AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Brewers Get 21 Hits, Leave Red Sox Red-Faced

Although they lost four out of five games to fall out of first place in the tight race in the American League East, the Boston Red Sox weren’t really discouraged.

A hit here or there would have pulled out several victories. They were encouraged because the pitching was holding up.

The complete collapse came Monday night at Milwaukee.

Robin Yount homered and drove in three runs and the Brewers pounded out a season-high 21 hits to humiliate the Red Sox, 13-0.

The Red Sox, held to six hits by Mark Knudson (8-4), were behind, 5-0, after three innings and it steadily became worse.

Most alarming was the continued slump of Mike Boddicker (11-6). Boddicker gave up nine hits and seven runs in only 3 1/3 innings for his third consecutive defeat.

On July 2, Boddicker outpitched Nolan Ryan to win his 10th in a row. He has been hammered in all four starts since then. Neither he nor the Red Sox can explain his sudden collapse. In his last 20 1/3 innings, Boddicker has been tagged for 36 hits and 20 runs.

Knudson, who was never in danger of losing his second shutout in his last three starts, equaled his career-high in victories he established last season.

“We’re not about to panic,” Manager Joe Morgan of the Red Sox said, “but this has been a tough trip. We have to straighten out before we get home.

“I thought Knudson had great stuff. He has shown much improvement this season.”

Chicago 3, Cleveland 1--The White Sox, after losing four at Baltimore, were only too glad to get back home.

Carlton Fisk hit his 344th home run and Robin Ventura singled in the other two runs as the White Sox beat Tom Candiotti (10-6).

Greg Hibbard (8-5) gave up seven hits in seven innings and Barry Jones and Bobby Thigpen finished up. Thigpen struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to get his major league-leading 32nd save.

“This win was symbolic of our season,” Manager Jeff Torborg said. “We had timely hitting, good defense and pitching. I’ll bet 40 of our 55 wins have been that way.”

Fisk’s home run was his 323rd as a catcher. He is now just four shy of the record set by Johnny Bench. “I don’t think about things like that,” Fisk said.

Baltimore 13, Detroit 3--The Orioles are out to let everybody know they are in the race in the East.

Mike Devereaux hit his first grand slam, plus a two-run triple, to lead the Orioles at Detroit, giving them their fifth win in a row. The six runs batted in were a career high for the former Dodger.

Dave Johnson (9-6) struck out a career-high seven in 6 2/3 innings and the Orioles moved to within four games of first place Toronto.

The Orioles scored all their runs in two innings. Seven in the third to knockout Frank Tanana (5-7), and six in the ninth.

“I guess this is the best night of my career,” Devereaux said.

Texas 3, New York 2--Kevin Brown, the impressive 6-4 right-hander, gave up a leadoff home run to Steve Sax at Arlington, Tex., but only three other hits.

Brown (12-7), served up another home run ball to rookie Kevin Maas, in the seventh inning, but held on for the complete-game victory.

Until Sax homered, Brown had a consecutive scoreless string of 29 innings.

Ruben Sierra, snapping a one-for-17 slump, gave the Rangers the lead with a two-run single in the fifth off loser Chuck Carry (4-6).