Around The Majors -- Six Suspended For Astro-Red Beanball Brawl -- Cincinnati's Hernandez Hit With Eight-Game Ban

NEW YORK - Four players and both managers were suspended by the National League yesterday for their part in a beanball war that led to several bench-clearing incidents between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros three days earlier.

Cincinnati reliever Xavier Hernandez was given the largest suspension, eight games, for "instigating a bench-clearing incident," NL President Leonard Coleman said in a prepared statement.

Reds outfielder Ron Gant was suspended for four games, and Manager Davey Johnson received a two-game suspension.

Houston Manager Terry Collins was suspended for two games. Astro pitcher Doug Drabek and catcher Pat Borders received five-game bans.

"If that's what he feels is right, than that's what's right. I've got no problem with it," Collins said. "We did what we had to do."

The managers will begin serving their suspensions immediately, while the players will continue playing until their appeals can be heard.

Cleveland clinches title

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Indians, of all teams, are champions.

Inept for four decades, the Indians clinched the first American League Central title - and their first championship of any kind since 1954 - when they beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 last night.

Cleveland clinched in its 123rd game of the year, the quickest in baseball history, although that mark holds less significance in light of the shortened season and the realignment of the leagues into three divisions.

Expo players must pay for damages

MONTREAL - A group of Montreal Expos who threw a rowdy beer-bash aboard a chartered Air Canada jet this week will have to pay for the damages out of their own pockets, team management said.

But the most lasting damage from the flight may have come from comments made by Expo second baseman Mike Lansing.

Lansing, upset at having to listen to pre-flight safety instructions in both English and French, burst out, "We don't have to listen to this crap. Everybody here understands English, at least for now," he said, referring to Montreal's bilingual status.

Lansing's ill-timed remarks appeared in a local newspaper the same day the provincial Parti Quebecois government tabled its referendum question concerning the separation of Quebec from Canada.

Addressing reporters before last night's game against the New York Mets, Lansing said his comments were taken out of context. "If I offended anyone, I apologize," he said. "I have nothing but respect for the people here."

Air Canada said the players were on an all-night flight from San Francisco to Montreal on Thursday when they wrecked 18 seats and spilled so much beer on the carpet that much of it had to be replaced.

Ripken a big hit on TV

BRISTOL, Conn. - More than 5 million households tuned in to watch ESPN's telecast of Cal Ripken's record-breaking game Wednesday night.

The network said the telecast of the Baltimore Oriole-California Angel game reached 5,084,000 homes, pulling a 7.5 rating. It was ESPN's most-watched event, excluding NFL games.

NL to honor three umpires

NEW YORK - The National League is honoring Hall of Fame umpires Bill Klem, Jocko Conlan and Al Barlick by retiring the numbers 1, 2 and 3.

A special ceremony to retire the numbers is scheduled before the Chicago Cubs' game against the San Francisco Giants tomorrow at Wrigley Field.

Note

-- Scott Hatteberg, ex-Washington State catcher from Yakima, made his big-league debut for Boston with a one-out pinch-hit single in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees. The Red Sox tied a major-league record with four pinch hits in the inning.