AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Reardon Moves to Top of All-Time Save List

John Dopson was on the verge of pitching his first shutout, but Boston Manager Butch Hobson was not going to deny Jeff Reardon a chance to become baseball’s all-time save leader.

Reardon set the record with his 342nd save, combining with Dopson for a six-hitter and a 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees Monday night at Boston.

“They’d have hung me if I didn’t bring him in,” Hobson said. “Dopper knew he did his job. It was set up just right, just right, couldn’t have wrote it any better.”

After Dopson worked eight innings, Reardon pitched the ninth and broke Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers’ record in his 14th year in the majors. St. Louis’ Lee Smith, who is two years younger than Reardon, is third with 329 saves.

Reardon picked up his 15th save in 16 chances this season and is perfect in 11 opportunities at Fenway Park. Since 1984, he has 279 saves in 348 opportunities.

“I really believe it’s a big thing,” Reardon said. “Rollie Fingers was probably one of the best pitchers ever and, I believe, the greatest relief pitcher. It’s nice to be up there with him.”

Reardon got the record-breaker by getting Mel Hall to ground out and Roberto Kelly to fly out before Don Mattingly singled. Kevin Maas struck out to end the game.

“My heart was pumping from the fourth inning on,” Reardon said. “I was really nervous in the bullpen.”

Phil Plantier of the Red Sox homered in the fifth inning.

The save record overshadowed strong performances by starters Dopson (3-2) and Scott Sanderson (4-5). Dopson missed nearly two full seasons with elbow problems before his first start this season on May 17. He said he didn’t mind leaving the game on the verge of his first shutout in 67 career starts after throwing only 93 pitches.

The Yankees had five singles and a double but only one runner, Andy Stankiewicz, reached second base. New York never had more than one runner in an inning.

Sanderson allowed only three hits in eight innings. He retired 11 in a row before Plantier led off the fifth with his fourth homer.

Kansas City 7, Minnesota 0--George Brett, starting at third base for the first time in more than five years, had three hits and drove in a run to lead the Royals at Minneapolis.

Mike Magnante (3-5) allowed four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked two, struck out one and has allowed only three earned runs in his last 26 2/3 innings over four starts. Rusty Meacham and Jeff Montgomery finished.

Brett, a late replacement for the injured Gregg Jefferies, last started at third on May 15, 1987, and had played there only once since. He doubled twice against starter Bill Krueger (6-1), who struck out six in the first four innings.

Brett has 19 hits in his last 53 at-bats over 15 games.

Baltimore 6, Cleveland 5--Randy Milligan broke a tie with a home run in the ninth inning at Cleveland to lead the Orioles.

Milligan led off the ninth with his sixth home run, making a loser of Dennis Cook (1-5).

Storm Davis (3-2) got the victory despite giving up the tying run in the bottom of the eighth. Gregg Olson pitched the ninth for his 18th save in his last 18 opportunities.

Rick Sutcliffe pitched 6 1/3 innings for the Orioles but remained 9-4, becoming the fifth pitcher in the majors this season to fail in a bid for a 10th victory. Sutcliffe gave up four runs and 11 hits and was unable to protect leads of 2-0 and 5-2.

The Orioles scored twice in the first on Mike Devereaux’s ninth home run. Devereaux doubled to start the Orioles’ three-run fifth during which Cal Ripken Jr., Glenn Davis and Joe Orsulak each hit run-scoring singles.

Seattle 4, Chicago 1--Jay Buhner broke a tie with a two-run single during a four-run sixth inning at Seattle.

Rich DeLucia (2-3) gave the Mariners a strong pitching performance despite entering the game with a 10.38 ERA in seven previous appearances. He went 6 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits and walking one before being replaced by Dennis Powell with a 4-1 lead.

Mike Schooler replaced Powell with one out in the eighth, and Russ Swan got the final four outs for his second save.

Oakland 3, Milwaukee 2--Jerry Browne hit a bases-loaded single against Darren Holmes in the 10th inning at Oakland to give the Athletics their sixth consecutive victory.

Dennis Eckersley (2-0), pitching in a rare non-save situation, threw two scoreless innings for the victory.

Fingers-Reardon Comparison

A comparison of career statistics of relief pitchers Rollie Fingers and Jeff Reardon. Reardon passed Fingers as major league baseball’s all-time save leader Monday.

FINGERS REARDON Appearances 907 772 Saves 341 342 20-Save Seasons 10 10 30-Save Seasons 2 6 40-Save Seasons 0 3 All-Star Selections 7 4