American League Roundup : Kittle Making the Most of Return to Chicago

There are some players who have managed to have lucrative baseball careers because of the designated hitter rule in the American League.

They are usually guys who hit with power, but leave something to be desired when playing defense.

One example is Ron Kittle, the big, right-handed slugger of the Chicago White Sox. When he began in 1982 as an outfielder, he was a very productive hitter. In his first three full seasons, he hit 91 home runs and drove in 232 runs.

After being hampered by injuries, Kittle was traded to the Yankees in 1986, but was released after a couple of disappointing seasons. He was picked up by Cleveland last season, then was granted free agency after batting .258 with 18 homers. He returned to the White Sox last November as a free agent. Now 31, Kittle said he was ready to help the White Sox again.

“If I get enough at-bats, I’ll hit 30 home runs,” he said. “I know I can do the job they need, but I’ll have to get more than 500 at-bats.”

The way he is going, Kittle is going to get his home runs and his at-bats, and with Kittle leading the way, the White Sox are scoring in bunches.

Kittle had four hits for the first time in his career Sunday at Baltimore, including his seventh home run, and led the sizzling White Sox to an 8-5 victory.

The White Sox had 16 hits, including three homers, for the first time this season. It seemed as if every time they hit a home run, it brought them from behind. Ivan Calderon, Fred Manrique and Kittle all hit two-run homers to wear down the Orioles.

Although they are still in last place in the American League West, the White Sox are on the move. They have won four of their last five games, getting 44 runs in those five games.

Kittle has led the attack. In the five games he is 10 for 18, has hit two home runs, scored six runs and driven in seven. A lifetime .237 hitter, he is currently batting .296 and has driven in 25 runs in just 115 at-bats.

“It isn’t just me,” said Kittle. “Everybody’s going up to the plate aggressive, but waiting for a good pitch,” he said. “You just can’t ask for more than that.

“Something is going right and you just have to credit that man there (pointing to renowned hitting coach Walt Hriniak). He works with everybody after every at-bat, telling them what they did right and what they did wrong.

“I haven’t always believed in some of these batting instructors, but this fellow has done nothing but help me.”

The White Sox were trailing, 5-4, with a man on and one out in the seventh when Kittle came up to bat against reliever Mark Williamson. The count quickly went to 0 and 2, but Kittle hit the next pitch over the fence and the White Sox never looked back.

“I felt decent at the plate all day,” Kittle said. “But I really missed one in the eighth. That Williamson hung a curve and I should have hit it out of sight. Instead, I popped it up. I’m sure glad it wasn’t a key to the game.”

Said Chicago Manager Jeff Torborg: “We are really getting confidence in our hitting. The way they’re hitting, they never feel they’re really behind. I like that.”

Minnesota 13, Toronto 1--Kirby Puckett is still on that two-hit kick and Frank Viola finds it is easy for a pitcher to learn to enjoy.

Puckett, who had four doubles Saturday in a 10-8 win at Minneapolis, had two more to lead a 16-hit attack and tie a major league record held by 12 players with six doubles in two consecutive games. The last player to accomplish the feat was Hank Majeski, a third baseman for the old Philadelphia Athletics, in 1948.

Viola, in winning his second straight after losing his first five decisions, went eight innings and tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts.

“I threw 92 pitches today,” Viola said. “In my first two starts I had that many before the fifth inning.”

The stumbling Blue Jays have lost 13 of their last 18.

Cleveland 8, Detroit 3--People keep telling Cleveland first baseman Pete O’Brien that, being a left-handed batter, he isn’t supposed to be hitting left-handed pitchers so well.

O’Brien hit a two-run homer off Paul Gibson in the first inning to continue his assault on left-handers and hand the Tigers another defeat.

O’Brien has hit three of his home runs this season off left-handers, and has driven in nine of his 15 runs against them. He is hitting .375 against left-handers.

“Against some left-handers, I see the ball sooner and tend to get around on it quicker,” O’Brien said. “If I don’t get too jumpy, I’m all right.”

O’Brien’s hitting is a big reason why the Indians are 11-3 in games left-handers start against them.

Milwaukee 2, Oakland 1--The Athletics’ pitching continues to be brilliant. It makes one wonder what might happen when they get all their offensive stars healthy.

Mike Moore (4-3) went into the ninth at Oakland with a three-hitter, one of the hits being Glenn Braggs’ seventh home run, but lost when Braggs singled home a run to break a 1-1 tie.

The loss cut Oakland’s lead over the Angels and Kansas City in the tight race in the West to a game.

Kansas City 3, Texas 2--Kurt Stillwell singled home Willie Wilson from second base with nobody out in the 10th inning at Kansas City to end a rainy afternoon as the Royals moved within a game of first in the West.

After Bret Saberhagen held the Rangers to five hits in seven innings, Jeff Montgomery won it in relief. Montgomery is 5-1 out of the bullpen. Last season, pitching strictly in relief, he was 7-2.

Cecilio Guante, who walked Willie Wilson to open the 10th, was the loser. Wilson stole second to move into scoring position.

Seattle 4, Boston 3--Jim Presley snapped a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning at Seattle with a run-scoring double.

In the fifth inning, rookie shortstop Omar Vizquel tripled in two runs and came home on a sacrifice fly by Harold Reynolds to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead.

Losing pitcher Mike Boddicker walked the first two Mariners in the sixth, then left because of a pulled back muscle. Mike Smithson came in and got the next two outs, but then Presley delivered.