American League Roundup : Stieb’s Elbow Has Leading Blue Jays Worried

After pounding out 14 hits Wednesday night at Toronto to rout the Chicago White Sox, 10-0, and sweep the three-game series, the Blue Jays should not have been singing the blues.

It was their eighth win in the last 11 games and enabled them to retain their firm grip on first place in the East, but there was a major worry.

For the second consecutive game, Dave Stieb felt pain in his pitching elbow after seven strong innings. Last Friday night, the hard-throwing right-hander gave up three hits and no runs in seven innings and had to call it quits. The bullpen couldn’t hold his 6-0 lead, and the Blue Jays lost.

This time, the Blue Jays already had their 10 runs, and the lead held up. George Bell drove in three runs and Damaso Garcia two to lead the assault.

Although he again gave up just three hits in seven innings to extend his scoreless string to 14 innings, Stieb’s elbow is cause for concern.

“The way my elbow feels now,” Stieb said, “the only thing I can do is hope that saving two innings each outing will save my arm for later in the season.

“I had a real good fastball tonight. It was moving quite a bit. I’ve got a lot of confidence in it and it doesn’t hurt to throw it. I’ve been getting into trouble falling behind batters with my slider. So (pitching coach) Al (Widmar) told me to use my good fastball.”

Stieb’s record is only 4-3, but twice he has left with big leads and failed to get the win. In his three defeats he has given up only seven runs.

The Blue Jays opened the scoring with three unearned runs in the second inning off Richard Dotson. Third baseman Bryan Little’s wild throw on Bell’s grounder, a double by Ernie Whitt and two singles accounted for the runs.

Toronto scored three more in the third, one on Len Matuszek’s first American League home run.

Milwaukee 6, Cleveland 5--After Tony Bernazard singled in two runs in the fifth inning at Cleveland to give the Indians a 5-2 lead, everything fell apart.

First, Milwaukee Manager George Bamberger protested that Bernazard’s bat was illegal, and Umpire Jim Evans confiscated it. The bat will be examined by league officials in New York.

Next, the Brewers jumped on Bert Blyleven for four runs in the sixth inning. A two-run single by Ted Simmons put the Brewers in front to stay.

And finally, Bob Gibson and Rollie Fingers held the Indians to one hit in the last 5 innings.

Bernazard, a career .250 hitter, has been among the batting leaders this season. He was upset by the protest.

“Bamberger’s wrong,” he said. “I don’t use trick bats. Your hitting improves, so people figure you have illegal help.”

Kansas City 6, Texas 3--Going into the eighth inning at Arlington, Tex., Dickie Noles had retired 11 consecutive batters, and the Rangers had just tied the game at 2-2.

But Lonnie Smith singled, and when he stole second, Noles walked George Brett. New Ranger Manager Bobby Valentine wanted a look at Dave Stewart, so he brought in the former Dodger.

Valentine didn’t like what he saw. Jorge Orta hit a home run, his second of the season, and the Royals were breezing.

Boston 4, Minnesota 3--Roger Clemens held the Twins to three hits and a run in the first seven innings at Minneapolis, and Tony Armas triggered a four-run sixth with his 12th home run.

The Twins knocked Clemens out in the eighth and scored again in the ninth before Bob Stanley finally closed out the game.

In the last two games, the Twins, who had a team batting average of .298, scored only four runs and had 13 hits.

Although he gave up five hits and three walks in five innings, Frank Viola was even with Clemens until Armas hit his second line-drive home run in two games to open the sixth. With two on and two out, Wade Boggs hit a two-run single to break the game open.

“We have crossed the bridge from death to relaxation and won two in a row,” Armas said. The Red Sox had been in a deep slump before going to Minneapolis.

Seattle 4, New York 1--Left-hander Matt Young struck out a career-high 10 and pitched a three-hitter at Seattle to beat the Yankees.

Dave Henderson doubled home two runs in the first inning to give Young all the help he needed.

Young allowed only one hit after the first inning, when the Yankees had a triple by Rickey Henderson to open the game and a double later in the inning by Dave Winfield.

Baltimore 3, Oakland 0--Scott McGregor, who had lost four in a row and missed his previous start because of a mysterious weakness in his left arm, pitched a three-hitter at Oakland.

McGregor had a 7.92 earned-run average going into the game. This was his second victory and first since April 12.

Don Sutton retired 10 Orioles in a row before Fred Lynn lined a two-out single in the fourth. Lynn went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Larry Sheets’ single.

Three straight singles, a walk and Eddie Murray’s sacrifice fly accounted for the last two runs.