American League Roundup : Ryan Doesn’t Earn a Decision in His Debut, but the Rangers Win, 5-4

Nolan Ryan made his debut with the Texas Rangers Thursday night and although he pitched well and his team won, beating the Detroit Tigers, 5-4, he wasn’t happy with the outcome.

“It wasn’t a real good performance,” he said. “If I don’t shut somebody out, I’m not happy. I didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot and embarrass myself.”

Not only did Ryan fail to shut out the Tigers, he didn’t figure in the decision.

The Rangers won the game on Rafael Palmeiro’s seventh-inning RBI single.

Ryan, 42, who signed as a free agent with the Rangers last December for a guaranteed $2 million over two years, threw 107 pitches through five innings, allowing four runs, seven hits and three walks. He struck out eight to increase his all-time record to 4,783.

“I got hurt mainly on the fastball,” Ryan said. “Detroit has a good hitting club, and after I went through the lineup once, they took the approach they were going to wait on my fastball.”

About 400 people from Ryan’s hometown of Alvin, Tex., were at the game, and Alvin Mayor Allen Gray threw out the first pitch.

Palmeiro delivered the game-winning run with an infield single off reliever Frank Williams to score Cecil Espy for a 5-4 lead. Both Espy and Scott Fletcher had singled.

Cecilio Guante was the winner, and Jeff Russell pitched the last 1 2/3 innings for the save.

Baltimore 6, Boston 4--They’re not taking World Series, but the Orioles already have reason to celebrate after copmpleting a two-game sweep of the Red Sox to become the only unbeaten team in the American League East.

Baltimore, which began last season with 21 consecutive losses, had not won a home series against Boston in 10 tries since Sept 5, 1983.

Jose Bautista, who lost his last six decisions in 1988, allowed six hits in eight innings, and Phil Bradley hit a single that snapped a fourth-inning tie to lead the Orioles. Bautista struck out two and walked two, leaving after Mike Greenwell homered to open the ninth. Mark Williamson finished with perfect relief for the save.

Mickey Tettleton and Larry Sheets drove in two runs each for Baltimore.

Milwaukee 3, Cleveland 0--Chris Bosio, who struggled for most of last season, came back strong in his first start of 1989 at Cleveland, pitching a three-hit shutout as the Brewers beat the Indians.

Bosio, who lost 11 straight decisions last year en route to a 7-15 record, got 14 Indians to hit groundouts, all in the first seven innings. He struck out three, walked none and retired the final 16 batters he faced. It was his third shutout and his first victory as a starter since last May 16.

Bosio and Cleveland starter Bud Black were locked in a scoreless tie until the eighth inning, when rookie Gary Sheffield hit a solo homer to start a string of four straight Brewer hits.

After Sheffield’s home run, Robin Yount tripled off the top of the fence in center to finish off Black. Rob Deer doubled off reliever Keith Atherton, scoring Yount, and Glenn Braggs singled home Deer.

Oakland 11, Seattle 3--Glenn Hubbard’s three-run homer capped a six-run third inning at Oakland as the Athletics beat the Mariners and swept their three-game series.

Mark McGwire, Carney Lansford and Dave Parker each drove in two runs for Oakland, which has won its first three games after taking its final seven in exhibition play.

The defending American League champions dominated the Mariners in the series, getting 34 hits and six home runs while outscoring them, 25-6.

Storm Davis allowed seven hits and three runs in five-plus innings. He left in the sixth with a bruised right knee after being hit by Jeff Bradley’s line drive. Todd Burns pitched the final four innings for his first save.

Minnesota 7, New York 1--Wally Backman and Kirby Puckett hit successive triples to highlight a five-run sixth inning, and Shane Rawley allowed three hits in six innings in his Minnesota debut as the Twins beat the Yankees at Minneapolis.

Yankee starter Dave LaPoint, who signed as a free agent for $2.575 million for three years last December, led, 1-0, and had a perfect game through four innings, until allowing Gary Gaetti’s leadoff double in the fifth. He retired the next three batters before running into trouble in the sixth.

Backman was acquired last December from the New York Mets, who deemed him expendable partly because they didn’t think he could hit right-handed. Backman is four for eight from the right side so far for the Twins.

Entering this season, Backman had an average of .151 batting right-handed and .306 left-handed.

Kansas City 3, Toronto 2--Toronto catcher Ernie Whitt’s errant throw to third base went into left field and allowed the winning run to score in the eighth inning at Kansas City, giving the Royals a victory over the Blue Jays.

With the score tied, 2-2, Willie Wilson walked off Duane Ward, Kevin Seitzer sacrificed and George Brett was walked intentionally.

With a 3-2 count on Danny Tartabull, Wilson broke for third base. The pitch was a ball, but Whitt threw to third, and the ball went over Kelly Gruber’s head into the outfield, allowing Wilson to score.

Jeff Montgomery pitched two innings of one-hit relief. Steve Farr pitched a one-hit ninth for the save. Starter Bret Saberhagen gave up eight hits in six innings, striking out five and walking one.