American League Roundup : Indians and Fireworks Attract Crowd of 73,303 at Cleveland

It was a potent combination Friday night at Cleveland. The Indians, who are still in the AL East race, combined with a fireworks show at Municipal Stadium. The result was 73,303 fans, the largest crowd for a major league game in more than 13 years. Part of the enticement was the postgame fireworks, but the huge crowd was also a tribute to the Indians.

Phil Niekro pitched an eight-hitter; Andre Thornton and Cory Snyder provided the offense, and the Indians routed Kansas City, 10-3. It was the fifth win in a row for the Indians (41-35) and put them just one game behind New York in the battle for second place in the East. The World Series champion Royals have lost seven in a row.

Niekro (5-6) is the oldest player in the majors, but even at 47, he is still a solid pitcher. This was his third complete game and second in his last three outings.

Thornton went 4 for 4, including a home run, and drove in four runs. The Indians touched Danny Jackson for five runs in three innings, and that was plenty for Niekro.

The crowd enabled the Indians’ attendance for the season to reach 683,323, about 30,000 more than the club drew all last season. It was the biggest major league turnout since opening day in 1973, when the Indians attracted 74,420. This was the third time the Indians had drawn more than 60,000 this season.

“I’m just glad I haven’t had to hang them up yet,” Niekro told United Press International. “Pitching and winning before a crowd like this makes all the sweat worthwhile. You just wish it was possible to shake each fan’s hand as he leaves the park.”

The Royals, who fell six games behind first-place Texas in the West, were again without George Brett, who has a rotator cuff problem in his right shoulder. The Royals decided not to put their star on the disabled list, and they think he may play next Tuesday.

“Jackson got blasted,” Manager Dick Howser said. “I guess the Tribe is paying us back for last year (when the Royals won 10 of 12 games).

“In the seven losses, we’ve allowed 11 runs in the first inning and 23 in the first three innings. Playing catch-up is tough.”

Chicago 2, New York 1--Richard Dotson, who has had a tough struggle trying to come back from shoulder surgery, finally pitched a complete game for the White Sox, but it wasn’t easy.

With the score tied, 1-1, at Chicago, rookie center fielder John Cangelosi ended an 0-for-31 slump with a disputed triple to open the White Sox eighth. A fan jumped onto the field as right fielder Claudell Washington tried to field the ball, and the Yankees argued that it should have been a ground-rule double.

Umpire Mike Reilly ruled the fan didn’t touch the ball.

Cangelosi then scored on Ozzie Guillen’s sacrifice fly.

It was Dotson’s 17th start this season. He had nine starts last season before he hurt his shoulder and didn’t go the distance once.

In winning his third game in a row, Dotson gave up only five hits, one of them Mike Pagliarulo’s 17th home run.

The White Sox are 8-3 under Manager Jim Fregosi.

Boston 6, Seattle 5--It was a scoreless game, there were runners on first and third, and nobody was out in the fourth inning at Boston. Dwight Evans was just hoping for a run-scoring fly.

The flyball kept going until it cleared the Green Monster for Evans’ 10th home run and a 3-0 lead.

The Red Sox, in building their lead in the East to eight games, presented rookie right-hander Jeff Sellers with a 6-0 lead.

But after holding the Mariners to four hits while making 123 pitches through seven innings, he ran out of gas. Danny Tartabull chased Sellers with a three-run home run in the eighth, and the Mariners made it close by scoring twice off Joe Sambito in the ninth.

Baltimore 12, Minnesota 7--Fred Lynn is trying to lift the Orioles out of a deep slump all by himself. In this game at Minneapolis, Lynn drove in five runs with two home runs, a double and a bases-loaded walk.

The Orioles are 2-2 in their last four games, and Lynn’s slugging has been responsible for both wins.

“He’s a tremendous ballplayer,” Oriole Manager Earl Weaver said. “But the guy can’t do it alone.”

Texas 2, Detroit 1--Greg Harris is providing the Rangers with great relief. He gave 42,485 fans at Arlington, Tex., something to cheer about when he pitched two perfect innings for his 15th save.

Harris came on in the eighth with two on and nobody out. He got Lance Parrish to line into a double play and struck out Darrell Evans.

Larry Parrish hit his 13th homer to trigger a two-run Ranger rally in the fourth that gave Jose Guzman his eighth win.

Milwaukee 5, Oakland 4--The A’s jumped in front, 3-0, at Milwaukee but couldn’t hold on and lost for the 15th time in their last 16 road games.

Ernest Riles hit a check-swing single in the eighth inning to drive in Robin Yount from second base with the Brewers’ winning run. It was the ninth time Riles had gotten the game-winning hit.

Dusty Baker hit a two-run home run for the A’s, who have lost six in a row. It was his third home run, and all of them have been hit at Milwaukee.