AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Stottlemyre One Hit Short of Immortality

The staggering Toronto Blue Jays, in danger of falling out of first place in the American League East, needed a lift in the worst way.

It came from an unexpected source Wednesday night at Chicago.

Todd Stottlemyre, who has struggled this season, pitched a no-hitter for 7 1/3 innings and settled for a one-hitter as Toronto beat the White Sox, 9-0.

Stottlemyre, who had given up eight runs in 10 2/3 innings in his last two starts, had a perfect game through five innings and lost his no-hitter when Dan Pasqua doubled into the gap in right-center field.

A more aggressive approach worked for Stottlemyre.

“I tried to go at them with a first-pitch fastball,” he said. “I tried to stay ahead of the hitters all night, but Pasqua got a high fastball. He got good wood on the ball and hit it in the gap.

“It was fun, but it just counts as another victory.”

Chicago Manager Gene Lamont said it would have been tougher to lose a close game.

“I don’t mind losing a game to a pitcher who has a great performance. Stottlemyre just handled us; he handled the hitters pretty well tonight,” Lamont said.

Dave Winfield drove in three runs for the Blue Jays and hit a home run in the ninth inning for his 1,000th extra base hit.

“It means I’ve been around a long time and shows I haven’t lost the power,” he said.

Pasqua’s hit didn’t quite make up for his play in right field. He had two errors and misjudged a fly to help the Blue Jays’ romp.

After Stottlemyre won 15 games last season, the Blue Jays were expecting big things of the 27-year-old right-hander.

But he went into this game with a 7-9 record and an earned-run average of 5.19.

Toronto Manager Cito Gaston was happy to see a complete game from a starter after getting only one in the previous 43 games. Over the previous 22 games, his starters had posted a 7.85 ERA.

“I was hoping he’d get a no-hitter. He just happened to get behind on Pasqua or he would have had one,” Gaston said after Stottlemyre’s fourth complete game and second shutout of the season.

The only no-hitter this season was pitched by the Dodgers’ Kevin Gross, who beat San Francisco, 2-0, on Aug. 17. The last no-hitter in the American League came exactly one year ago, when Kansas City’s Bret Saberhagen pitched one against Chicago on Aug. 26, 1991.

It may have been the delays while the Blue Jays were scoring three runs in the sixth inning and four runs in the top of the eighth kept Stottlemyre from a masterpiece.

While it was a 1-0 game, Stottlemyre was perfect. He either struck out the hitters or had them hitting grounders for easy outs.

Despite the victory, the Blue Jays, who had lost six of their previous seven games, remained only two games ahead of Baltimore.

Minnesota 1, Detroit 0--John Smiley (14-6), obtained after Jack Morris, an 18-game winner and World Series star, signed with Toronto as a free agent, pitched the Twins out of a slump at Minneapolis.

Brian Harper’s home run with one out in the ninth inning provided the Twins with only their third victory in the last 11 games. It also enabled the Twins to cut Oakland’s lead in the West to six games.

Smiley, a former Pittsburgh star, pitched a six-hitter for his first American League shutout.

Boston 2, Oakland 1--Tom Brunansky was weak from flu and Frank Viola was in a pitching slump.

But the two recovered sufficiently to provide the Red Sox with their second victory in a row over the West Division leaders at Boston.

Viola, who had lost three in a row, held the Athletics to six hits in 10 innings and became the winner when Brunansky singled with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Brunansky, who was so sick he didn’t even go to the park Tuesday, hit his 14th home run for the other Boston run in the fourth inning.

New York 4, Milwaukee 3--Danny Tartabull hit a grand slam in the third inning at New York and the Yankees held on to complete a sweep of the three-game series.

The Brewers scored two unearned runs in the fourth inning, but that was all off Scott Kamieniecki (4-10).

The Brewers cut the lead to a run in the eighth inning on Paul Molitor’s RBI single off Rich Monteleone. But Steve Farr stopped the Brewers, who have lost four in a row, in the ninth for his 21st save.

The Brewers, missing chances to gain on Toronto, fell 4 1/2 games behind in the East.

“I guessed right,” Tartabull said. “It was a fastball up and in.”

Texas 3, Kansas City 1--Juan Samuel stole home in the fifth inning at Arlington, Tex., but that’s the only way the Royals could score against rookie Roger Pavlik.

Pavlik gave up six hits in 7 1/3 innings and Jeff Russell got the last five outs for his 28th save. The Rangers have won three in a row.

Cleveland 6, Seattle 3--Carlos Baerga drove in four runs, two with a tiebreaking double in the 10th inning, to lead the Indians at Seattle.

Kenny Lofton and Mark Whiten began the 10th with singles, moved up on a wild pitch by Russ Swan (3-9) and scored on Baerga’s double down the left-field line. Albert Belle followed with a double off Jeff Nelson to score Baerga.

Eric Plunk (5-2) got the victory by striking Tino Martinez with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth. Steve Olin worked the 10th for his 23rd save.