American League Roundup : Thornton Again Beats Hernandez With Homer

What a difference a year makes.

Willie Hernandez, the American League’s Cy Young Award winner and Most Valuable Player in 1984, when he failed only once to make good on a save opportunity for the Detroit Tigers, has been victimized twice in just six days by Cleveland’s Andre Thornton.

Thornton hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning Thursday night at Tiger Stadium to lift the Indians to a 7-6 victory.

Last Friday, his homer off Hernandez gave Cleveland a 4-2 win.

“It felt real good,” Thornton said. “You don’t think home run, but you’re pumped up . . . you’re just looking for a good pitch to hit.”

However, the game’s hero didn’t find fault in Hernandez (7-7).

“He cannot be losing too much,” Thornton said. “We’d like to have somebody with 24 saves. If you want to give him to us, we’ll gladly take him.”

Tiger Manager Sparky Anderson also refused to criticize Hernandez.

“I would hope you don’t throw somebody down that’s played as long as he has,” Anderson said of the eight-year major league veteran. “You’re never going to have two years like that. No man could do that.”

The Indians opened the ninth when pinch-hitter Benny Ayala singled, moved to second on a walk and scored on Julio Franco’s single. Thornton then hit a pitch into the upper deck in left field for his 11th home run of the season, giving him five runs batted in for the game.

Curt Wardle (4-4) pitched one inning of hitless relief to pick up the victory. Jerry Reed pitched the ninth for his second save.

Baltimore 9, Texas 1-- Storm Davis, once nicknamed Cy Clone for his resemblance to former Oriole Cy Young Award-winner Jim Palmer, has had a poor season.

But Davis has developed a slider, and since using it, he has won two straight games.

Davis (7-7) pitched the first seven innings at Baltimore, giving up just six hits and striking out seven, before he was relieved by Sammy Stewart, who pitched the last two innings.

Cal Ripken hit a three-run homer and drove in another run with a double.

Ripken, who has 82 RBIs and 80 runs scored, keyed a two-run first inning with a double off Ranger starter Chris Welsh (2-5).

Baltimore chased Welsh with a five-run second inning, in which Ripken hit his 18th homer of the season. Alan Wiggins’ run-scoring double and Ripken’s homer off reliever Dickie Noles highlighted the inning.

Minnesota 14, Seattle 5--Kent Hrbek’s grand slam and Gary Gaetti’s three-run homer paced a 15-hit attack as the Twins won at Minneapolis.

It was the Twins’ highest scoring total of the season.

John Butcher (9-11) gave up 10 hits, struck out 7 and walked 2 in 8 innings. He allowed a two-run home run to Phil Bradley and a solo shot to Ken Phelps in the eighth inning for the Mariners’ first three runs.

The Twins scored five runs in the fifth as Ron Washington doubled home a run and Hrbek hit his third grand slam of the year, tying a club record set by Bob Allison in 1961 and equaled by Rod Carew in 1976.

The Twins, who had 16 hits, sent 12 batters to the plate in an eight-run fourth to chase Seattle starter Matt Young (7-14). Mickey Hatcher, who went 3 for 3, singled home the first two runs of the inning, then Tim Teufel laid down a sacrifice bunt that third baseman Jim Presley threw into right field, allowing two runs to score.

Washington, who had three hits, singled home Teufel to knock out Young, and Gaetti capped the inning with a homer off reliever Bob Long.

Milwaukee 7, Chicago 5--Cecil Cooper hit his fifth career grand slam, this one in the seventh inning, as the Brewers won at Milwaukee.

Teddy Higuera (10-6) got the win, with relief help from Rollie Fingers, who recorded his 15th save by pitching the final 1 innings.

The Brewers loaded the bases against Chicago starter Floyd Bannister (5-10) on singles by Charlie Moore and Ed Romero, and a walk to Robin Yount. One out later, with the score tied, 3-3, Cooper hit a pitch over the center-field wall for his 10th homer of the season.