Minnesota Defeats Tigers, 6-3

MINNEAPOLIS--Tim Laudner and Dan Gladden drove in two runs each, and the Twins dealt Jack Morris his first major-league loss in the state of Minnesota, beating the Detroit Tigers, 6-3, in the second game of the American League playoffs last night.

The Twins, who were 0-6 in playoff games before Wednesday night's 8-5 victory, took a 2-0 lead in games in the best-ofseven series, which moves to Detroit for Game 3 tomorrow. Detroit will send Walt Terrell, 17-10, against Twins' rookie Les Straker, 8-10.

Morris, a Minnesota native and 11-0 in his career against the Twins in the Twin Cities, allowed a two-run double to Laudner in a three-run second inning and a two-run single to Gladden in the fourth. The runs all were scored with two out.

Morris, 18-10, also gave up a fifth-inning homer to Kent Hrbek, who led the Twins with 34 during the season.

Bert Blyleven, who pitched for the Twins the last time they were in the playoffs in 1970, worked 7 1/3 innings and limited Detroit to Chet Lemon's second-inning homer, a two-run shot, and an eight inning solo homer by Lou Whitaker. Juan Berenguer got the final five outs, four on strikeouts, for the save.

This game very easily could have become a home-run hitting contest. Blyleven, 15-12 in the season, led the majors allowing 46 homers, and Morris gave up 39. The Tigers led the majors with 225 homers; the Twins had 196.

But this game did not turn on home runs, although three were hit. It turned on defense and speed--with Randy Bush stealing two bases in the pivotal Minnesota fourth to tie the playoff record--and that made a loser for the first time in postseason of Morris, the free agent the Twins didn't want.

Morris had a 1-0 playoff and 2-0 World Series record, all compiled in 1984 when the Tigers won the Series. The loser of his last three regular-season decisions, Morris, who went eight innings allowing six hits with three walks and six strikeouts, wasn't any more effective this time out as the Twins continued their winning ways at home.

Minnesota had a 56-25 home record this year, best in the majors. Add two more.

Blyleven, acknowledged as having the best curveball in the league, was the winner of this one, allowing seven hits, walking one and striking out six in his first postseason outing since 1979 when he won one game each in the playoffs and World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Detroit  020  000  010--3 Minnesota  030  210  00x--6

Game-Winning RBI--Laudner (1).

E--Trammell. DP--Detroit 1, Minnesota 1. LOB--Detroit 4, Minnesota 3. 2B--Gaetti, Brunansky, Laudner. HR--Lemon (1), Hrbek (1), Whitaker (1). SB--Whitaker (1), Sheridan (1), Bush 2 (2). S--Brookens.