American League Roundup : Johnson Stays Hot for Orioles

Everybody keeps waiting for the Baltimore Orioles to fold. They say the club has too many young, inexperienced players. But the Orioles are giving ground grudgingly.

They had to sit around and wait more than two hours because of rain before going out and facing their toughest challenger, the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday night at Baltimore.

Dave Johnson, unfazed by the delay, pitched a five-hitter and the Orioles beat the Brewers, 4-2, pushing Milwaukee back into third place, 2 1/2 games behind. Toronto moved into second place, remaining two games back. It was the Orioles’ second straight win over the Brewers.

It was the third complete game for the 29-year-old Johnson since he came up from Rochester of the International League Aug. 1.

The rain left the field in treacherous condition. Three players left with shoulder injuries after slipping--infielders Billy Spiers and Billy Bates of the Brewers and Billy Ripken of the Orioles.

The Orioles scored in the first after Stan Jefferson, safe on a fielder’s choice, stole second and third, then scored on Joe Orsulak’s sacrifice fly.

Three singles and an error by B.J. Surhoff, a catcher playing third base for the injury-riddled Brewers, enabled the Orioles to score three more in the second.

Chris Bosio pitched well the rest of the way, but his record fell to 14-8.

Johnson faltered only in the fifth. Greg Brock’s single, a walk, Mike Felder’s double and an infield out produced the runs.

“If people think we’re just going to roll over, they are making a big mistake,” said Johnson (3-2).

“We may make mistakes, but we will never stop battling.”

Toronto 3, Detroit 2--Until about three weeks ago, playing the Tigers was fun. It was almost a cinch victory. Not anymore.

The Tigers were unlucky to lose in the 14th at Toronto. With two out, Lloyd Moseby hit a two-hopper back to relief pitcher Paul Gibson. Instead of getting the out that would send the game into the 15th, Gibson threw the ball high, pulling first baseman Gary Ward off the bag while Tony Fernandez came home from third with the winning run.

Rookie Mauro Gozzo, a winner in his first three starts in the majors, pitched two shutout innings of relief to improve to 4-0.

Cleveland 3, Seattle 2--Brad Komminsk hit a home run with two out in the 10th inning at Cleveland, ending the Indians’ four-game losing streak. It was only their second victory in the last 10 games.

Komminsk made amends for an otherwise poor night. He struck out in his three previous at-bats and was guilty of a baserunning error when he singled earlier in the game.

“I put some ugly at-bats together. Maybe this makes up for that a little,” Komminsk said. “We’ve lost a lot of close games lately. We needed a win bad.”

The Mariners’ sixth loss in a row dropped them 10 games below .500 for the first time this season.

The Indians’ Felix Fermin had four sacrifice bunts, the first time the feat has been accomplished in the majors in 70 years. None of the runners he advanced scored.

Boston 4, New York 3--It was the Yankees’ poor luck that pitcher Greg Cadaret hit Wade Boggs in the right elbow with a pitch and he had to be replaced.

Boggs was hitless in three at-bats, but his substitute, Randy Kutcher, hit a home run with two out in the eighth inning at New York to break a 3-3 tie.

Kutcher’s second home run of the season came off John Candelaria, making his first appearance at Yankee Stadium since April 30.

The Yankees fell to 1-4 under new Manager Bucky Dent.

When Kutcher found out he was going in to play third, he was warming up a relief pitcher in the bullpen.

“I took five swings in the on-deck circle and then I was up,” Kutcher said.

Boggs had X-rays taken and there was no break, but he had a severe bruise and may miss several games.

Chicago 10, Minnesota 2--Lance Johnson had two hits, including a two-run single in a six-run third inning at Minneapolis.

Eric King (6-8) held the Twins to five hits in seven innings.

Shane Rawley (5-12) was the victim of the third-inning outburst.