American League Roundup : Rearmed, Guidry Pitches Yankees to Win

Many pitchers who have rotator-cuff surgery never make it back at all. Left-hander Ron Guidry has made it back and hopes to help the New York Yankees win the American League East.

Guidry, in his third start since completing rehabilitation after undergoing the operation in December, gave up only one hit in five innings Sunday at New York in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Not so long ago Guidry, soon to be 38, had a fastball in the 90s and a wickedly overpowering slider. In 1978 he was 25-3 and had 248 strikeouts in 187 innings.

Now, he pitches in pain. His fastball is in the low 80s and the slider doesn’t scare anyone.

“I’m feeling some pain in the joint,” Guidry said. “The doctors told me to expect that. I’d like to go seven or eight innings, but 50 or 60 pitches into the game, I feel myself trying to overthrow. I tired out more easily today than at any time in my career.”

Guidry had plenty of support. Don Mattingly continued his hot hitting, getting two hits and driving in a run and Dave Winfield had three hits.

The victory put the Yankees just one game behind the Detroit Tigers in the East and Manager Lou Piniella is just full of ideas.

One of them concerns designated hitter Jack Clark, who didn’t get a hit but drove in two runs. Clark, who began as an outfielder but played first base for the St. Louis Cardinals, will start playing some in right field.

“He will only play there at Yankee Stadium, which has a small right field area,” Piniella. “When Jack’s out there, I will use Dave Winfield or Rickey Henderson as the DH.”

Another concerns Guidry.

“After another start, we’ll let him go and see if we can get seven innings out of him,” Piniella said. “With seven innings, you can finish the game with one more pitcher. You only get five, you need at least two more and we can’t afford that.”

Minnesota 7, Baltimore 2--The temperature of 102 at Baltimore caused Frank Viola more problems than the Orioles’ hitters.

The brilliant left-hander became the majors’ second 15-game winner--Greg Maddux of the Chicago Cubs was the first--but he lasted only five innings in winning his sixth consecutive start.

“This was the hottest situation I’ve ever pitched in,” Viola said after refusing to pitch without his long-sleeved undershirt.

“It’s a superstition. Looking back, it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. I actually got a little dizzy in the fourth inning.”

Kirby Puckett and Greg Gagne, each of whom homered in Saturday’s win, hit two-run home runs to make it easy for Viola to improve to 15-3 and move the Twins within three games of Oakland in the West.

A year ago when the Twins surprised by becoming world champions, they were a poor road team (29-52). This season they are 26-19 away from the Metrodome.

Toronto 9, Oakland 6--The Athletics were a major reason why the Blue Jays were off to such a terrible start this season. They beat the Blue Jays eight times in a row.

The Blue Jays turned the tables in this series at Oakland, winning three of four and putting the A’s lead in the West in jeopardy.

Fred McGriff drove in four runs with a pair of home runs and Duane Ward (6-0) gave up just two hits in four innings of relief.

The Athletics have lost 8 of 11.

Boston 10, Kansas City 8--When the Red Sox fired John McNamara as manager last week, they stressed the fact that Joe Morgan was strictly an interim manager.

After a sweep of the series against Kansas City at Boston, Morgan, 4-0 as a manager, is in the forefront of the candidates for the permanent post.

Ellis Burks, a victim of a severe upset stomach, agreed to try to play three innings. The hot-hitting center fielder stayed around long enough to get a double, triple and home run and drive in five runs.

The Red Sox built a 10-3 lead that barely stood up.

Texas 3, Milwaukee 0--Bobby Witt has long been considered an outstanding pitching prospect. But, in two previous seasons and the first half of this season, the hard-throwing right-hander has had terrible control.

He was 0-5 with a 7.68 earned-run average when he was sent to Oklahoma City earlier this season. Since coming back he has turned things around.

Witt gave up eight hits, but walked only four at Arlington, Tex., to get a victory in his second consecutive complete game. On July 10, right after his recall, the former University of Oklahoma star lost, 2-1, at Baltimore. But he pitched a five-hitter, struck out 10 and walked only 4.

Cleveland 7, Seattle 4--Carmen Castillo snapped a 3-3 tie with a seventh-inning home run at Seattle and the Indians added three more runs without a run batted in in the eighth.

Castillo, playing his first game since returning from his father’s funeral in the Dominican Republic, hit his first home run of the season off Bill Swift (6-7).