The Week (aug. 31-sept. 6)

AL EAST

"He was going to become a major league pitcher that inning, or he wasn't. It was entirely up to him." So spoke Manager Sparky Anderson of the division-leading Tigers (6-1) about Dan Petry. The inning in question was the ninth in Chicago. Petry, leading 2-1, gave up a leadoff single and went to a 2-0 count on the next hitter. Anderson, old Captain Hook, would normally have yanked Petry right there, but the manager had vivid memories of removing Petry in the ninth the week before and seeing a 3-0 lead turn into a 4-3 loss. Thus, Petry stayed in, and he worked out of the jam. Four days later he defeated Texas 1-0. Detroit's 4-3 Sunday victory over Texas completed the East's two-day, 15-0 wipeout of the West.

Milwaukee (5-2) Manager Bob Rodgers didn't try to restrain himself the way Anderson did. Not with peerless Rollie (The Finishing Touch) Fingers in the bullpen. Fingers preserved Pete Vuckovich's 11th win, Mike Caldwell's ninth and Jim Slaton's sixth. Slaton had a no-hitter going into the ninth in Minnesota, but after being tagged for three hits and three runs, he gave way to Fingers, who saved the 5-3 win. All of which left Fingers with 22 saves this season and extended his big league record total to 266.

Steve Stone of the Orioles (4-3) needed more than relief help to earn his two victories. Tippy Martinez locked up Stone's two-hit, 1-0 verdict over Seattle and his 5-3 win over Oakland. It took two homers by John Lowenstein and a three-run drive by Terry Crowley to rally the Birds past the A's. They might not have won, however, had it not been for sparkling eighth-inning catches by Gary Roenicke in rightfield and Al Bumbry, who leaped above the centerfield fence to turn an apparent three-run homer by Tony Armas into an ice-cream-cone catch. When Manager Earl Weaver wasn't fretting about Jim Palmer and Mike. Flanagan, both of whom had arm troubles, he had problems of his own to ponder. Weaver was arrested and charged with four traffic violations, including drunk driving. "I probably should never get behind the wheel," said Weaver, who has had similar difficulties in the past.

Just when the Yankees (5-2) seemed to have righted themselves, shipbuilder-owner George Steinbrenner rocked the boat by firing Manager Gene Michael and rehiring former skipper Bob Lemon. New York may have to play the rest of the way without Shortstop Bucky Dent, who had surgery on a torn ligament in his right hand. Dave Righetti won 7-0 in Minnesota and 2-1 in Kansas City, where Goose Gossage picked up his 18th save. Largely because of Gossage and Ron Davis, the Yanks are 42-2 in games in which they have led going into the seventh.

Before being sidelined with a pulled hamstring, Jerry Remy of the Red Sox (4-3) went 6 for 10 during a 20-inning loss to the Mariners and batted .571. Four hits by Remy. plus 5? innings of shutout relief from John Tudor, helped the Sox beat Seattle 12-5.

A pair of doubleheader sweeps put the Indians (5-2) above .500. When Cleveland twice defeated California 4-2, it was Bert Blyleven who prevailed in the opener and newcomer Tom Brennan in the second, with help from reliever Dan Spillner, who got the last 11 Angels.

Toronto (5-2) had a pair of double winners, Dave Stieb and Jim Clancy each beating both Texas and Chicago.

DET 18-9 MIL 17-11 BALT 15-11 NY 15-12 BOS 14-12 CLEV 15-13 TOR 13-12

AL WEST