American League Roundup : As Usual, Boggs Hits (3 for 4), but Red Sox Defeat Tigers on a Miss, 6-5

They can make all sorts of changes in baseball, such as calling balks and changing the strike zone, but at least one thing remains constant: Wade Boggs will always hit.

The winner of four of the last five American League batting titles and owner of a career batting average of .354 has taken up where he left off.

He went 3 for 4 Wednesday at Boston, scoring a run and driving in one as the Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers, 6-5. But it was the fear of the left-handed hitter that led to the winning run in a four-run, eighth-inning rally.

The Red Sox already had jumped on reliever Willie Hernandez for three runs to tie the score and, with two out, had runners on second and third. The Tigers elected to walk Boggs intentionally.

With the count 1 and 1 on Jim Rice, catcher Mike Heath, whose throwing error permitted the tying run to score, allowed a passed ball, and the winning run scored.

In the season opener Monday, new bullpen ace Lee Smith blew the game in the 10th, but this time, he took the advice of a 12-year-old boy and earned his first save with a perfect ninth, including two strikeouts.

“When I was warming up, this kid yelled at me to stay within myself,� Smith said. “I kept thinking about that when I was out there. I followed his advice.�

Boggs, who batted .363 last season and hit 24 home runs, is seeking his fourth consecutive batting title. He is 5 for 9 so far.

Toronto, 11, Kansas City 4--It doesn’t make any difference whether he’s the designated hitter or also in the field, George Bell hits the ball.

The Blue Jay slugger, who has complained about being made the club’s designated hitter, was put into left field for this game because Lloyd Moseby was a late scratch with a sore hip. After hitting three home runs in the season opener at Kansas City Monday night as the designated hitter, Bell came right back to go 5 for 5, including two doubles.

Rookie Pat Borders, making his major league debut behind the plate, had three hits and drove in five runs for the Blue Jays.

It was the first time the Royals had ever lost the first two games of the season.

New York 5, Minnesota 3--There is a surprising calmness in New York, where Don Mattingly is predicting 100 or more victories for the Yankees.

John Candelaria pitched well except for two of the four balks called in the game, and Rickey Henderson drove in the go-ahead run.

In his fifth stint as Yankee Manager, Billy Martin hasn’t had a problem, and the Yankee Stadium fans continue to favor Dave Winfield in his feud with owner George Steinbrenner.

The World Series champion Twins continued to lose on the road as they went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Winfield had a hit and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Cleveland 5, Texas 1--Greg Swindell was one of the reasons the Indians were expected to challenge for the title in the East last season. But he hurt his arm and underwent arm surgery, and the Indians went down the drain, losing 101 games.

There are indications that the young left-hander has fully recovered, and maybe the Indians’ hopes have, too. Swindell, making his first appearance since last June, pitched a seven-hitter at Arlington, Tex.

Swindell struck out eight and walked only one. The only Texas run was a homer by Oddibe McDowell in the fourth.

Seattle 6, Oakland 5--The A’s, shooting for their third win in a row at Oakland, chased Steve Trout in a four-run first inning, but they managed only one unearned run the rest of the way.

Bill Swift, solidifying his role as the No. 5 starter, pitched 5-hit ball for 6 innings as the Mariners won their first game.

Trout didn’t give up a hit, but after retiring the first two batters, he walked four in a row, then made a throwing error and two wild pitches to self-destruct.

Milwaukee 3, Baltimore 1--Hardly anyone expected pitching to be the strong point of the Brewers this season.

But in the first two games in Baltimore, Brewer pitching has been almost perfect.

Chris Bosio followed up the opening-day shutout by Teddy Higuera and two relievers, pitching a five-hitter and going the distance. Bosio was in charge despite the 40-degree weather. The only run came when a balk was called on him.

Mike Morgan held the Brewers to two hits through five innings. With two out in the sixth, Dale Sveum hit his second home run in as many games. Paul Molitor’s third hit, a single by Robin Yount and B.J. Surhoff’s double accounted for two more runs.