American League Roundup : Morris Beats Royals; Tigers Half-Game Out

Manager Sparky Anderson has his Detroit Tigers on the doorstep of the American League East lead, but he knows it’s no time to get excited.

Jack Morris pitched a five-hitter Thursday night to beat the Kansas City Royals, 4-1, at Kansas City and move the Tigers within a half-game of division-leading Toronto. But Anderson isn’t worried about the Blue Jays, yet.

“We play the Blue Jays seven of our last 11 games of the season,” Anderson said. “That’s when it’ll be decided.

“Either one of us is going to be ahead of the other a little here and there, and both will have a shot. No matter what happens here, it’s going to come down to that. We’ll stay close. These guys can play, and they love to play.”

Apparently Anderson isn’t concerned at all with the third-place New York Yankees.

Morris (13-6) struck out 11 and retired 16 straight Royals at one stretch to win for the first time since July 4.

The Royals scored in the eighth on Jim Eisenreich’s fourth homer.

Morris, who missed his last start with a groin pull, stopped George Brett’s hitting streak at 16 games while outdueling Mark Gubicza (9-12).

“This is the first time in a long time I’ve thrown all four of my pitches and had a pretty good idea where they were going,” said Morris, who lost three of his last four starts. “I had an exceptional fastball and that touched everything else off.”

Matt Nokes drove in Detroit’s first run with an infield out after Gubicza loaded the bases by walking two Tigers and hit Alan Trammell with a pitch in the first. In the third, Trammell singled and scored on Nokes’ double.

Gubicza walked Dave Bergman leading off the sixth and Pat Sheridan tripled to put the Tigers ahead, 3-0. Lou Whitaker followed with a sacrifice fly.

Chicago 10, Toronto 3--Donnie Hill came off the disabled list and hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning at Toronto as the White Sox spoiled the debut of Phil Niekro with the Blue Jays.

A sellout crowd of 45,152 attended the game at Exhibition Stadium to watch Niekro (7-12), acquired Sunday from Cleveland, make his first start with Toronto. The 48-year-old knuckleballer, faltered with two out in the sixth when Ron Hassey singled and Greg Walker walked in front of Hill’s fifth homer.

“I was probably keyed more today, than in a long time,” said Niekro, who was greeted by a standing ovation from the crowd. “I’m still flying high that I am a part of this team. I just hope I pitch well enough to keep going out there.”

Floyd Bannister (8-9) pitched a six-hitter for Chicago and Fred Manrique and Gary Redus added home runs as the White Sox broke open the game with seven runs in the eighth.

George Bell hit 36th home run for Toronto.

Baltimore 5, Milwaukee 4--Fred Lynn hit a grand slam, and Mike Young added a solo shot to lift the Orioles past the Brewers at Baltimore.

Milwaukee’s Paul Molitor extended his hitting streak to 28 games with a solo homer off Tom Niedenfuer with two out in the ninth inning.

Molitor, who is batting .422 during the longest hitting streak in the majors this season, grounded out twice, struck out and walked before hitting his 10th homer.

The victory was the first for the Orioles against the Brewers in 10 games, including nine this season.

Niedenfuer, who finished up for Mike Boddicker (8-6), got the last five outs to pick up his eighth save.

Lynn connected for his seventh grand slam off Chris Bosio (7-5) in the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie. Young’s homer gave the Orioles a 5-2 lead in the sixth.