AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Anderson Manages to Get His 2,000th

It was Sparky Anderson’s kind of game.

Anderson got his 2,000th victory Thursday at Detroit. And he did it the way he loves best. Right to the end, he was pushing all the right buttons, moving players like pieces on a chessboard.

Chad Kreuter’s pinch-hit double in the ninth inning drove in Skeeter Barnes, and the Detroit Tigers defeated the Oakland Athletics and Dennis Eckersley, 3-2.

David Haas (1-0), the third Tiger pitcher, gave up one hit over the final 1 2/3 innings to get the victory.

The only names ahead of Anderson’s on the list of baseball’s winningest managers are Leo Durocher, Walter Alston, Joe McCarthy, Bucky Harris, John McGraw and Connie Mack.

“When I started, I never believed I’d win 2,000 games,” Anderson said. “The first one is the only one I really remember.”

Anderson, who won his first game April 6, 1970, when Cincinnati defeated Montreal, should soon pass Durocher, who is sixth on the list with 2,010 victories.

The Tigers trailed, 2-1, and were facing Eckersley (0-1) to open the bottom of the ninth.

Rob Deer singled to start the rally, and that’s where Anderson took over. He sent in Gary Thurman to run for Deer.

On a pitchout, Thurman stole second as A’s catcher Terry Steinbach threw the ball poorly in front of the base.

Scott Livingstone singled Thurman home to tie the score and Barnes ran for him. Kreuter, pinch-hitting for Milt Cuyler, lined a 1-2 pitch up the alley in left-center, scoring Barnes.

Anderson said he will remember Thursday’s victory because it came against A’s Manager Tony La Russa, a man he respects as much as any in baseball. And the feeling is mutual.

“You saw the best manager in baseball,” La Russa said. “He made the moves, switching people around and getting people where he wanted them. It was fitting that this was his 2,000th win. He was so heavily involved.”

2,000 Wins

Sparky Anderson of the Detroit Tigers became the seventh major league manager to record 2,000 victories. A look at the all-time leaders: Manager: Victories Connie Mack: 3,776 John McGraw: 2,840 Bucky Harris: 2,159 Joe McCarthy: 2,126 Walter Alston: 2,040 Leo Durocher: 2,010 Sparky Anderson: 2,000 *

Kansas City 5, New York 4--Brian McRae, who saved at least two runs with a superb defensive play, had a run-scoring infield hit to cap a five-run ninth inning that lifted the Royals at New York.

Kansas City trailed, 4-0, after eight and had only three hits off Yankee starter Jimmy Key, but the Royals attacked Steve Howe and Steve Farr for five runs on seven hits and a walk in the ninth, to make a winner of Frank DiPino (1-0).

McRae saved the Royals in the Yankees’ eighth when he made a diving catch of Pat Kelly’s long drive to center with two out and the bases loaded.

*

Toronto 3, Seattle 1--Joe Carter drove in three runs for the Blue Jays at Toronto with a solo homer and a two-run single.

Carter, who leads the major leagues with 12 runs batted in, led off the fourth against John Cummings (0-2) with his third home run. Todd Stottlemyre (2-0) gave up five hits over eight innings and Duane Ward finished for his fifth save.