American League Roundup : Nunez Makes Royals Pay for Losing Him

The Toronto Blue Jays’ search for a fifth starter may have been ended Thursday night by a pitcher the Kansas City Royals considered an afterthought.

Jose Nunez, drafted out of the Royal organization by the Blue Jays last winter for $50,000, allowed his former team only 6 hits in 8 innings in his first major league start as the Blue Jays beat the Royals, 7-1, at Toronto.

It was Kansas City’s fourth straight loss and Toronto’s fourth straight win.

The Royals thought so little of Nunez last winter that they left him unprotected, despite having four spots open on their 40-man roster.

He started out shakily, allowing a triple to Willie Wilson and a run-scoring single by Kevin Seitzer to open the game. It appeared that he might be in for a struggle, as in his last appearance against the Royals last Saturday, when he allowed four runs in 6 innings of relief in a 9-1 loss. But Nunez (1-0) settled down, striking out 11, one short of the Blue Jay record, and walking none.

Willie Upshaw supported the rookie with four runs batted in, including a three-run home run in the third inning.

Minnesota 3, Baltimore 1--Les Straker and Jeff Reardon limited the Orioles to seven hits, and Tim Laudner hit a three-run home run to lead the Twins past the Orioles at Baltimore.

The Twins, after giving up 25 runs in the last two games to the New York Yankees, held the Orioles to one run behind Straker, a 32-year-old rookie who pitched for 10 years in the minors.

Straker allowed 6 hits in 7 innings to even his record at 5-5, with help from Reardon, who came in with one out in the eighth inning and runners at second and third. Reardon worked out of the jam by striking out Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray en route to his 17th save.

Minnesota’s only runs came when Laudner, batting .181, hit his 12th homer in the fifth inning with Tom Brunansky and Kent Hrbek on base.

Chicago 6, New York 3--Shortstop Ozzie Guillen went 5 for 5, and Carlton Fisk hit a two-run home run to lead the White Sox over the Yankees at New York.

Fisk’s home run, his 11th, came in the fourth inning and gave the White Sox their first lead, 2-1.

In the fifth, the White Sox added three more runs. Harold Baines’ run-scoring single knocked out Yankee starter Bob Tewksbury, who allowed 10 hits in 4 innings. Reliever Charlie Hudson, recalled from the minors Monday, walked Fisk to force in a run and gave up a sacrifice fly to Donnie Hill.

Guillen had four singles and a double for the first five-hit game of his career. He drove in a run in the eighth inning.

Cleveland 10, Texas 4--The Indians scored three runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth while downing the Rangers at Arlington, Tex.

Cleveland, picked by many to take the American League East, won its fourth straight game--its longest winning streak of the season.

Trailing, 2-0, the Indians scored their runs in the third as the Rangers misplayed two fly balls into doubles. In the fourth, Chris Bando hit a two-run single and scored all the way from first when Texas right fielder Ruben Sierra misplayed Julio Franco’s single.

Texas scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth to close to 6-4, but the Indians put the game away with solo home runs by Cory Snyder and Brook Jacoby in the eighth and two more runs in the ninth.

Milwaukee 8, Oakland 3--Rookie Chris Bosio struck out 10 in 7 innings as the Brewers ended their four-game losing streak with a win over the A’s at Oakland.

The Brewers scored five runs in the second inning to knock out Oakland starter Jose Rijo (1-5). Rob Deer had a solo home run, his 19th; Rick Manning had a two-run double, and Mike Felder and Robin Yount added RBI singles.

Bosio (5-2), making his third start, allowed seven hits and left after surrendering consecutive singles to open the eighth. Mark Clear finished up for the Brewers.

Seattle 11, Boston 5--Phil Bradley and Alvin Davis each hit two home runs, and the Mariners scored seven runs in the seventh inning at Seattle to hand the Red Sox their sixth straight setback.

Davis and Bradley each had two-run home runs in Seattle’s big seventh as the Mariners rallied from a 5-3 deficit.