American League Roundup : Detroit Gets Miracle After All: 6 in 9th, 7-6

It just missed being a Detroit year in professional basketball, but maybe the Motor City will hit the top in baseball.

While Tiger Stadium fans were hoping in vain for a Piston miracle against the Lakers, they actually saw a Tiger miracle occur on the field Tuesday night.

Alan Trammell hit a grand slam with two out in the bottom of the ninth to climax a six-run rally and give Detroit a dramatic 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees.

The comeback enabled the Tigers to increase their lead over the Yankees in the American League East to 1 1/2 games.

The Tigers had only six hits and a run until the last-inning heroics. Neil Allen, in relief of Al Leiter had been brilliant.

However, Dave Bergman opened the ninth with a single and Darrell Evans walked, bringing in reliever Dave Righetti. Matt Nokes singled to fill the bases. Righetti then retired the next two batters before walking in two runs and bringing Cecilio Guante to the mound.

Guante, who had served up a home run to Tom Brookens in the 10th inning Monday night to put the Tigers in first place, lost this one when Trammell, on a full count, hit his homer into the upper deck in left field.

The Yankees built their lead at the expense of Jack Morris. Randy Velarde hit his first major league homer in a four-run second inning. Morris gave up 5 runs in 1 innings. In his last two starts, he has lasted 4 innings and given up 12 runs. It is about the only worry the Tigers have.

Before the roof fell in on the Yankees, Don Mattingly hit a run-scoring single in the top of the ninth to make it 6-1. Mattingly was 2 for 5, stretching his hitting streak to 13 games.

The defeat may add fuel to the first public rift of the season between Yankee Manager Billy Martin and owner George Steinbrenner.

It first developed Monday when, against Martin’s desires, the Yankees activated catcher Don Slaught.

Slaught tried running the bases before Monday’s game and reported that he couldn’t play. Martin, questioning why he was activated, then kept him on the bench.

Boston 10, Cleveland 6--Usually, when Jeff Sellers pitches, the Red Sox fail to get him many runs. Now that they are hitting, the luckless Sellers can’t take advantage of it.

Sellers broke the middle finger on his pitching hand in the second inning at Cleveland when he was hit by Joe Carter’s line drive. Bob Stanley came on to get the benefit of the third straight high-scoring game for the Red Sox.

The Red Sox pounded out 15 hits. In the last three games, they have scored 39 runs and had 59 hits.

Mike Greenwell is the hottest Boston hitter. He had four hits, including his 12th home run, drove in three runs and scored three. He has hit safely in 13 games in a row, during which he has been 26 for 54.

Oakland 4, Milwaukee 2--Dave Parker hit his third home run in three games, and Curt Young won for the first time in three weeks as the Athletics beat the Brewers at Milwaukee.

With the score tied, 2-2, Jose Canseco hit a one-out single in the sixth inning, and Parker followed with his ninth homer.

Kansas City 6, Chicago 2--Frank White drove in three runs with a double and a home run at Chicago, and the Royals moved within 1 1/2 games of second place in the West.

Mark Gubicza gave up eight hits and four walks in six innings but managed to improve his record to 10-5.

White’s fifth home run of the season was a 425-foot smash in the sixth inning that increased the Royals’ lead to 6-1.

Baltimore 4, Toronto 2--Cal Ripken tripled home two runs in the eighth inning at Toronto to lift the lowly Orioles to victory over former teammate Mike Flanagan (6-5).

Texas 6, Seattle 0--Paul Kilgus pitched a six-hitter for his third shutout, and Jeff Kunkel drove in three runs at Arlington, Tex., as the Rangers handed the Mariners their ninth loss in a row.