run homer, Kurt Stillwell had an inside-the-park, two-run homer and Kevin Seitzer added a solo shot.

Stillwell, acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in the winter, also doubled in the fifth inning for his first American League hit and later scored on a Seitzer single. His home run came in the sixth.

Mark Gubicza, staked to a 3-0 lead in the first inning after Tartabull’s home run, pitched six innings to get the victory, the first for the Royals in 1988.

Toronto’s George Bell, who went 8 for 9 in the first two games, cooled off. Three Royal pitchers held him to 0 for 3 with a walk.

Detroit 11, Boston 6--Matt Nokes drove in five runs with a pair of home runs and a single, and Pat Sheridan and Tom Brookens had four hits each to pace the Tigers’ 21-hit attack at Boston.

Brookens drove in four runs, and Alan Trammell and Jim Morrison had three hits each. Every Detroit starter had at least one single.

Frank Tanana picked up the win, despite allowing 10 hits and 5 runs in 7 innings. That included a first-inning home run by Spike Owen and three hits by Marty Barrett. Don Heinkel, making his major league debut, gave up one run in the final two innings to preserve the victory.

Because of 40-degree weather, the Red Sox scratched Dennis (Oil Can) Boyd as the starter. Boyd, coming back from shoulder surgery, was replaced by rookie Steve Ellsworth, the son of former major league pitcher Dick Ellsworth, and he was tagged for five runs and eight hits in less than three innings.