American League Roundup : No-Hit Suspense Ends Immediately, but Ryan Gets One-Hitter

He wasn’t close to his sixth no-hitter, but 42-year-old Nolan Ryan pitched the 11th one-hitter of his career and second this season Saturday night at Seattle.

Ryan’s first one-hitter of 1989, on April 23, was close, however. The hit came with one out in the ninth on a triple by Toronto’s Nelson Liriano.

There was no suspense in this one. Harold Reynolds, the first Mariner batter of the game, singled. Ryan then shut down Seattle as the Texas Rangers scored a 6-1 victory.

Ryan has been flirting with his sixth no-hitter all season. In his second start for the Rangers, on April 12, he pitched a perfect game for six innings, lost his no-hitter in the seventh and gave up one hit before retiring after eight innings.

The all-time strikeout record-holder broke a record he shared with Bob Feller with his 16th low-hit (no-hit or one-hit) game.

He struck out 11 and walked two, improving to 6-3.

Ryan finished with a flourish, retiring the last 22 Mariners.

Oakland 7, Cleveland 0-- By this time a year ago, the Oakland Athletics had established themselves as one of the best teams in baseball.

What Tony La Russa’s club has accomplished at the one-third mark of this season is even more impressive.

Probably the most banged-up club in the majors, the Athletics are still battling for first place.

In 1988, Jose Canseco was well on his way to 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases to establish the 40-40 club.

Because of injuries, he hasn’t even had an at-bat this season. But Canseco merely heads the list of Athletic stars who have been injured. The list includes Mark McGwire, the other half of the powerful home run duo.

Two recent additions to the hospital list are sorely missed. Dennis Eckersley, the top relief pitcher in the league last season, has a shoulder injury. His absence has cost the Athletics a couple of victories already. Friday night, the league’s leading hitter, Carney Lansford (.356), suffered a strained left hamstring and is out indefinitely. And shortstop Walt Weiss recently underwent surgery.

Before every game, La Russa has to search to find enough healthy athletes to field a team. He was able to do so Saturday at Oakland against the Cleveland Indians by putting catcher Terry Steinbach in left field.

He also had one of his better pitchers ready--Bob Welch. Welch (7-4) shut down the Indians on seven hits in eight innings, and the Athletics ended a two-game losing streak. The Indians had won five in a row.

Toronto 10, Boston 2--Boston’s Fenway Park attracts thousands of visitors each year, but none more appreciative of the landmark than the Toronto Blue Jays.

With rookie Junior Felix driving in four more runs on three hits, the Blue Jays breezed behind Dave Stieb (4-3) to their 11th consecutive victory at Fenway Park.

Felix, 21, hit an inside-the-park grand slam Friday night to spark Toronto’s 7-2 victory.

Baltimore 4, Detroit 2--The Orioles keep building on their lead in the East. Jim Traber singled home the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning at Detroit, the Orioles won their sixth in a row and their lead jumped to four games.

Former Dodger Brian Holton was holding a 2-0 lead for the Orioles on Cal Ripken’s two-run home run when rain delayed the game for 21 minutes in the sixth inning. When play resumed the Tigers chased Holton and tied the score.

It was only the Orioles’ second win over Doyle Alexander in the last 11 decisions involving the veteran right-hander.

Minnesota 5-1, Chicago 4-2--The White Sox ended their home losing streak at 11 by winning the second game of the doubleheader.

In the opener, Minnesota left-hander Frank Viola, who has trouble beating most teams these days, staggered to his fourth victory in 11 decisions.

But Carlton Fisk, one day off the disabled list, hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning of the second game to break a 1-1 tie. It was Chicago’s first victory at home since May 7. They had lost 13 out of 14 overall.

Milwaukee 2, New York 0--Bill Krueger came out of the bullpen to pitch five strong innings at Milwaukee in his first start since 1986.

Krueger, who had made 11 relief appearances, gave up four hits and improved his record to 2-0.

Richard Dotson held the Brewers hitless until the fifth when two singles and Jim Gantner’s double accounted for both runs.