American League West Roundup : It’s in the Stars: Athletics Have Profitable Day Despite 5-3 Loss to Twins

Fortunately for the Oakland Athletics, Tony La Russa is a better manager than he is a prophet.

Shortly after Randy Bush and Allan Anderson led the Minnesota Twins to a 5-3 victory over the leaders of the West, La Russa made a prediction.

“We know we have to win this thing ourselves,” he said. “I anticipate the Angels winning every game the rest of the way.”

After the Saturday morning game in Minneapolis, the Angels lost a doubleheader to Cleveland and fell 4 1/2 games behind the Athletics. The A’s, with eight games remaining, have a magic number of four.

Bush hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Mike Moore (18-11) to put the Twins ahead. Anderson, not expected to start because of a back problem, worked five innings to improve to 17-10.

He gave up six hits and three runs, including Jose Canseco’s 16th home run of the season in the third inning. It was the first home run off Anderson, who has won eight of his last nine decisions, since July 30.

Canseco, most valuable player in the league last season after hitting 42 home runs and driving in 124 runs, missed the first 88 games because of a broken wrist.

In slightly more than one-third of a season, Canseco has batted 203 times with 53 hits for a .261 average. However, in addition to his 16 home runs, he has scored 38 runs and driven in 51.

“We might have been in real trouble if Jose had not been able to come back,” La Russa said. “He just gets stronger with each game.”

In the battle for the league batting championship, Kirby Puckett of the Twins and Carney Lansford of the A’s both went one for four. Puckett’s average is .340 and Lansford’s .336.

Moore, who gave up nine hits and all five runs in 6 1/3 innings, acknowledged that he was disappointed to miss a chance at his 19th victory.

“I thought I had good stuff,” he said. “I’ve been throwing Bush off-speed stuff and I thought I could pop a fastball past him. He was ready.”

Seattle 8, Kansas City 0--Scott Bankhead pitched a two-hitter at Kansas City and virtually ended the pennant hopes of his former team. It was the 17th time the Royals have been shut out this season.

Bankhead (14-6), traded by the Royals in 1986, held the Royals hitless for the first 4 2/3 innings.

Jeffrey Leonard had three of the 13 Mariner hits.

Texas 6, Chicago 4--Thad Bosley’s pinch single keyed a three-run eighth inning for the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Bosley’s hit scored Rafael Palmeiro with the tiebreaking run.

Jeff Russell pitched the ninth for his 37th save.