clarinews@clarinet.com (ERIK K. LIEF, UPI Sports Writer) (09/20/89)
Extra-inning victories have come in bunches for Toronto recently,
to such an extent it even shocks the Blue Jays themselves.
The Blue Jays won their fifth extra-inning game in their last 10
outings Tuesday night when Nelson Liriano drilled a two-run,
bases-loaded double with two out in the bottom of the 13th, rallying
Toronto to a 6-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
Liriano's game-winning hit came on a 0-2 pitch from Greg Harris,
2-2, who took over from Dennis Boyd to start the 10th. It was a high
curve on the outside part of the plate that the left-handed hitting
Liriano turned on and pulled over the head of right-fielder Danny Heep.
Liriano's ability to pull the ball shocked teammate George Bell.
``If that had been me at the plate I might have been able to get a
hit,'' said Bell, whose two-out single in the 10th sparked a one-run
rally that evened the score at 4-4.
``But there's no way I could have pulled the ball the way he did.
He just smoked the ball.''
For the Blue Jays, who trailed by a run after the top of the 10th
and again after the top of the 13th, the win preserved a two-game lead
over the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.
``I said to myself that I just had to try and touch the ball,''
said Liriano, who had a single to show for his first five at-bats in the
game. ``I knew I only had one chance left, I had to stay alert and be
ready to go on anything.''
It was a dramatic ending to a game which the Blue Jays nearly
handed to the Red Sox in the 10th inning when reliever Duane Ward
uncorked a bases-loaded wild pitch to force in a go-ahead run. Toronto
also failed to advance runners in a number of clutch situations.
``This is the time of year when you have to win those kind of
ballgames if you expect to win the division,'' said Toronto Manager Cito
Gaston.
Boston Manager Joe Morgan was incensed after the defeat.
``How could they possibly win that game as inept as they were?,''
asked Morgan, who kicked over a garbage can when Liriano's drive hit the
fence.
``These guys are supposed to win (the division)? Can you see any
way they should have won that ball game? There's no way they should
have.''
Morgan suggested that the win should be credited to the umpiring
crew, which gave close calls to the Blue Jays in a two-run fourth and
two-run 13th.
``We were screwed left and right tonight,'' he said. ``They blew
two calls, they were afraid to call anybody out.''
Tom Henke, who allowed a run in the top of the 13th, improved to
7-3.
In the top of the 13th, Jeff Stone reached on an infield single off
Henke and advanced to third on a bloop single by John Marzano. Boggs
followed with a one-out flyout to deep left field and Stone scored
without a play.
Elsewhere in the American League, Oakland dropped Cleveland 5-1,
Baltimore drubbed Detroit 6-2, California trimmed Minnesota 7-3, Kansas
City clipped Chicago 5-3 and Texas sank Seattle 5-3. Milwaukee at New
York was postponed by rain.
In the NL, it was: New York 5, Chicago 2; St. Louis 5, Montreal 0;
Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 2; San Diego 5, Cincinnati 0; Atlanta 3,
Houston 0; and San Francisco 3, Los Angeles 2.
_A_t_h_l_e_t_i_c_s_ _5_,_ _I_n_d_i_a_n_s_ _1
At Cleveland, Mike Moore allowed two hits over eight innings to
earn his career-high 18th victory, handing Cleveland its fifth straight
loss. Moore, 18-10, who walked one and struck out five, did not allow an
earned run. Gene Nelson pitched the ninth. Rod Nichols fell to 4-5.
_O_r_i_o_l_e_s_ _6_,_ _T_i_g_e_r_s_ _2
At Detroit, Tim Hulett and Jamie Quirk drove in two runs apiece to
lead Baltimore. Bob Milacki, 12-12, pitched 5 2-3 innings and Mark
Williamson pitched 3 1-3 perfect innings for his ninth save. Jack
Morris, 7-11, lasted only 5 2-3 innings.
_A_n_g_e_l_s_ _7_,_ _T_w_i_n_s_ _3
At Minneapolis, Chuck Finley, 16-8, allowed two earned runs and
three hits in six innings and Claudell Washington belted a home run to
lead California to its third straight win. Bryan Harvey notched his 24th
save. Kevin Tapani, 2-1, allowed five runs and 10 hits in 3 2-3 innings.
_R_o_y_a_l_s_ _5_,_ _W_h_i_t_e_ _S_o_x_ _3
At Kansas City, Mo., Danny Tartabull and Willie Wilson each knocked
in two runs in the second inning for the Royals. Larry McWilliams, 2-0,
scattered six hits over seven innings and Steve Farr picked up his 18th
save. Rich Dotson, 4-11, allowed four unearned runs in the second
inning.
