European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 26 the stars and stripes tuesday june 14.1988 John 45, finally samples mediocrity by Ben Walker a baseball writer new York. For the first time in a never ending career Tommy John acted his age. "1 was just hoping to scuffle along for five innings and not get blown out or the water he said sunday. I be never Felt that Way John the oldest player in the majors at 45, want horrible. He gave up to runs in 3 n innings to Balti More and wound up with a no decision As the new York Yankees beat the orioles 6-5. Then again John had Good reason not to expect much. Yankees manager Billy Martin known Tor his Peculiar handling of pitchers had started John on wednesday night and then used him for 4 i innings of Rel if Friday Ghl. Ill Pilch every time they Lell me to pitch. I could have asked out of the Start but i chose not to i did l have a Chance to today you could see a tired Arm out there John said. It s Tough enough to pitch against major league hitlers when you r ready. It s doubly Lough when you re not. I just was t Martin said he started John because of Baltimore s1-19 record against left handers including 0-11 on the rond. John had Shui out the orioles for 12 previous innings this season i went with , today because of the Type of team hat Baltimore is and also so i could set up my rotation for the Road trip Martin said. He did just what we wanted him to do he kept us in the John however hoped for a Little More even if he did t count on the 282nd Victory of a career that began in 1963 with Cleveland i demand a lot of myself but Loday i could t demand a lot. That s the frustrating part John said. John however has been a Surprise All season. With Rick Rhoden Rich Dotson Ron Guidry and other pitchers Bolh Rcd by injuries John is 4-2 with a 3.76 Era and is third on the learn with 67 innings. John has worked at Odd intervals in 12 starts and Chicago while sox los Angeles California and Oak land and has seen him traded for the likes of Rocky colavito and Dick Allen. Taking a regular turn in inc rotation John threw 61pitches m 2v ineffective innings against Boston on wednesday. His 58 pitches versus Ballimore on Friday came in the longest of 59 Relief outings in his career. Martin Ihnn juggled his rotation on saturday telling John he would Stan the next Day. John threw another 59 pitches to the orioles five of which became hits. "1 could throw strikes but not Good John said. You lose that Little bit on the Ball. Now the ground balls go through and the pop ups become line drives John recognized for his High ground Ball ratio go Baltimore s first two batters on grounders before Start ing 10 struggle. I was hoping they would make a lol of outs on first pitches he said. By the time he came out John was disappointed. Bui Martin said he had served a purpose again. Dotson Neil Allen Al Luciler John Candelaria and Rick Rhoden arc now set to Start As the Yankees began a nine game Road trip monday night in Boston with later stops in Cleveland and Detroit. I probably won t Pilch again until Detroit said John. A Hope i la do Tommy John was hoping to scuffle along on sunday. Al Roundup tigers sweep indians take Over 2nd place by the associated press Cleveland everything is falling into place for the Detroit tigers. The tigers swept b four game series at Cleveland to take sole Possession of second place in the american league East just two games behind the Divi Sion leading new York Yankees. I won t Ever come to Clevelan for the rest of my life and expect to do that said Detroit manager Sparky Anderson after his team Defeated the indians 5-4 sunday for its fifth straight Victory. You can l do any belter than the tigers did All of their scoring Early with two runs in the first and three in a second inning capped by Luis Salazar s two run Homer off Scoll bails 6-5. Salazar signed by the tigers to a class aaa con race in the Spring is Hilling .325, the location was Good but i just threw my bal head out Salazar said. It was a Good breaking Ball but i know he Bailes has a Good one and i was looking for Detroit starter Frank Tanana 9-4, gave up four runs on nine hits in 6/j innings for the Victory. Mike Hynne Man pitched the final two innings for his 13ih save in 14 opportunities bails �-5, lasted just 1 i innings giving up five runs on five hits to break a siring of 24 straight games in which indians starters had made in to the sixth inning. In other games sunday Yankees 6, orioles s new York Claude washing Ion s single Over Baltimore s drawn in Outfield drove Home the winning run with one out in the ninth As new York beat Ballimore. Red sox 8, Blue jays 2 Toronto Mike Ore Enwell s three run Homer highlighted a five run first inning As Boston snapped an eight game losing Streak against to Ronto. Dennis Oil can Boyd 6-5, Al Lowed eight hits walked two and struck out iwo in eight innings in bos ton s first