BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Morgan Finds Security in No. 1, Blanks Giants

The $10-million, four-year contract he signed with the Chicago Cubs last winter meant more than financial security for Mike Morgan.

It meant for the first time in a career that began in 1978 with the Oakland Athletics, the 32-year-old right-hander knew he had a permanent place in the starting rotation.

Even though he was a 14-game winner for the Dodgers last season, Morgan always had the feeling that if he lost three in a row he would be headed for the bullpen.

With the Cubs, he has become their No. 1 pitcher.

Morgan beat the San Francisco Giants on four hits in eight innings in the Cubs’ 5-0 victory at Chicago. It was Morgan’s fifth consecutive victory.

Morgan, who walked seven, singled home a run to cap a three-run fourth inning rally. Ryne Sandberg and Mark Grace hit home runs for the other Cub runs.

Slumping Matt Williams (three for 33) bailed Morgan out of two early jams. He struck out with runners on first and second in the first and flied out with the bases loaded in the third.

“I’m enjoying a different role,” Morgan said. “For the first time in my career I know my position, I know my role.

“It’s out of character for me to walk so many, but what’s really important is that I continue to give them quality starts.”

Morgan, a prep sensation in Las Vegas, was the No. 4 player chosen in the 1978 draft. Oakland chose to put the 18-year-old into the fire in the American League. He lost all three starts. Then, he went to the minors. He came back in the middle of the next season and was 2-10.

Morgan was with five other major league clubs before joining the Dodgers in 1989.

Kansas City 5, Detroit 1--Kevin McReynolds and Wally Joyner hit home runs at Detroit and the Royals ended their five-game losing streak.

Mike Gubicza (5-3), the Royals’ most dependable pitcher, gave up two hits in 6 2/3 innings and struck out eight. One of the hits was Mickey Tettleton’s 10th homer.

Rusty Meacham worked out of a jam in the seventh, and Jeff Montgomery pitched the ninth.

McReynolds hit his seventh homer in the fourth. Joyner hit his fourth with a man on in the fifth.

Gubicza, 5-1 in his last seven starts for the team with the worst record in the majors, pitched a six-hitter May 17.

Texas 4, Chicago White Sox 2--Jack McDowell appeared to be invincible when he won his first seven starts this season for the White Sox.

The former Stanford star had one bad inning at Arlington, Tex., and lost his third in a row.

Five hits, three of them doubles, and a hit batsman in the fourth inning accounted for all the runs and put the Rangers in first place in the West.

Bobby Witt held the White Sox to three hits in eight innings, and the Rangers won their sixth in a row. Witt (5-4) struck out seven.

McDowell went the distance, but he has not pitched well in his last three outings. He has given up 15 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. While winning the first seven, he gave up only 17 earned runs in 55 innings.