The Week (aug. 25-30)

BOS 72-58 NY 68-62 CLEV 65-64 BALT 65-65 MIL 62-70 DET 61-70

AL WEST

With the Royals getting too close for comfort, the A's spurted to a 4-1 week, widening their lead to 6� games. Catfish Hunter got his 20th win by beating the Brewers 3-1. And Claudell Washington went 5 for 5 the day before his 20th birthday, exhibiting his newfound ability to hit inside pitches, as the A's pounded the Tigers 10-5.

Also hitting vigorously was Kansas City's Hal McRae, but he alone could not keep the Royals from losing four of six. Even though he had five doubles and seven RBIs in a doubleheader with Cleveland, the best Kansas City could do was split.

Ranger home attendance surpassed the previous full-season high for the Washington-Texas franchise, reaching 1,038,994. Ferguson Jenkins won for the 19th time, and Dave Nelson became the first player since 1969 to steal second, third and home in one tour of the bases.

Chicago, 3-3, swept a twin bill from Cleveland by identical 8-5 scores and beat Boston 3-0 as Bart Johnson pitched his second straight shutout.

Bert Blyleven won a pair of four-hitters for Minnesota, the second a 3-2 game in which he struck out 14 Red Sox.

California's Nolan Ryan became the first pitcher to' get 300 strikeouts in three consecutive years, leaving nine Brewers in a froth as he won his 17th game, 9-2.

OAK 76-56 KC 69-62 TEX 68-65 CHI 65-67 MINN 64-68 CAL 52-80