BASEBALL MISCELLANY

NAMES AND NUMBERS

* Record Pace: The Toronto Blue Jays had drawn 2,139,313 through 46 dates, an average of 46,507, which projects to 3,767,058, a total that would break the Dodgers’ major league record of 3,608,881, set in 1982. The Dodgers would argue that they sold more than 3.8 million tickets that year, but the National League’s announced totals include only turnstile admissions. The American League announces total sales, including no-shows. On the other hand, the Blue Jays would argue that the Dodgers’ 3.6-million turnstile total of ’82 includes complimentary admissions. Toronto, through Thursday, had 23 consecutive sellouts and 80 in 110 dates since the SkyDome opened last summer.

* Expo Express: The Montreal Expos remained within striking distance in the National League East while waiting for the return Thursday of rookie Delino DeShields, who has 23 stolen bases and will have missed 22 games because of a broken finger. The Expos were 9-10 through the first 19 of those games, stealing only 11 bases after stealing 111 in their first 62 games. On the absence of DeShields, Tim Raines said, “We stopped getting the cheap runs where he would walk, steal second, ground ball, ground ball and we’d be up a run.”

* Road Blues: The Houston Astros’ 10-33 road record includes a 4-30 mark since May 5, and an 8-23 mark and a 5.56 earned-run average by the starting pitchers--contrasted with the starters’ 11-13 record and 2.35 ERA at home. Of the 64 home runs the Astros have permitted, 17 have been hit by the New York Mets in only six games at Shea Stadium.

* The Hit (& Miss) Man: The New York Yankees’ Don Mattingly, who averaged .309 in his six previous Junes, batted only .216 in June this year, his worst month since hitting .205 in September of 1983. Mattingly, through Thursday, was batting .253 with no home runs in his last 159 at-bats. “I’m done listening and talking,” he said. “The doorman, the groundskeeper, everyone wants to tell me why I’m not hitting.”

* No Explanation: The six no-hitters of the first half don’t figure, particularly since home runs, through June, increased 21% compared to last season, the per-game run total had increased from 8.3 to 8.7 and the cumulative major league batting average had risen from .255 to .260. “Offense is up and no-hitters are up,” Texas pitching coach Tom House said. “Those are mutually exclusive facts, and all it tells you is that it is illogical.”