Page Twelve
fHE MICHIGAN DAILY
Friday, July 8, 1977
Page Twelve fIlE MICHIGAN DAILY Friday, July 8. 197~s
r r f f
CUBS' REUSCHEL WINS TWELFTH
New York squelches Tribe
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Catfish Hunter
hurled a four-hitter for his best
outing of the season and the
New York Yankees extended
their two-season hex over Cle-
veland to 13 consecutive victor-
ies by defeating the Indians 8-2
last night.
PAUL BLAIR slammed a two-
run triple and Lou Pinella
cracked a two-run homer as the
Yankees chased loser Rick
Waits 5-2, with four runs in the
fifth inning.
Hunter, 5-3, retired 14 straight
batters after Ray Fosse homer-
ed for the Indians in the third.
Down to
the wire
By Don MocLachian """
]
Tiger trouble .... n l
..noO leader
DETROIT
fHESE DAYS it sure is hard to predict just how the Detroit
Tigers will play on any given night.
A week ago tonight, the Bengals downed the New York
Yankees 5-1 and in the process extended their winning streak to
five games. However, at this very moment the Tigers are amidst
a four game losing streak heading into tonight's contest with the
leaders of the Western Division-the Chicago White Sox.
Quite a turnabout in the span of only one week. If the
Detroiters seem to have one weakness it is their lack of a
leader-or Mr. Clutch if you prefer.
Last year Willie Horton was around and Rusty Staub paced the
squad with 96 RBIs. All the players respected Birton and looked
to him for guidance and Staub always seemed to come through
with that key base hit when the Bengals needed it.
But this year things are different for the sixth place Tigers. Of
course Horton is gone to Texas but Big Red just isn't hitting the
ball like he has in the past.
The Tigers are an extremely young team and the only
veteran regulars are Staub and Tito Fuentes. With Staub not
delivering the timely safeties Detroit needs someone to fill the
shoes. Jason Thompson has driven home 56 runs and rapped
16 homers, yet failed in many crucial situations throughout the
year.
Staub is the player the youngsters look up to-it certainly isn't
the seasoned Fuentes. The ex-National Leaguer puts on his own
little show on the diamond and is worried more about fan recog-
nition than being a leader.
If you had to pick a Mr. Clutch, Mark Fidrych would be the
logical choice. He is the stopper of the Bengal nioundsmen even
though he has been hit hard in almost every outing. The Bird
generates excitement every time he takes the mound and the
Bengals seem to give just a little extra when he hurls. But the
Bird as a leader-think about it.
Wynn or lose
In so many games this year the Tigers have been so close
to notching a victory but faltered in the late stages. The
players claim they have the potential to be winners and the
mistakes will stop now that the younger players have adjusted
to the big leagues.
Take this for example. In the Baltimore series the Tigers
allowed the eventual winning run to cross the plate when Fuentes
relay to first on an attempted double play hit Orioles Doug
DeCinces in the head. In another game a John Wockenfuss passed
ball permitted an Oriole to advance into scoring position-and
score he did, on a two-out single in the ninth to send the game
into extra frames, which Detroit lost in 12 innings.
The Tigers just cannot hold onto a lead sometimes. Tiger fans
are never comfortable even with a four run lead. Too many times
leads have been blown when it seemed impossible.
The bullpen has been up and down all year. John Hiller
and Steve Foucault have sparkled on occasion and been shelled
other times. Manager Ralph Houk has shuffled Fernando
Arroyo, Bob Sykes and Milt Wilcox in and out of the bullpep
with success. Surprisingly the Bengal pitching has been con-
sistent lately, while the bats have soured.
Since Horton departed Houk has been griping for a right
handed powerhitter since the Tigers mostly see southpaw hurlers.
The Major experimented with John Wockenfuss while Mickey
Stanley has been steady, but neither is a game breaker.
Possibly Houk and general manager Jim Campbell can find
the answer in Jim Wynn of the Yankees. The Toy Cannon will
probably be released next week and available to any- team that
wants him.
Wynn has good power and attributes his weak hitting in
the Big Apple to his lack of playing time. It would be interest-
ing to see the Tigers give Wynn a chance-even if just as-a
pinch hitter.
But just'like everything else with the Tigers-you never know.
The Indians tallied again in the
eighth on doubles by Jim Norris
and Duane Kuiper.
THE YANKEES took a 1-0
lead in the second. Reggie Jack-
son singled and was credited
with a stolen base when he beat
first baseman Bruce Bochte's
throw to second after Waits
picked him off. Craig Nettles
scored Jackson with a single.
