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.