American League Roundup : Tigers Win, With a Little Help From Brewers

It was a comedy of errors in the American League Saturday. Games were won on bases-loaded walks, errors and a passed ball.

The Detroit Tigers, off to the worst start in the majors, had 13 hits Saturday at Milwaukee, but it took three errors in the eighth inning by the Brewers to help them score a 6-3 victory. It was the Tigers’ fourth win in 14 games.

The Tigers, last in the league in victories, hitting and runs scored, were tied, 3-3, going into the eighth, when Alan Trammell, with his fourth hit of the game, and Fred Lynn both singled.

Reliever Paul Mirabella made a wild pickoff throw to move the runners to second and third, and Matt Nokes’ fly ball scored Trammell. Mike Heath’s single drove in another run, and two errors on one play by first baseman Terry Francona let in the other two runs.

Stating the obvious, a disbelieving Milwaukee Manager Tom Trebelhorn said, “Three errors in one inning will usually cause you some difficulty.”

Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson looked at the positive side. “We hit the ball well and we got some breaks today,” he said. “Slowly, we’re going to get this thing together. It’s going to take some time.”

Lynn, who had two hits, also made two diving catches in left field.

“On the pickoff play that got us into trouble, Francona came behind him trying to catch Lynn napping,” Trebelhorn said. “Instead, Terry just got his glove on the throw and it bounced away. It was poorly executed.”

Cleveland 3, New York 1--Tommy John has good control, so when he walks in the go-ahead run, it’s news. With the score tied, 1-1 in the eighth inning at Cleveland, John walked Luis Aguayo on a 3-and-2 pitch with the bases loaded.

Yankee Manager Dallas Green replaced John with Lance McCullers, who got ahead of Felix Fermin, 0 and 2, but walked him to force in another run.

John thought he had Aguayo struck out on a 2-and-2 pitch, but umpire Al Clark ruled the pitch was high. The next pitch was outside.

“I thought Aguayo should have been hitting on the 2-and-2 pitch,” John said later. “Whether it was a ball or strike is immaterial. It was close, but the guy was up there taking the pitch. How would it look to get rung up with the bases loaded and the pitch is right there? But that didn’t beat us. My inability to get a strike on a 3-and-2 pitch beat us.”

The Yankees left 11 runners on base, 10 in the first six innings. Many of their left-handed hitters have not been playing because the Yankees faced eight consecutive left-handed starters until the Indians pitched Tom Candiotti Saturday.

Until he walked in the go-ahead run, John had limited the Indians to five hits and an unearned run.

Toronto 4, Texas 2--The Rangers are 0-2 since taking an unwanted day off.

Tied, 2-2, in the bottom of the eighth, Charlie Hough gave up a double to Lloyd Moseby, then hit Kelly Gruber with a pitch. Reliever Drew Hall walked Pat Borders to load the bases.

On a 1-and-0 pitch to Fred McGriff, Hall’s pitch bounced off catcher Jim Sundberg’s glove and the winning run scored. Then, McGriff flied out to give the Blue Jays a two-run lead.

Duane Ward pitched out of a jam in the top of the eighth, then struck out the side in the ninth to win it.

The Blue Jays blew a two-run lead after Rafael Palmeiro’s throwing error with two out in the fifth inning prolonged the inning and Manny Lee hit a two-run double.

Kansas City 7, Boston 3--Mark Gubicza kept working out of jams at Boston, giving up nine singles and three walks in eight innings.

The 40-degree weather affected Boston pitcher Mike Boddicker, who pitched three innings and allowed six hits and six runs.

“I guess the cold weather didn’t set well with him,” Boston Manager Joe Morgan said. “They told me he was dynamite warming up. He had a good first inning, but then ran into trouble. It wasn’t his day.”

Chicago 1, Seattle 0--The comedy of errors continued in this game at Chicago. The Mariners’ third baseman, Jim Presley, set a club record with three errors.

In the third inning Dave Gallagher, whose hitting streak ended at 14 games, reached second base with one out when Presley threw away his grounder. Ron Kittle, batting only .170, singled off Erik Hansen for the game-winning hit.

Eric King (1-3) pitched a three-hitter, the best game he ever pitched and only his second career shutout. Previously, his best effort was a four-hitter.

Baltimore 4, Minnesota 1--At this stage last season, the Orioles were 0-16 and already out of the pennant race.

After Steve Finley came off the disabled list just in time to help win this game at Baltimore, the Orioles are 8-8 and leading the AL East.

Finley, most valuable player in the International League last season, had two hits, scored a run and drove in the winning run.

Finley was out since the opener, when he crashed into a wall.