BASEBALL ROUNDUP : No Bones About It, Orioles Suspicious After Loss

In the second inning Monday, Cal Ripken Jr. grounded out to shortstop and, upon returning to the Baltimore dugout, remarked that Ricky Bones’ sinker sure was breaking.

Somebody told Manager Phil Regan. He designated coach Chuck Cottier to watch Bones closely, and whenever a foul ball was hit toward the Oriole dugout, it was retrieved as evidence.

Eight balls and 7 1/3 innings later, Bones left under a cloud of suspicion, but with the decision in Milwaukee’s 7-0 victory that spoiled Baltimore’s home opener.

Each ball, Regan said, had an identical mark--same size, same location on the ball, right near the Rawlings insignia on an open-faced side.

“I don’t know how he did it,” Regan acknowledged.

Nonsense, said Bones. “He can say what he wants. I haven’t done it in the past and I didn’t do it today. I guess you have to put the blame somewhere when you lose.”

Part of the blame could be put on Milwaukee’s Kevin Seitzer, who went three for four with a homer and three runs batted in.

The rest was on Bones, about whom the newest Oriole offered perhaps the most damning assessment.

“I’ve seen balls move like that before in the National League,” said center fielder Andy Van Slyke, just over from Pittsburgh. “Mike Scott (of the Houston Astros) was always famous for it.”

Seattle 4, Texas 1--Dan Wilson drove in a career-high three runs at Arlington, Tex., spoiling Ranger Manager Johnny Oates’ return from time spent with his ill wife.

Wilson’s first two RBIs came in the second inning after the first two of Texas’ five errors, and his third RBI followed yet another bad throw in the sixth.

New York 5, Boston 3--Jim Leyritz doubled home Don Mattingly with the tie-breaking run in the eighth inning at New York, where Steve Howe (1-0), the third Yankee pitcher, retired all three batters he faced before giving way to John Wetteland, who got the last two outs for his third save.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

St. Louis 4, Pittsburgh 0--More no-shows (12,406) than shows (9,293) watched the Cardinals’ Ken Hill allow only five hits in seven innings, retire nine in a row and contribute a run-scoring single in the second inning against Paul Wagner (0-2) at St. Louis.

The Pirates are 1-4, have scored a major-league low eight runs and are one for 27 with runners in scoring position, including 0 for 4 Monday.

Colorado 8, San Diego 3--Andres Galarraga, in an early season slump, hit a bloop single in the eighth inning in Denver that broke a three-run tie and led an outburst that ended the Padres’ four-game winning streak.

Galarraga, hitting only .115 and in an 0-for-12 slump as he came to bat, singled to right field off Willie Blair to drive in Walt Weiss. Galarraga had struck out in his first three at-bats.