Baseball Roundup : Tigers Now Trail Yankees by Half-Game

The Detroit Tigers, overshadowed by New York and Toronto earlier this season, have turned the American League East race into a three-team affair.

Monday night at Detroit, Bill Madlock’s eighth-inning single scored Tom Brookens with the tie-breaking run as the Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox, 4-1, and moved within a half-game of the Yankees. Toronto trails New York by one game.

Since the All Star break, the Tigers are 9-2 and have made up 4 1/2 games on the Yankees.

With the score tied, 1-1, Brookens singled to lead off the eighth. Lou Whitaker followed with a single, and Madlock singled to left field to drive in Brookens. After an intentional walk to Kirk Gibson loaded the bases, reliever Bobby Thigpen came in and gave up a two-run single to Alan Trammell.

Frank Tanana (10-7) allowed seven hits, struck out nine and walked one en route to his fourth complete game. The loss went to starter Scott Nielsen (3-4).

Jose DeLeon, who was supposed to start for the White Sox, was involved in a minor auto accident Monday morning on his way to O’Hare Airport in Chicago. DeLeon received treatment for a bruised jaw and sore back at a Chicago hospital and joined the White Sox during the game.

Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Donnie Hill’s fourth home run, but Detroit tied it in the seventh on Matt Nokes’ 22nd homer.

Ivan Calderon’s catch of Trammell’s potential homer prevented Detroit from tying the game in the bottom of the fourth. Calderon leaped onto the wall above the auxiliary scoreboard in left field and caught the ball two feet above the top of the wire fence.

Toronto 10, Boston 8--Rick Leach singled home Willie Upshaw from third to highlight a three-run eighth inning at Toronto as the Blue Jays closed within one game of the idle Yankees.

Jeff Musselman (8-4) worked the eighth inning for the victory, and Tom Henke pitched the ninth to notch his 22nd save and ninth of the month, a club record.

With Toronto trailing, 8-7, with one out in the eighth, George Bell and Fred McGriff singled off reliever Calvin Schiraldi (5-5), to put runners at first and second. Jesse Barfield singled Bell home with the tying run and McGriff advanced to third.

Upshaw ran for McGriff and, after Kelly Gruber struck out, Leach ripped a single off the right-field fence to give the Blue Jays a 9-8 lead. When the Red Sox noticed Leach off first base, Barfield broke for home and scored when catcher Rich Gedman dropped the throw from Schiraldi.

Boston scored three runs in the seventh to take an 8-6 lead. With one out, Gedman and Burks singled off starter Jim Clancy. Gedman barely beat the throw from right fielder Barfield to third baseman Rance Mulliniks, and Mulliniks was ejected for arguing the call. Earlier in the game, Boston Manager John McNamara was ejected for disputing a catch by Barfield.

Texas 5, Milwaukee 4--Mike Stanley doubled in two runs with one out in the bottom of the ninth at Arlington, Tex., to lift the Rangers to victory.

Stanley’s hit came off Milwaukee reliever Dan Plesac (4-4), who was seeking his 21st save. But Plesac walked two batters in the ninth, then gave up Stanley’s double to make a winner of Mitch Williams (6-3).

With Milwaukee leading, 4-3, Pete Incaviglia walked to start the ninth, but he was thrown out at third trying to advance on Larry Parrish’s shallow single to left.

Curtis Wilkerson ran for Parrish, who took second on the throw that nailed Incaviglia. Bob Brower pinch-hit for Oddibe McDowell and walked as Wilkerson stole third. Stanley followed with a double to right center.

The Brewers broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth when B.J. Surhoff, who went 4 for 4 with 2 RBIs, doubled with one out off reliever Jeff Russell. Williams came on in relief, and Surhoff stole third and scored on Jim Gantner’s ground out to shortstop.

Minnesota 4, Seattle 3--Steve Lombardozzi hit a three-run homer to tie the score in the top of the ninth inning, and Gary Gaetti hit a solo homer one out later to lift the Twins to the victory at Seattle.

Seattle starter Mark Langston took a two-hitter and a 3-0 lead into the ninth, then yielded an infield single to Greg Gagne, leading off, and walked Dan Gladden. Lombardozzi followed with his fourth home run, a drive deep over the center-field fence.

Edwin Nunez (3-2) relieved Langston and, after Kirby Puckett hit a fly ball, Gaetti put the Twins ahead with his 20th homer of the season. It was the first run allowed by Nunez in his last 12 appearances.

In eight-plus innings, Langston struck out seven, raising his league-leading total to 166.

Minnesota starter Frank Viola (11-6), who has won nine of his last 10 decisions, allowed six hits and struck out seven in eight innings. Jeff Reardon got the last three outs for his 21st save.