American League Roundup : While Sparky’s Away, His Tigers Show They Can Play

The Detroit Tigers were off to such a terrible start this season that Manager Sparky Anderson had to go home to Thousand Oaks to rest.

It was just five years ago that Anderson’s team opened by winning an unprecedented 31 of the first 35 games, breezed to the pennant and won the World Series.

But before Anderson’s abrupt departure last week, the Tigers had won only 12 of 35, the club’s worst start.

Fortunately, for the Tigers, they are playing in the American League East, where no team appears capable of playing .500 ball.

A short winning streak under acting Manager Dick Tracewski and, all of a sudden, things don’t look so bad for the Tigers.

Mike Trujillo, a journeyman right-hander given a chance because of injuries, pitched a six-hitter Tuesday night at Detroit as the Tigers beat Cleveland, 7-2.

Trujillo, 29, who has pitched for several teams, hurled only the third complete game of his career. He beat the division leader, moving the last-place Tigers to within 3 1/2 games of first place. Under Tracewski, they have won four of their last five.

The Tigers chased Greg Swindell, who had won his first four decisions, with a five-run third inning, after Gary Ward homered in the second.

Trujillo, signed by the Tigers’ Toledo club after Seattle dumped him in 1987, made his first start this season May 16 and gave up four runs in four innings. This time, though, Trujillo had a shutout until Joe Carter doubled in a run in the seventh.

The Indians remained in first place, but with an unflattering note. Their 21-22 mark makes them the first team this late in the season to lead a division with a record below .500.

Boston 6, Seattle 5--Red Sox Manager Joe Morgan had hardly finished pointing out how tough his team’s luck was on a recent trip, when the Mariners jumped in front, 4-0, at Boston.

The Red Sox, who were 3-6 on the road and just missed winning three of the games they lost, are a different club at home.

They battled back to catch up and won it with two out in the ninth. Ellis Burks doubled with two out and Dwight Evans singled him home to end it.

Lee Smith (2-1) became the winner when he retired the last Mariner in the top of the ninth.

Jeffrey Leonard’s three-run homer, his ninth of the season, sent the Mariners in front.

Toronto 2, Minnesota 1--The pitchers had charge of this game at Toronto until Twins’ right fielder John Moses turned Kelly Gruber’s fly ball into a three-base error.

This happened with one out in the bottom of the ninth in a 1-1 game. George Bell followed with a sacrifice fly that let the Blue Jays win the kind of game they have been losing of late.

Alex Sanchez, a 1986 All-American at UCLA, made his major league debut as the starter for the Blue Jays. He gave up five hits and walked five, but yielded only one run in six innings.

Texas 10, Kansas City 8--Nolan Ryan didn’t even have to pitch well to continue his mastery over the Royals, which dates back to his Angel days.

The Rangers built a 10-0 lead in four innings at Arlington, Tex., for the 42-year-old right-hander. Ryan, 22-11 against the Royals, gave up five runs in the fifth inning, but lasted through one more to improve his record to 5-2.

He threw 110 pitches in 89-degree heat.

One of the pitches was a three-run home run in the fifth by Bo Jackson. Until he finally connected with a Ryan pitch, Jackson had been struck out six times in a row by Ryan.

Milwaukee 9, Oakland 1--The Brewers didn’t treat the A’s Bob Welch as befits a six-game winner.

Jim Gantner doubled to cap a three-run fifth inning in the game at Milwaukee, enabling Chris Bosio to improve his record to 6-3, same as Welch.

In the seventh, the Brewers broke it open, when Rob Deer hit his league-leading 11th home run to ignite a five-run rally.

Although he gave up 10 hits, Bosio made it through seven innings, giving up only one run.

Baltimore 9, Chicago 3--The Orioles turned loose a home run barrage at Chicago to make it easy for Bob Milacki to win for the second time in six decisions.

Former Dodger Mike Devereaux hit a two-run home run, while Mickey Tettleton, Billy Ripken and Larry Sheets also homered.

Milacki gave up eight hits in 7 1/3 innings.

It was the second time this season the Orioles hit four homers in a game.