American League Roundup : Stewart Improves to 14-7 as A’s Move Within Two Games of West Lead

Dave Stewart, in a career that began with the Dodgers almost a decade ago, has been known as a pitcher who didn’t live up to his potential and as a person who couldn’t avoid problems.

Until this season, the 30-year-old right-hander might be best remembered for an off-the-field incident involving a transvestite prostitute and for punching former Cleveland Indians Manager Pat Corrales.

Lately, though, Stewart has been in the limelight for his pitching, which has helped keep the Oakland Athletics in contention in the American League West.

Stewart struck out 14 Minnesota batters Saturday at Oakland and became a 3-2 winner when Carney Lansford opened the the ninth inning with his 11th home run.

Stewart’s seventh consecutive victory improved his record to 14-7 and put the Athletics just two games behind the division-leading Twins. It was the first time he has beaten the Twins.

It was a duel between two of the league’s sharpest pitchers. Frank Viola (11-7) had won five in a row and was working on a four-hitter when Lansford hit his home run.

Stewart had to come back home to Oakland, where he was a prep star, to finally reach his potential.

Although he joined the Dodger organization in 1975 out of high school, it was in 1981 that he was given his first real chance in the majors. The Dodgers, because of his blazing fastball, stayed with him until late in the 1983 season.

He was traded to Texas for Rick Honeycutt. It was with the Rangers that the altercation with Corrales and the incident with the prostitute occurred.

It appeared that Stewart was finished when the Philadelphia Phillies, desperate for pitching help, gave up on him early last season.

The Athletics signed him to a Triple-A contract and finally brought him up in June 1986. The patience of pitching coach Dave Duncan paid off. Stewart was 9-5 last season and has blossomed into one of the best pitchers in the majors this season.

“The A’s have stuck with me,” Stewart said. “They are the first club to value my opinion. Dave (Duncan) has given me the confidence to use my forkball.”

Stewart hasn’t lost since June 17. He has pitched at least six innings in his last nine starts and has not given up more than three runs in any of them.

Detroit 10, New York 5--Lou Whitaker, an ideal leadoff batter, had four hits and scored four runs at New York as the Tigers again moved within two games of first place in the East.

Three of Whitaker’s runs were scored after he reached base as the first batter in an inning. He made it easy for Frank Tanana to improve his record to 11-7. Tanana gave up 6 hits and 3 runs in 8 innings.

The game was enlivened in the seventh inning when Charles Hudson, after giving up home runs to Darrell Evans and Chet Lemon, threw a pitch behind the next batter, Mike Heath, and was ejected by umpire Ken Kaiser.

Although Yankee Manager Lou Piniella protested the ejection, Kaiser said: “He intentionally threw at the batter. We’re trying to prevent a riot.”

These are frustrating days for Hudson, who opened the season with six consecutive wins in five weeks, including four complete games. Hudson went from ace of the Yankee staff to the minors and now is used only in a mop-up role.

The loser was Dennis Rasmussen, brought up from Triple-A Columbus before the game, after the Yankees put injured center fielder Rickey Henderson (hamstring) on the disabled list.

Cleveland 3, Toronto 0--Scott Bailes, after working out of jams in each of the first five innings at Toronto, missed a complete-game shutout by one out.

With two out in the ninth and a man on second base, Bailes walked Jesse Barfield to bring up slugger George Bell with the potential tying run. Sammy Stewart came in and walked Bell before striking out Rance Mulliniks to end the game.

Chicago 3, Milwaukee 2--Dave LaPoint, acquired by the White Sox in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals Thursday, had a no-hitter for six innings at Milwaukee.

Steve Kiefer opened the seventh with a single to end the left-hander’s bid for a no-hitter.

With the Cardinals, LaPoint was 1-1 with a 6.75 earned-run average.

Carlton Fisk had three hits, including a home run, for the White Sox.

Kansas City 4, Boston 0--Charlie Leibrandt is getting proficient at stopping streaks with shutouts. Last Sunday, he pitched a two-hitter to end Baltimore’s 11-game winning streak.

In this one at Kansas City, his six-hitter and a two-run home run by George Brett ended the Royals’ four-game losing streak.

Leibrandt (11-8) has a 2.62 ERA, best in the league, and has a string of 21 scoreless innings. It was the first time the Red Sox have been shut out this season.

Brett’s home run was his first in 86 at-bats and his first extra-base hit in 26 at-bats.

Baltimore 7, Texas 1--Ron Washington hit the second pitch of the game for his first home run, and Larry Sheets hit a three-run home run for the Orioles at Arlington, Tex.

Ken Dixon (4-8) pitched six innings for the win, and Mike Griffin worked three hitless innings for his first save since 1981.

It was the Rangers’ fourth straight loss.