Guggiana stars, but Kings lose By Jim Edgar Standard Sports Writer Butte Copper Kings manager Bump Wills has spent the entire season lauding the abilities of his players, and he decided once and for all to prove it Thursday night. Todd Guggiana and Dave Hulse were both named to the All-Pioneer team in voting by the coaches, and as a treat for Guggiana, Wills let him play every position on the baseball diamond against the Idaho Falls Braves, winners by a 9-8 count in the final home game of the season. Not to be overlooked by the 934 fans who came to the ballpark to see the Kings play was the fact that, every time Guggiana changed position, someone else had to move too. Guggiana started out playing the first inning as catcher, and then began his trip around the field, going to first, second, short and third before trying all three outfield positions, left, center and right. He finished by pitching one-third of the ninth inning, and came within a whisker of being the winning pitcher. In his travels Thursday night, Guggiana had three putouts, two assists and one error. The error came when he was playing shortstop, and was not the only error at that position this season. The Braves rallied for three runs in the ninth inning, during which time three different Kings were on the mound, and the three runs moved them from a two-run deficit to a one-run lead, which stood up, as the tying run was left stranded at second in the home half of the ninth. The Kings opened the game by scoring three runs on a two-run double by Guggiana, who was batting cleanup. Guggiana then came home on a two-out single by Brian Mercado. The Braves picked up their first run in the second on a leadoff single by Stuart McMillan, a double by Corby Fister and a groundout by Marek Drabinski. In the home half of the second the Kings upped the lead to 5-1. Hulse off with a triple and after Jon Shave walked, Rusty Greer grounded out with Hulse coming home. Shave stole third, and came home when Greg Blevins's flyball to right was misplayed by Fister. In the top of the fourth the Braves scored three runs. Fister opened with a walk and went to third on Drabinski's double. Geoff Orr then cranked his seventh home run of the season over the left field wall and the Kings led by one. Butte expanded the lead back to three in the hoe half of the fourth on a single by Shave, a triple by Greer and a sacrifice fly by Guggiana. The Braves wouldn't lay down and die however, scoring their fifth run in the fifth when McMillan singled with one out, stole second a scored on a single by Jim Pullins. Butte's final run came in the sixth inning on a leadoff single by Greer, who went to second on Guggiana's groundout and scored one out later on Mercado's second hit of the night. Dan Patterson took over the pitching chores for Chris Gies in the seventh and gave up the Braves' sixth run in that frame, despite striking out the side. With two outs, Pullins doubled and scored on Orr's single. Both teams threatened in the eighth but neither scored, with Guggiana being stranded at third after stroking a one-out triple. In the ninth, Patterson walked the first two batters he faced and Wills called for Barry Goetz. Goetz also issued a walk, loading the bases, and Orr hit into a fielder's choise to plate one run. Goetz uncorked a wild pitch to put runners on second and third, but got the second out of the inning by fanning John Surane. Wills let Guggiana go for the final out of the inning. However, Guggiana gave up a two-run single to Grant Brittain before getting Rick Karcher to lift a flyball to right to- end the inning. Guggiana had started the inning in right and when he went to the mound, Goetz took over in right field, and caught the flyball for the third out. The Kings threatened in the ninth, but left Paul Matachun on second and Shannon Penn on first. The Kings fell one-half game behind Idaho Falls with the loss, but can still take second place in the Southern Division, if they defeat the Helena Brewers Friday night in their final game of the season. IDAHO FALLS BUTTE ab h bi ab Orr 3b 2 Hulse cf Surane 2b 0 Shave ss Brittain ss 0 3 2 Greer If Karcher dh Guggiana c Gress lb 0 00 Mouton 1b McMillan If Blevins c Fister rf Mercado dh Drabinski c Cstilano 3b 0 Lucky ph 1.0 0 Matachun 2b3 0 1 Pullins cf 1 2 2 Matos rf Cimbano ph 0 00 0 Penn 2b N 0 Chumbley pro 0 0 Totals 9 12 Totals 41 16 Idaho Falls .010 310 103-9 Butte .320 201 000- E Castellano, Fister, Guggiana. DP Idaho Falls 2. LOB Idaho Falls 13, Butte 12. 