Victory Over the Blue jays since aug. 10, 1987. Bob Stanley pitched the ninth. Brewers 16, White sex 2 Chicago Robin Yount Hil for the Cycle and Dale Sveum drove in five runs with a pair of Home runs to Lead a 16-hit attack As Milwaukee avoided a three game sweep against Chicago. Rangers 3, a s 2 Arlington Texas Charlie Hough the Texas rangers 40-year old Knuckl caller won his seventh consecutive game Over Power Hilling Oakland scattering six hits. Hough got a Brief scare in the ninth inning on Don Baylor s Solo Homer but struck out the last two waiters. Dave Stewart 9-5, lost for the fifth Lime in his last six games. Stewart Al Lowed five hits and struck out seven. Hough struck Oul seven and walked three in route to his fifth Complete game and third in a Row royals 6, Angels 4 Anaheim Calif. Ted Power allowed four hits in eight innings and Bill Buckner drove in three runs with a Homer and a double As Kansas City won for the ninth time in 10 games. Power 4-1, retired 20 batters in a Row following Jack Howell s Lead off double in the second. He struck out six and walked none in winning his third straight game. Gene Garber pitched the ninth and allowed Chili Davis two run Homer his seventh. Twins 6, mariners 2 Seattle Gary Cawelti s two run Homer sparked a five run fifth in Ning and Charlie Lea allowed four hits in seven innings As Minnesota Defeated Seattle. Houston s Scott Falls out shy of no hitter by the associated press Houston six pitchers this sea son have had eight innings of dreamland one of disappointment. Houston i Mike Scoll was on Center stage in the latest no nil drama sunday when Atlanta s Ken Oberkfell lined a single to right Field with two outs in the top of the ninth to ruin the right hand to s shot Al his second career no Hiller. Scoll then retired Gerald ferry to Fin ish with the one Hilter and a 5-0 Victory Over the braves at the Astrodome. It s always disappointing when you come so close and Don t get it but at Leasi we got the win Scott said. "1 wanted to get in a lot of innings today because our bullpen needed it it was the sixth time this season a Pitcher has carried b no Hitler into the ninth inning Only to lose it. Others to Lake a no Hitler into the ninth thus far Are Scott s teammate Nolan Ryan Ron Robinson of Cincinnati also Svi innings Doug Drabek of Pittsburgh Odell Jones of Milwaukee and Tom Browning of Cincinnati. Scott retired the first two batters inthe ninth but Oberkfell lined Scott s first Pilch several feel to the left of right fielder Kevin Bass i threw the Pilch i thought i d Gei him out with but he hit the Ball Well Scott said. "1 Don t know if it was a Good pitch or not but it does t really matter now. It was a Nice clean Scott walked none but the astros had made two errors in the game spoiling his chances for the potential perfect game. Scott pitched a no hitter on sept. 25, 1986, in a game thai clinched the my West division title in a 2-0 Victory oversaw Francisco. No my Pitcher has thrown a no Hiller since. I Don t think that i had the stuff i had against the giants Scott said ii was one hit Short of that magic astros Catcher Alan Ashby said. If you re comparing him to two years ago he was Greal today. Two years ago he was super human. The Lasi no Hitler in the majors was by Milwaukee s Juan niches a 7.0 Victory no Roundup Over Ballimore on april 15,1987. In other games sunday expos 4, mets 3 Montreal Andres Galarraga tied the score with a three run Homer in the Bottom of the ninth and Hubi Brooks singled Home Tim Raines in the 1 1 thinning As Montreal sent visiting new York to its fifth straight loss Raines led off the Lith with a walk against Terry Leach 1-1, stole second was sacrificed to third and scored on Brooks single acts starter Sid Fernandez allowed one hit Over the first eight innings. He was replaced by Randy Myers who yielded Galarraga s league leading 16th Homer. Phillies 5, pirates 4 Pittsburgh Kevin Gross pitched 7vi innings for his fifth Victory to his last six decisions As Philadelphia Defeated slumping Pittsburgh. Cubs 4, Cardinal 3 St. Louis Greg Maddux became the majors first 1 1 game Winner As Chi Cago Defeated is. Louis and swept the three game series at Busch stadium. The 22-year-old Maddux 11-3, Al Lowed eight hits struck out eight and walked two to win his fifth straight. He also singled and scored twice. Padres 5, dodgers 2 san Diego de Whitson won his third straight As san Diego Defeated los Angeles for a sweep of the three game series at Jack Murphy stadium. Reds 10, glints 6 san Francisco Danny Jackson drove in three runs and pitched seven Strong innings to Lead Cincinnati past san Francisco. Jackson 6-3, limited the giants to one Hil until the sixth inning retiring 15 straight Bailers following a first inning single by Chris Speier. Tim Birtias pitched the final two innings for the reds yielding a three run Homer trusty Tillman ninth. With iwo outs in the
