AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Key’s Pitching Helps Blue Jays Put a Lock on Victory Over Tigers

The Toronto Blue Jays have felt all along that the key to winning the American League East is Jimmy Key.

The slender left-hander and three relievers held the heavy-hitting Detroit Tigers in check Tuesday night at Toronto and the Blue Jays won the opener of the series, 2-1.

Key (12-6) gave up just four hits in 5 2/3 innings, rookie David Weathers came in to strike out Rob Deer to end the sixth, then Duane Ward and Tom Henke each pitched a scoreless inning.

For Henke, it was a record. Since they started keeping tabs of such things, Henke became the first pitcher to earn a save in 24 consecutive opportunities. Of course, they just started keeping track of that in 1988. Who knows what Rollie Fingers or Bruce Sutter might have done?

After going six weeks without a victory, Key’s second victory in a row enabled the Blue Jays to pull 5 1/2 games in front.

Deer tagged Key for his 22nd home run, but none of his slugging teammates could lend a hand.

Manager Cito Gaston of the Blue Jays feels the key to this series is to stop Cecil Fielder. Fielder, who hit two home runs in the previous three games, went hitless.

“I’ve said before, good pitching will beat good hitting,” Gaston said. “Tonight we got good pitching out of all four guys we put out there.”

Henke seemed perturbed that he wasn’t getting more recognition for his feat that topped those of John Franco when he was with Cincinnati and of the Reds’ Rob Dibble this season.

“It’s kind of surprising we don’t get more recognition up here, considering the size of this city,” Henke said. “But, I’ll take a win over notoriety any day. Besides, it’s the recognition from your peers that really counts.”

Joe Carter drove in the first Toronto run in the first inning and John Olerud followed with a sacrifice fly.

Chicago 14, New York 5--Apparently no lead is safe against the heavy-hitting White Sox.

The Yankees had five runs at Chicago before the White Sox came to bat.

But, the lead was gone by the fourth inning and the White Sox broke it open with six runs in the eighth.

Carlton Fisk sparked both big innings. He singled in two runs in the five-run fourth to tie the game. In the eighth he hit his eighth home run.

The White Sox, who stayed 3 1/2 games behind Minnesota in the West, hammered 15 hits and reliever Donn Pall (5-1) earned the victory when he retired all seven batters he faced, three on strikes.

Fisk, 43, and Mike Huff each drove in four runs.

Oakland 3, Seattle 0--All of a sudden the Oakland pitching situation is looking better.

First, Ron Darling made an auspicious debut Monday night in another 3-0 victory over the Mariners at Oakland. Then, Mike Moore (10-7) came off the disabled list to pitch a strong 6 1/3 innings and give the A’s had back-to-back shutouts.

Jose Canseco hit his 30th home and Dave Henderson added his 23rd as the A’s remained five games behind Minnesota.

Kansas City 6, Boston 0--The Red Sox seem to be at a disadvantage when they go up against former teammate Mike Boddicker

Boddicker, a leading figure in the surge of the Royals, held the Red Sox to six hits in seven innings at Kansas City to lead the Royals to their eighth victory in the last 11 games.

“I know a few of their weaknesses,” said Boddicker (9-7). “You spend a whole season with guys you know them a little better.”

The Royals built a 5-0 lead in three innings.

Texas 10, Cleveland 8--Rafael Palmeiro, the leading hitter in the majors, had four singles at Arlington, Tex., to lead a 17-hit attack.

The first baseman’s fourth consecutive single put the Rangers ahead, 7-6, in the sixth inning.

Palmeiro, batting leadoff for the first time this season, made an out his fifth at-bat, but still raised his average to .351.

The Indians rallied to tie the game, 7-7, but run-scoring singles by Steve Buechele and Gary Pettis in the seventh put Texas ahead to stay.

Manager Bobby Valentine explained that he decided to put Palmeiro in the top spot “to get him some extra at-bats and get something started. He had a great game and that’s what we wanted from him.”

Palmeiro doesn’t care where they put him in the lineup. “I just do what I’m told,” he said. “I’ll take a night like this. I don’t feel any added pressure leading off.”

Baltimore 13, Milwaukee 5--Mike Devereaux drove in four runs and hot-hitting catcher Chris Hoiles had three doubles in this romp at Baltimore.

The Orioles had 17 hits, seven of them for extra bases. They broke open the game with six runs in the fourth inning.

Hoiles is hitting .360 since the All-Star break.