_R_a_n_g_e_r_s_ _5_,_ _M_a_r_i_n_e_r_s_ _3
At Arlington, Texas, Ruben Sierra singled, tripled and homered to
lead Texas. Brad Arnsberg, 2-0, threw 5 2-3 innings of scoreless relief
and Jeff Russell recorded his 35th save. Jerry Reed, 6-7, gave up a
go-ahead homer by Pete Incaviglia in the sixth.clarinews@clarinet.com (JOE ILLUZZI, UPI Sports Writer) (09/21/89)
The X-rays taken Thursday on George Bell and Mark Gubicza could
help determine the outcome of the two American League races.
Bell, Toronto's RBI leader, and Gubicza, Kansas City's No. 2
pitcher, both left their respective games Wednesday night because of
injuries while the Blue Jays and the Royals were going down to costly
defeats.
Bell injured his right elbow making a throw from the outfield as
Toronto lost to Boston 10-3 and had its lead over Baltimore in the AL
East cut to one game. Gubicza, who had won his previous five decisions,
left in the second inning with a posterior muscle strain of his right
shoulder.
The White Sox went on to post a six-run second to beat the Royals
7-2 and drop Kansas City 4 1-2 games behind Oakland and two behind
Calfifornia in the AL West.
The Blue Jays are off Thursday and embark on a six-game road trip
that will take them to Milwaukee and Detroit. Bell refused to confirm he
would be available to hit.
``Hurt is hurt, man,'' he said. But he quickly added, ``If I get up
tomorrow and feel like playing a game of golf, I'll go play golf. You
guys worry too much. You guys worry more than I worry.''
Gubicza, 15-11, leads the AL in innings pitched and he has been
carrying the Royals over the last month. The right-hander recently
signed a three-year contract worth $7.4 million. If he becomes
unavailable, the Royals' chances of winning the AL West will be slim.
``Gubicza will have X-rays taken and then we'll know more about
it,'' Royals Manager John Wathan said. ``You could tell something was
bothering him. I think it even goes back to his start in Baltimore (last
Saturday) by the way he threw there.
``It keeps piling up all year. I don't know what else can happen.
We've had a long list of injuries.''
In other games, Baltimore pounded Detroit 9-2, Oakland outslugged
Cleveland 8-6, California crushed Minnesota 9-1 and Texas shaded Seattle
3-2. The double-header between Milwaukee and New York was rained out.
In the National League, it was: Philadelphia 9, Chicago 8;
Pittsburgh 9, Montreal 1; San Diego 3, Cincinnati 1 in 10 innings;
Houston 7, Atlanta 6 in 14 innings; St. Louis 5, New York 3; and San
Francisco 8, Los Angeles 7.
_B_o_s_t_o_n_ _1_0_,_ _T_o_r_o_n_t_o_ _3
At Toronto, Dwight Evans homered and drove in three runs and Wade
Boggs and Jody Reed each contributed two RBI as the Blue Jays fell for
the fifth time in nine games. Roger Clemens 16-10, worked eight innings
for the victory. The Red Sox shelled Jimmy Key, 12-14, for six runs and
10 hits in three innings.
_W_h_i_t_e_ _S_o_x_ _7_,_ _R_o_y_a_l_s_ _2
At Kansas City, Mo., Melido Perez pitched six-hitter to foil the
Royals. Perez, 11-13, struck out nine and walked two. After Gubicza
issued a bases-loaded walk in the second, he was removed and reliever
Steve Crawford yielded two-run singles to Ozzie Guillen and Ivan
Calderon.
_O_r_i_o_l_e_s_ _9_,_ _T_i_g_e_r_s_ _2
At Baltimore, Mickey Tettleton drove in four runs and Jeff Ballard
combined with two relievers on a six-hitter. Ballard, 18-7, scattered
five hits over seven innings. Frank Tanana, 9-14, was battered for four
runs and 10 hits in 3 1-3 innings. Tettleton had an RBI single, smashed
his 25th home run and added a two-run single.
_A_'_s_ _8_,_ _I_n_d_i_a_n_s_ _6
At Cleveland, Tony Phillips hit a bases-loaded triple to highlight
a five-run sixth that propelled Oakland to its third straight victory.
The A's swept the series with the Indians after losing all three games
in Boston last weekend. Storm Davis, 18-7, was the winner and Dennis
Eckerlsey notched his 30th save. Greg Swindell, 13-6, has not won since
July 20.
_A_n_g_e_l_s_ _9_,_ _T_w_i_n_s_ _1
At Minneapolis, Tony Armas had three hits and two RBI to help
California keep pace in the AL West with its fourth straight victory.
Jim Abbott, 12-11, notched his fourth complete game and first victory
since Aug. 30. Mark Guthrie, 2-2, was the loser.