2B Guggiana, Fister, Brittain, Drabinski, Pullins, Karcher. 38 - Hulse, Greer, Guggiana. HR - Orr (7). SB - Hulse, Shave 2, McMillan. SF - Guggiana. IP H R ER BB SO Idaho Falls Dare 3 1-3 11 2 O Rizzo W,1-1 5 23 1 1 4 Butte Gies Un 0 Patterson N Goetz L,0-1 2-3 Guggiana - 1-3 WP Patterson, Guggiana. PB - Drabinski. T - 3:27. A - 934. GUGGIANA Fans get twin bill thrill The Butte Copper Kings knew they couldn't win the Pioneer League Southern Division Wednesday, night, going into. their doubleheader with the Idaho Falls Braves. But, they knew that they could claim second place, if they put their minds to it. And, they took a giant step towards that second place with 4-1 and 8-6 wins over the Braves before 1,313 faithful that turned out in perfect baseball weather. The Kings wasted little time in the opener, turning the first of two double plays in the top of the first inning to shut off a potential flareup, and then plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Their other double play came in the fifth inning, stopping a rally before it could get started. Dave Hulse opened the first inning by* reaching on an error, and then stole second. Jon Shave drew a walk, and the two speed-burners worked a successful double steal. Following Rusty Greer's groundout, Todd Guggiana walked, loading the bases, and Greg Blevins stroked a two single up the middle. Guggiana, tried to make it to third on Blevins' hit, but was gunned down by an alert throw from Braves' 'catcher Marek Drabinski, following the throw back to the infield by Stuart McMillan. Paul Matachun ended the inning with a come-backer to pitcher Don'l Dease. The Braves picked up their only run in the first game in the fourth, when Keith Lucky walked, moved to second on a walk to Grant Brittain, advanced to third on a sacrifice by Drabinski and came home on Jim Pullins' sacrifice fly.. The Copper Kings put their third run on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Miguel Castellano singled and moved to second on a one-out base hit by Shannon Penn, who dropped a bunt down the first base line and then outran the wind to first base. Dave Hulse brought Castellano home with a single, but Penn was stranded at third when Shave grounded into a double play. Rusty Greer gave the Kings their final run with a leadoff homer over the right field fence in the sixth inning. In the nightcap, the Braves scored the first run of the game on a one-out walk to Joe Markulike in the first inning, a two-out single by Loren Gress, and • a passed ball against Blevins when Rick Karcher struck out, but reached first when Blevins couldn't get the ball to first in time. The Kings answered the call in th home half of the first. Hulse led off with a triple and after Shave grounded out, Greer walked and then followed Hulse across the plate on Guggiana's home run. The Braves picked up a run in the third on a single by Jeff Columbano, a two-base error by Penn and a forceout by Karcher. The Kings went up 5-3 in the bottom of the third on a single by Guggiana, walks by Belvins and Mouton, and a two-run single by Malvin Matos. They increased their lead to 6-2 in the fourth when Greer hit : a one-out single, stole second and came home on Guggiana's third hit of the game. The Braves scored three runs in the fifth on two hits and two errors, and then tied the contest in the top of the seventh when Lucky hit a one-out solo home run. Marty Posey then became the hero of the night when he hit a twoout, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, plating Castellano who had walked to open the inning. Rod Busha won his second game of the season, going the distance, scattering five hits and giving up five walks while fanning eight. Only two of the runs the Braves scored were earned. Join us after the football game ELKS 240 ANNUAL MIXER Music by Bob Kovacich Starting 9:00 P.M. - until closing Everyone Welcome Free Admission Adults only MISS YOUR PAPER? Call 782-8301 before 10 a.m. for a FREE home delivery POSEY
