American League Roundup : Pitcher Rhoden Starts as DH in Yankees’ Win

Manager Billy Martin of the New York Yankees surprised the Baltimore Orioles Saturday by starting Rick Rhoden, the losing pitcher in Friday night’s game, as his designated hitter. It was the first time a pitcher has started as a DH since the rule was adopted in 1973.

Rhoden, batting seventh, didn’t get a hit in two trips to the plate, but he hit a sacrifice fly before being replaced by Jose Cruz in the fifth.

The Yankees ended up beating the Orioles, 8-6, at Yankee Stadium, to increase their lead in the American League East to two games as rookie Jay Buhner hit his first major league grand slam and John Candelaria won his seventh straight start.

In explaining why he had decided to send Rhoden to the plate, Martin said: “He’s a good hitter. We talked about this in spring training. With the injuries I have and with my other available hitters not very good at hitting slow, breaking pitches, I didn’t have much else to do.”

Willie Randolph and Rickey Henderson are injured, and first baseman Don Mattingly and catcher Don Slaught are on the disabled list. Martin didn’t think the left-handed Cruz or Claudell Washington would have much success against Oriole starter Jeff Ballard (2-3), a left-hander. Therefore, Rhoden.

Rhoden, 35, was one of the top-hitting pitchers in the National League before he was traded to the Yankees by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Nov. 26, 1986. He has a .239 career average with 9 home runs in 731 at-bats and batted .300 or better in 1976, 1980 and 1984. He led NL pitchers with a .278 batting average in 1986.

Rhoden, 2-5 with a 5.03 earned-run average this season, went 2 for 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals with a double and a home run off Danny Cox the last time he batted.

Still, Rhoden was not expecting the call Saturday. In fact, he had to borrow a bat from Mattingly.

Rhoden said: “Obviously I was very surprised. Once the surprise wore off, I had to start thinking about not embarrassing myself. If I thought this was going to happen, I would have practiced all along. It was real strange. When you’re pitching and you get up to bat, you’re in the game. But this was entirely different. I had to keep myself in the game.”

Although no pitcher had started as a designated hitter, several have batted since the rule was adopted.

Candelaria (8-2) allowed six hits in six innings, struck out four and walked one. He was making his first start since May 29, when he left a game against the Seattle Mariners after five innings because of a sore left elbow.

Detroit 11, Cleveland 3--At Cleveland, Jack Morris beat the Indians for the seventh straight time as the Tigers moved ahead of the Indians into second place in the East.

Morris (6-7) allowed one earned run and eight hits in seven innings before Eric King finished up. Morris is 21-8 against Cleveland.

It was the Tigers’ fourth straight victory.

Chicago 5, Milwaukee 3--Daryl Boston homered in the third inning and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth after hitting a controversial triple as the White Sox defeated the Brewers at Chicago.

Boston’s triple against Paul Mirabella (0-2) appeared to bounce in and out of the right-field seats for a ground rule double, but first base umpire John Hirschbeck ruled that the ball hit the top of the fence. Milwaukee Manager Tom Trebelhorn argued the call and was ejected by third base umpire Rich Garcia.

Seattle 3, Minnesota 2--Dave Hengel and Rey Quinones hit consecutive home runs in the eighth inning as the Mariners rallied past the Twins at Seattle, ending Frank Viola’s nine-game winning streak.

Viola (9-2) had not lost since opening day and was trying to set a Twins’ record for consecutive victories in a season. He took a five-hit shutout into the eighth, but Dave Valle drew a leadoff walk and Hengel followed with his first home run. Quinones hit the next pitch for his fourth homer.

Toronto 4, Boston 3--Rookie Sil Campusano hit a run-scoring single in the 10th inning to give the Blue Jays a victory at Toronto.

Toronto has beaten Boston eight straight since Aug. 10 of last year.

Oakland 13, Texas 4--Carney Lansford’s two-run homer and Terry Steinbach’s three-run homer produced a five-run fifth inning as the Athletics defeated the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.