TEXAS 15, MINNESOTA 9 IN MINNESOTA

Batting stars:  Roy Smalley was 1-for-4 with a three-run homer (his third) and a walk.  Tom Brunansky was 2-for-3 with two doubles, scoring once and driving in one.  Al Newman was 1-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Randy Niemann made his Twins debut by striking out four in 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits.

Opposition stars:  Pete O'Brien was 3-for-5 with two home runs (his twelfth and thirteenth), driving in seven.  Ruben Sierra was 2-for-4 with a double, two walks, and a stolen base (his fifth), scoring twice and driving in two.  Steve Buechele was 3-for-4 with a home run (his sixth) and two doubles, scoring three times.

The game:  It wasn't as close as it sounds.  Texas scored three in the first, led 7-0 after four and a half, led 11-1 after five and a half, and led by 15-3 after six and a half.  A five-run seventh for the Twins made it look a little better, but the game was gone by that point.

Of note:  Dan Gladden was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI...Gene Larkin was 2-for-2 with a run...Gary Gaetti was 2-for-3 with a double...Bert Blyleven lasted only three innings, surrendering five runs on six hits and a walk with one strikeout...Boston starter Greg Harris pitched five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out three.

Record:  The Twins were 27-26, in third place, two games behind Kansas City.

Notes:  Blyleven left a pitch up to O'Brien, who hit a two-run homer in the first, and to Oddibe McDowell, who hit a solo shot in the third...Kirby Puckett was 1-for-3 with a run and was batting .327...Larkin raised his average to .333...Smalley's average was .311...Mark Salas was used as a pinch-hitter and went 0-for-1, making his average .357...Greg Gagne batted second in this game, with Steve Lombardozzi in the eighth spot.

Player profile:  Oddibe McDowell had more power than I remembered, hitting double digit homers in four of his seven seasons.  He was a first-round draft choice of the Rangers in 1984, started his pro career in AAA in 1985, and was in the majors by mid-May of that year.  He batted .239/.304/.431 with 18 homers and 25 stolen bases, good enough for fourth in Rookie of the Year balloting that season behind Ozzie Guillen, Teddy Higuera, and Ernie Riles.  His best year was the next one, 1986, when he batted .266/.341/.427 with 18 homers and 33 stolen bases.  He was still a productive player in 1987 but slumped in 1988 and was traded to Cleveland as part of a deal for Julio Franco.  He didn't do much for the Indians in 1989 and was traded to Atlanta in early July.  He did well for the Braves, batting .304, but faded the next year and was released in spring training of 1991.  He signed with Baltimore, and went to AAA, but was released at mid-season.  He signed with California for 1992, was released from AAA in mid-May, sat out for a while, and signed with Texas in July of 1993, again going to AAA.  He was still there in 1994 but by late April was back in the big leagues as a reserve outfielder.  He did okay in that role, but no more.  He was in AAA with the Yankees for fourteen games in 1995, then his playing career was over.  His career numbers are .253/.323/.395 with 74 homers and 169 stolen bases, not terrible numbers but not what one expects from a first round draft choice, either.  At last report, Oddibe McDowell was the head baseball coach at McArthur High School in Broward County, Florida.