American League Roundup : Same Effort, Different Result: Win for Toronto

Jimmy Key doesn’t think the Toronto Blue Jays played any differently in their first game under interim Manager Cito Gaston than they did for Jimy Williams.

“I approach every game the same way,” Key said after the Blue Jays defeated the Cleveland Indians, 5-3, Monday night at Toronto. It was Gaston’s first game in charge of the Blue Jays, who fired Williams earlier in the day. “In my mind we didn’t play well as a team for Williams. Good baseball wins games, not managers.”

Key (4-2) allowed six hits, struck out one and walked one.

George Bell drove in three runs for Toronto with a single in the first and a two-run homer in a four-run fourth. Lloyd Moseby also hit a two-run homer.

Detroit 3, Chicago 2--Lou Whitaker and Chet Lemon homered, and the Tigers caught Daryl Boston of the White Sox trying to steal home for the final out at Detroit.

Frank Tanana (3-4) struck out five and walked one, improving his career record to 23-13 against the White Sox. After Dave Gallagher singled to lead off the ninth for Chicago’s fifth hit, Guillermo Hernandez came on to get his seventh save in as many opportunities.

Hernandez gave up an RBI single to Fred Manrique to make it 3-2, but with runners on first and third, the White Sox tried a double steal. Catcher Matt Nokes threw to second baseman Whitaker, whose return throw nailed Boston.

Chicago’s Bill Long (2-4), gave up only five hits, walking two and striking out three in 7 1/3 innings.

Kansas City 4, Minnesota 3--Willie Wilson hit his first home run of the season as the Royals won their fourth straight, beating the Twins at Minneapolis.

Wilson hit a 414-foot homer to right field off reliever Juan Berenguer (1-1) after Frank White led off the seventh inning with a walk.

Floyd Bannister (4-0) allowed six hits in six innings, including three solo home runs. Rookie reliever Tom Gordon pitched two scoreless innings, then Steve Farr pitched the ninth for his 10th save as the Royals ended the Twins’ five-game winning streak.

Minnesota’s Kent Hrbek broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth with his seventh homer, a 429-foot shot to right-center field. Hrbek suffered a mild dislocation of his left shoulder in the next inning. He left the game and his status is day-to-day.

Oakland 12, Milwaukee 2--Dave Henderson and Walt Weiss drove in three runs apiece, and Dave Stewart became the major league’s first seven-game winner as the Athletics overpowered the Brewers with 17 hits at Oakland.

Stewart (7-1) allowed six hits over seven innings in continuing his mastery of the Brewers. Stewart is 9-0 in nine career starts against Milwaukee. He walked one and struck out four. Eric Plunk and Greg Cadaret provided relief help, working the final two innings.

Henderson hit a two-run homer in the third off Don August (2-5) after a single by Luis Polonia, who earlier singled home the A’s first run. Oakland broke it open with five runs in the fourth on Weiss’ two-run single, a run-scoring single by Henderson and a two-run double by Dave Parker, who had three hits.