American League Roundup : Alexander and Tigers Benefit as Balk Brings Pitchers’ Duel to Full Stop

In a career that began with the Dodgers in 1971, Doyle Alexander has played with eight major league teams, some of them more than once.

Finally, at 37, Alexander has found a home with Sparky Anderson and the Detroit Tigers. Since joining them last Aug. 12, Alexander has been the Tigers’ best pitcher. He won nine in a row, pitching Detroit to the Eastern Division title last year.

In his 17th season, he may be as effective as he has ever been.

In a game decided by another controversial balk, Alexander (4-2) pitched an eight-hitter and his third complete game in a 3-1 victory at Milwaukee Wednesday.

It was a 1-1 duel between Alexander and Teddy Higuera until the ninth. Luis Salazar opened the inning with a single and went to third on Alan Trammell’s single. On a 1-0 pitch, plate umpire Dale Scott called a balk on Higuera for not coming to a full stop. It allowed Salazar to score the winning run, and Trammell went to second and made it around on an infield hit and a fly ball.

Naturally, Higuera and Manager Tom Trebelhorn of the Brewers were unhappy to have a balk play a crucial role.

Anderson not only thought it was a good call, he said Higuera got away with a balk earlier.

The finish failed to detract from Alexander’s pitching. This was Alexander’s 20th start for the Tigers. He has had only two poor outings, but even in those he completed six innings.

“Doyle has been tremendous for us,” Anderson said. “I feel sure he can pitch until he’s 42 or 43. He gives a good performance every time out.”

Alexander, who has not always hit it off with his managers, is lavish with his praise of Anderson, especially the way he ran training camp.

“Last year was probably my best season,” Alexander said. “I won 14 games in 27 starts, and if I’d been on a good team early, instead of Atlanta, I think I’d have won more than in any other year.

“I feel even better this year. This was the best spring training--for pitchers.

“I’ve learned to fool the hitters. When they are expecting my 78-m.p.h. fastball, I give them my 81. If I can keep fooling them, I can keep helping this team.”

Boston 4, Oakland 1--Shortly after setting a record for most balks in a season, Dave Stewart threw the game away at Boston.

Stewart committed his 12th balk in the fourth inning to break Steve Carlton’s record.

With two runners on in a 1-1 tie in the seventh, Stewart fielded Todd Benzinger’s bunt and threw the ball down the right-field line, allowing two runs to score. Stewart said that, when he began to make his throw, the ball had been jarred loose when he was bumped by catcher Ron Hassey.

It was the second loss in a row for Stewart after he won his first eight. He walked a career-high nine batters in six-plus innings.

In this balk-crazy season, Stewart broke the record in just 74 innings. In 1979, Carlton had 11 in 251 innings.

Oil Can Boyd (5-2) gave up six hits in eight innings for the win.

Texas 4, Toronto 0--Rookie Ray Hayward threw a six-hitter against Toronto for his first complete game, improving his record to 3-0 and giving the Rangers their 10th win in the last 12 games.

Geno Petralli doubled home two runs in the third inning, and Ruben Sierra and Steve Buechele hit consecutive home runs in the seventh.

Cleveland 2, Chicago 1--Joe Carter doubled home two runs in the eighth inning at Cleveland, and Tom Candiotti (6-1) pitched his sixth complete game.

White Sox pitcher Melido Perez had the Indians down, 1-0, and had yielded only three hits before Julio Franco doubled to open the eighth. With one out, Perez walked Pat Tabler. Carter doubled into the left-center gap, and Perez, who had won three games, got his first loss.

The victory put Cleveland one game out of first in the East.

Kansas City 8, Minnesota 2--Danny Tartabull, Kurt Stillwell and Bo Jackson hit home runs at Minneapolis to lead the Royals to a lopsided victory.

The home runs helped Bret Saberhagen (5-4) get an easy victory. Saberhagen gave up eight hits and pitched his fourth complete game.

Jackson’s home run was his eighth of the season.