American League Roundup : Puckett Delivers Key Hits for Twins

On a night when the six American League games produced a total of 80 runs--an average of more than 13 per game--how could Kirby Puckett miss?

Puckett, who was hitless in his first 15 at-bats of the four-game series between Kansas City and Minnesota, drove in four runs with four hits to help the Twins beat the Royals, 11-8, at Kansas City.

The victory overshadowed a five-RBI performance by George Brett and snapped a three-game Twin losing streak.

The game produced a total of 33 hits, including 17 by Minnesota.

Puckett singled in both the third and fourth innings before delivering a three-run triple to cap a four-run seventh that rallied the Twins from an 8-5 deficit.

Frank Eufemia (1-0), the fourth Minnesota pitcher, gained his first major league victory. Len Whitehouse got the final six outs for his first save. Joe Beckwith, who served up Puckett’s triple, fell to 1-4.

Brett knocked in his five runs with three singles, but it was not enough to give the Royals a four-game sweep of the Twins.

Toronto 6, Boston 5--After being swept in a four-game weekend series at Boston, the Blue Jays were not about to let anything--including a 5-1 fifth-inning deficit--keep them from gaining a victory over the Red Sox at Toronto.

Trailing by four runs, the Blue Jays stormed back with a two-run fifth inning and a three-run seventh, and the bullpen contributed 2 shutout innings.

“When you get swept by a club, you never forget it,” said Damaso Garcia, who drove in four runs with three hits, including a two-run seventh-inning triple. “When you get swept, you don’t want to get beaten again the next time out.”

Bill Caudill worked the final two-thirds of an inning to earn his 11th save, tying Dale Murray’s club record for most in a season. It was No. 100 in Caudill’s career.

Jim Acker (4-1) worked two-thirds of an inning to earn the victory. Acker relieved Doyle Alexander with one out in the seventh and runners on first and second, and got Jim Rice to ground into his 23rd double play of the season.

Seattle 11, Texas 3--Al Cowens cracked a three-run homer, and drove in four runs and Jim Presley added his 15th home run to lead a club-record 20-hit attack as the Mariners overwhelmed the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Starter Matt Young (6-8) pitched five innings to earn the victory, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out four. Karl Best went three innings to pick up his fourth save.

Burt Hooton (3-2) took the loss.

Detroit 10, New York 9--Mike Armstrong uncorked a wild pitch while facing Lance Parrish in the 10th inning, allowing Lou Whitaker to score from third with the winning run as the Tigers beat the Yankees at Detroit.

Dave Righetti (4-6) took the loss as the Yankees had a four-game winning streak snapped. He was the fifth of six Yankee pitchers. Doug Bair (2-0) worked the last inning for Detroit to get the win.

With the score tied, 9-9, Whitaker worked Righetti for a walk on five pitches, and Alan Trammell walked on four. Kirk Gibson hit a fielder’s-choice grounder to force Trammell and send Whitaker to third.

Then, Armstrong, who had pitched only 2 innings this season, came on and uncorked a wild pitch on a one-ball count to Parrish.

Oakland 12, Chicago 1--Rookie left-hander Tim Birtsas, backed by home runs from Bruce Bochte, Alfredo Griffin and Carney Lansford, pitched the A’s to a lopsided victory over the White Sox at Chicago.

Birtsas (4-1) allowed just four hits in eight innings, striking out four and walking six before Steve Ontiveros came on to pitch the ninth.

Bochte belted his second homer with a man on in the seventh, Griffin hit his second with two on in the eighth, and Lansford followed with his ninth. All three homers came off reliever Bob Fallon and were part of a 16-hit Oakland attack as all A’s starters hit safely.

Chicago starter Tom Seaver (7-5) was touched for 12 hits before leaving in the seventh inning.