After Fosse's homer tied it,
New York regained the lead in
the third on doubles by Willie
Randolph and Thurman Munson.
Jays jolted
BOSTON-Carlton Fisk drove
in three runs with a homer and
a sacrifice fly- and Jim Rice
drilled. three hits including his
20th homer, last night as tthe
Boston Red Sox completed a,;
three-game series sweep over
the Toronto Blue Jays with a
3-2 victory.
FISK WHO broke an 0-for-14
slump Wednesday night drove
in a run with a sacrifice fly in
the first inning and beat out an
infield single in the third inn-
ing before lining his 16th homer
in the seventh after Rice had
led off with a double off the cen-
terfield wall.
Rice singled to set up a run
in the third, hit a long home run
to start the fifth, before doub-
ling in the seventh.
Reuschel rolls
CHICAGO-Rich Reuschel re-
corded his 12th victory and Lar-
ry Biittner smacked his second
homer in as many games yes-
terday as the Chicago Cubs de-
feated the St. Louis Cardinals .
2-0. Grants b$ allop
STAKED TO A first inning SAN FRANCISCO -- Rookie
unearned' run, Reuschel, who left-hander Bob Knerper team.
has lost twice, struggled all the ed with Randy Moffitt on a five.
way, allowing nine hits, and re- hitter yesterday and the Sa
tired th side in order only twice, Francisco Giants snapped a
in the eighth and ninth innings. eight-game losing streak with a
The shutout ran his streak of 5-1 victory over the San Diego
scoreless innings to 16 2-3. Padres.-
The Cards had runners on sec- KNEPPER, 2-3, had a ne-hit
and and third with one out in shutout until Gene Tenace's
both the second and fourth inn- double, Bill Almon's single and
ings but couldn't score. And in Mike Champion's double-play
the seventh Reuschel got out of grounder produced San Diego's
another jam by getting Ted run in the fifth. He allowed five
Simmons to hit into a double hits through eight innings, Mof.
play. fitt pitched the ninth.
Major League Standings
AMERICAN LEAGUE NATIONAL LEAGUE
East East
W L GB W I. to
New York 46 35 - Chicago 5o 29 -
Baltimore 46 36 1 Philadelphia 46 31 3
Bsston 44 34 1 5t. Louis 44 a38 :
Cleveland 37 40 7 " Pittsburgh 42 3 8 s.
Milwaukee s at42 7'' Montreal 37 43 1,
Detroit 36 44 10 New York 31 50 20
Toronto 30 50 16 west
west Its Angeles 54 27 -
Chicato 47 32 - Cincinnati 44 35 9
Minnesota 45 36 3 Houston 37 45 . 71v
Kansas City 43 36 4 San Feancisco 35 40 20
California 39 30 7 San Dieto 35 50 21
Texas 31 41 9 Atlanta 30 51 24
Oakland 34 45 13 Yesterday's Games
Seattle 35 50 15 Chicago 2, St. Louis 0
Yesterday's Games San Francisco 5, San DiegoI
Boston 5, Toronto 2 Philadelphia 6, New York 4
New York I, Cleveland 2 late games not included
late games not included
Todays Games Today's Gameo
Chicago (Knapp 7-4)sat Detroit St. Louis (Rassmusen 6-10) at
(Fidrych 6-3), 6 p.m. Chicago (Burris 9-8), 2:30 p.m.
Toronto (Lemancoyk 7-6) at Cle- Montreal (Twitchell 1-5) at New
veland (Erkersley 7-7), 7:30 p.m. York (swan 4-6), 1:05 p.m.
New York (Guidry 6-4) at Balti- Philadelphia (Christenson 7-5) at
more (May 10-7), 7:30 p.m. Pittsburgh (Kison 6-4), 8:05 p.m.
Seattle (Ahhott 4.7) at Minnesota Cineinnati (Capilla 1-0) at lous-
(Thormodstard 0-4), 0130 p.m. ton (Banniste 4-6), 1:35 p.m.
Boston (Cleveland 6-4) at Milwau- san Diego (Freisleben 1-5) at los
kee (Augustine 9-9), 8:30 p.m. Angeles (Hooton 7-3), 10:30 p.m.
California (Tanana 11-5) at Texas Atlanta (Niekro 1-9) at San Fran-
(Ellis 4-7), 8:35 p.m. cisco (Barr 8-6), 10:35 p.m.
Join The Daily Sports Department
AP Pn at
It may appear that Toronto catcher Alan Ashbylhas tagged out Boston centerfielder Fred Lyle
the plate, but Lynn managed to slide under the tag to score the Red Sox' first run in a 5.tie
tory last night at Fenway Park in Boston.