American League Roundup : Swindell Wins His 9th in Chicago

Greg Swindell was so highly regarded, it was predicted that he would make a pennant contender of the Cleveland Indians last season.

A year later, the 23-year-old left-hander from Texas is living up to expectations.

Swindell became the first nine-game winner in the major leagues Tuesday night at Chicago when he pitched a strong eight innings in the Indians’ 4-3 victory over the White Sox.

Swindell, beaten only once this season, struck out eight and did not yield an earned run until Fred Manrique hit a two-run triple in the eighth. Doug Jones came to his rescue with one out in the ninth, after a single by Harold Baines.

“I like it when there’s a 21-m.p.h. wind blowing in,” Swindell said. “You can throw fastballs and watch them go.”

Until two were out in the eighth, the White Sox, losers in eight of their last nine games, had only four hits and an unearned run.

Indian shortstop Jay Bell, whose error in the first, had led to the run, made amends by driving in what proved to be the winning run with a single in the sixth.

Swindell, bothered by an elbow problem throughout 1987, had only a 3-8 record before going on the disabled list in late June.

He has been brilliant in ’88. This was his 10th start. His only loss came on May 8 to Dave Stewart and the Oakland A’s. While Stewart has gone sour since, Swindell has continued to pitch impressively.

Except for the one defeat and a game against Minnesota, Swindell has pitched into the eighth inning in every start. He has 4 complete games and pitched 10 innings in another.

Milwaukee 7, Detroit 0--When last seen in the majors, late in the 1985 season, Tom Filer was a relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.

His comeback as a starting pitcher for the Brewers at Detroit was an auspicious one. The 31-year-old right-hander pitched a five-hitter to remain unbeaten in the American League.

Filer, who was recalled Monday from Denver of the American Assn., where he was 7-0 as a reliever.

Elbow problems sidelined Filer in 1986 and threatened to end his career. But he made it back to the minors last season. With the Brewers desperate for pitching help after Mike Wegman went on the disabled list, they gave Filer a chance.

He made the most of it. The Brewers caught Doyle Alexander (4-3) on a rare off night and knocked him out in 2 innings. Twelve of the 17 Brewers who faced Alexander reached base.

“We saw Filer last summer and decided to take a chance on him,” Milwaukee Manager Tom Trebelhorn said. “He has already paid a dividend.”

Oakland 6, Baltimore 0--Carney Lansford had three hits and climbed to the .400 mark in this game at Oakland.

The Athletics breezed behind the four-hit pitching of Steve Ontiveros and Greg Cadaret. The Orioles had won three games in a row.

Toronto 13, Texas 2--The Blue Jays went on a nine-run binge in the ninth inning at Arlington, Tex., to break open a tight game.

Kelly Gruber and Pat Borders each had two hits in the inning, which opened with the Blue Jays holding only a 4-2 lead.

John Cerutti (2-2) pitched six innings for the victory, and rookie Brian Hayward was the victim of the Toronto rally, losing his first game after three victories.

Gruber opened the rally with a single, and Hayward departed after Fred McGriff doubled. Three relief pitchers later, it was a rout.

Minnesota 6, Kansas City 5--Charlie Lea won his first game in the majors since 1984, and the Twins won their fourth in a row on the road for the first time since July 1985.

Lea barely lasted 5 innings, but the Twins pounded out 15 hits in support.

Seattle 14, Boston 1--Ken Phelps and Harold Reynolds each homered and drove in three runs at Seattle as the Mariners again routed the Red Sox. In the last two games, the Mariners have outscored Boston, 28-4.