_R_a_n_g_e_r_s_ _3_,_ _M_a_r_i_n_e_r_s_ _2
At Arlington, Texas, Ruben Sierra delivered the go-ahead run with a
sacrifice fly in the seventh inning for his league-leading 113th RBI.
Texas won its fourth straight, something the Rangers had not done for
two months.clarinews@clarinet.com (STEPHEN C. RUTKOWSKI, UPI Sports Writer) (09/22/89)
The Thursday night performances of the Oakland Athletics and
California Angels may have decided the American League West winner.
The first-place A's received all the necessary ingredients such as
good pitching, timely hitting and superb defense to nip the Minnesota
Twins 2-1. The second-place California Angels went 17 innings with the
Cleveland Indians in an effort to keep pace with Oakland, but finally
fell 5-4.
The A's victory increased their lead in the division to 3 1-2 games
over California and pushed the Kansas City Royals five games back. The
Angels have only nine games remaining to try to catch the A's, who have
10 games left.
``That's as good as the A's can play,'' said Oakland Manager Tony
LaRussa after Bob Welch and two relievers combined on a six-hitter and
Mark McGwire homered and scored both runs.
Oakland, which has won four straight, is looking for a return trip
to the World Series where they lost last year to the Los Angeles Dodgers
in five games. California is looking for its first division title since
1986.
Welch, 17-8, became the fourth member of Oakland's staff to win 17
or more games -- Mike Moore (18-10), Storm Davis (18-7) and Dave Stewart
(19-9) are the others. Relief ace Dennis Eckersley pitched the ninth for
his 31st save.
``Talking to players on the other clubs, they don't like to face
this pitching staff,'' McGwire said. ``It makes you feel good to be on
this team.''
Though Jose Canseco has not supplied the punch like last year,
McGwire has. The first baseman blasted his 29th home run of the year in
the fifth to give the A's a 2-0 lead. The homer, the first ever at the
Metrodome, was measured at 450 feet.
``The Metrodome hasn't been the greatest of places,'' said McGwire,
who credited an improved lighting system this year. ``When I came in
here the first time I saw a little difference. Confidence is with you
knowing you're seeing the ball a little bit better.''
At Cleveland, Brook Jacoby's sacrifice fly in the 17th inning
scored Tommy Hinzo to end the longest game in the AL this season.
The 5-hour, 26-minute marathon snapped California's five-game
winning streak and ended Cleveland's six-game losing streak. The victory
by the Indians was only their third in 18 extra-inning games this
season.
Pete O'Brien led off the 17th with a triple to right off loser Rich
Monteleone, 2-2, the sixth California pitcher. Hinzo ran for O'Brien and
Jacoby, batting with the infield and outfield drawn in, hit a sacrifice
fly to right.
Despite the costly loss, the Angels are not ready to concede the
division.
``We had our chances,'' California first baseman Wally Joyner said.
``We just couldn't get that extra hit. We're not going to fold up shop.
We're not out of it, we're not going to be out of it.''
The Angels got the leadoff batter to second in the extra frames
three times, but could not get him home.
California had rallied for three runs in the ninth to tie the score
4-4.
Elsewhere in the American League, Milwaukee beat New York 14-1 in
the first game of a double-header and New York took the second game 5-4
in 10 innings and Seattle downed Texas 8-3.
In the NL, it was: San Diego 11, Cincinnati 7; Chicago 9,
Philadelphia 1;Atlanta 3, Houston 0; Montreal 6, Pittsburgh 5; New York
6, St. Louis 1 and San Francisco 4, Los Angeles 3.
_B_r_e_w_e_r_s_ _1_4_-_4_,_ _Y_a_n_k_e_e_s_ _1_-_5
At New York, Don Mattingly clubbed a two-run homer with none out in
the 10th inning to rally New York in the nightcap. Rob Deer had given
the Brewers a 4-3 lead with a homer in the top of the inning.
In the opener, Joey Meyer knocked in four runs and Charlie O'Brien
had three RBI to power Milwaukee to the rout. The game included a
sixth-inning brawl that resulted in the ejection of Brewers starter and
winner Mark Knudson, along with Yankee DH Luis Polonia and outfielder
Mel Hall.
Milwaukee could have moved to within 5 1-2 games of AL East-leading
Toronto with a sweep.
_M_a_r_i_n_e_r_s_ _8_,_ _R_a_n_g_e_r_s_ _3
At Arlington, Texas, Scott Bradley's bases-loaded single
highlighted a five-run Seattle fourth. The decision broke a four-game
Texas winning streak, its longest in two months. Seattle did not have a
hit off starter Jamie Moyer through three innings, then drove Moyer,
4-8, from the mound by putting seven runners on in the fourth. Rookie
Randy Johnson, 7-8, was the winner.