Ventura, Sox's bats trouble for Peoria By CURT RALLO Tribune Sports Writer SOUTH BEND Using their bats and Jose Ventura's arm light the fuse, Manager Rick Patterson's South Bend White S Sox jumped the gun on the hondas fire works with an explosive display Sunday night at Coveleski Stadium South Bend had the upperhand pitching and batting to blast visit ing Peoria, 8-0, before 3,0%1 fans in Midwest League baseball action The loss was the worst of the sea son for the Chicago Cubs farm team Ventura's 2-hut shutout combined with six extra base hits by the Sox helped put South Bend in first place in the Northern Division. The Sox. the first -half Northern Division champs, own a 10-5 mark in the sec ond half. Wausau Is 11-6, but South Bend has the edge in percentage at .667 to 647. "Ventura was timid early." said Patterson. "He was feeling his way. He didn't turn it loose until he got a couple of runs and got some confidence, then he got a little more aggressive." Ventura, who shutout Peoria for 8⅓ innings May 27 in a 1-0, 11-inning Sox triumph, had the Chiefs air cling the wagons throughout the game. The right-hander's shutout was South Bend's third against Peoria and the ninth time this season the Chiefs have been shutout Ventura, 4-1, handcuffed the Chiefs after giving up a single and a TONIGHT'S GAME WHO: Peoria Chiefs 6) VS South Bend White Sox WHERE: Covelesk: Stadium South Bend WHEN: pm PROBABLE STARTERS Mar cos Lopez (9-5) vs Steve Schrenk (4-2) GAME NOTES: Jay Hornace* and Rob Lukachyk each have 9 hitting for game streaks Bend Tracy Smith of Peoria graduated from South Newton High School (Kentland Ind and was an Indiana All- -Star South Bend leads the season se nes. 5-2 and the all-time senes South Bend and Peoria won t meet again this season less it is in the Midwest League championship series Schrenk and Lopez are both right-handers walk in the first inning. He retired the last two batters in the first to end the Peoria threat and then he mowed down another 15 batters in a row "They (the Chiefs) were looking for my fastball all the time." said Ventura. "But I threw them a good shder and change-up to keep them off balance •The last couple of games. my change-up hasn't been too good." Ventura said. "But (pitching coach Kirk) Champion worked with me on it." Ventura's streak ended at 17 batters retired in a row when Sox first baseman Mark Chasey See S.B. SOX /Page B3