The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 13

THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1988 SECTION Clippers sign Charles SmithB-9 Zembriski wins senior tourneyB-9 AAMO Eckersley had one save leftB-3 UK trustees support presidentB-4 mi Bengals not perfect, but record is EDITOR: GREG NOBLE, 369-1917 2) Tim i Sullivan Mistakes minor in 36-19 win 3 "i 'X I' 0 1 I li I 1 i i 4 il Jose Canseco uncorks a vintage series OAKLAND Jose Canseco was wearing more champagne than he was drinking. It made his black hair glisten beneath the television lights. It made his sweat seem soggier. It made his day. It made his year.

"Even though you've had great statistics during the season, you want to come out here on national TV and do it when the pressure's on," Oakland's many-splen-dored star said Sunday. "You want to do what it takes to win." He had done it. The American League Championship Series was over and it had been Jose Canseco's personal platform. Surely the Most Valuable Player of this baseball season, the founder of the 40-40 club made a leap toward legend with his assault on the Boston Red Sox. The A's swept the playoff series in four games and Canseco had carried the biggest broom.

He hit three home runs of considerable consequence in the four-game series, one in both of Oakland's one-run victories and another among his three hits in Sunday's 4-1 clincher. Reggie Jackson has retired, but the A's have retained the rights to the Mr. October character. They're just using a different name now. "Jose Canseco," A's first baseman Mark McGwire said, "is God." He is, at least, the supreme being on baseball's most impressive team.

Among the credentials in the A's clubhouse are two former MVPs, a batting champion and last season's Rookie of the Year. Canseco is the acknowledged standout. He hit 42 home runs during the regular season, most in the majors, and also led the big leagues in runs batted in (124) and slugging percentage His 40 steals ranked fourth in the American League and the three players ahead of him totaled only 22 homers. Legendary strength "He's the best player to come up in years and years," said Oakland third base-'man Carney Lansford. The most powerful Cuban since Castro, Canseco surfaced first as a 230-pound brute whose batting practice appearances developed a cult following.

Yet since he was Rookie of the Year season in 1986, he has added balance to his brawn. His outfield throws are now as accurate as they are strong and his increased bases-tealing reflects both his speed and growing sophistication. A's left fielder Dave Parker, who last year shared Cincinnati's outfield with Eric Davis, considers the two talents compara mud Rookie Ickey Woods scored two touchdowns against the Jets as he took over the The Cincinnati EnquirerGary Landers bulk of the rushing chores for the Bengals. Woods runs into the spotlight With three backs hurt, rookie carries the load defense in the American Football Conference and the No. 1 defense against the run.

Prior to Woods' performance, no runner had come close to gaining 100 yards. In fact, Houston's Mike Rozier had the highest total against Marty Lyons, Mark Gastineau and Co. with 63 yards. Woods more than doubled that. In the second half alone, he gained 104 yards.

"I got to give all the credit to the offensive line," Woods said. "They were blowing them off the line. They were opening holes you could (Please see ICKEY, back page, this section) Buck makes presence felt, Page B-4. Gordon's return ruined, Page B-4. Bengals notebook, Replay, Page B-4.

Defense grounds Jets, Page B-16. Another notch for Walter, Page B-16. HOARD Cincinnati Enquirer praised his coach. He praised the line. He The Lord.

hear Ickey Woods tell it, he had very little with his substantial achievements in Sunday's 36-19 victory over the New York Jets. at day's end, he had run for 139 yards on scored two touchdowns and his teammates had a hallelujah or two for the rookie back out of the University of Nevada-Las James Brooks on the inactive list with a hand, Stanley Wilson limited to two because of an injured back and Stanford limited to two early carries before a sprained ankle, Woods carried the in an unprecedented fashion. Jets entered the game with the No. 1 BY TIMOTHY W. SMITH The Cincinnati Enquirer There were plenty of opportunities for the Bengals to revert to the Bungles of a season ago.

What a difference a year makes. Maybe the difference was the fact that the mistakes happened in the first quarter this year instead of the fourth quarter, as was the case so many times last year. Then again, maybe this team is pretty good after all. With Sunday afternoon's 36-19 victory over the Jets, the Bengals improved their unbeaten mark to 6-0 and moved a step closer to silencing the critics and softening the cynics. The victory also gave them a stranglehold on the AFC Central Division lead.

The Jets dropped to 3-2-1 and are in second place in the AFC East. After the first quarter, the cynics were getting their fingers ready to point. There were shades of last season: Quarterback Boomer Esiason was sacked by the Jets' Marty Lyons in the end zone for a safety on the Bengals' first offensive play. Stanley Wilson fumbled the football at the Bengals' 7 on the first play of the second offensive series. Kicker Jim Breech had a 34-yard field goal attempt blocked on the Bengals' third offensive possession.

Then he missed the extra point following the Bengals' first touchdown when the ball hit the left upright. All of this happened in the first quarter. "Good teams overcome the adversity," said Bengals coach Sam Wyche. "And we proved we're a good team." Miraculously, the Bengals trailed only 9-0 after the first quarter. The Bengals' offense set the Jets up for 16 points all told.

The Jets mounted only one successful drive, which resulted in a 30-yard Pat Leahy field goal, tying the score, 12-12, late in the second quarter. "For the past few weeks, it's taken the offense a while to get (Please see BENGALS, back page, this section) NL Game 5 WHAT: National League Championship Series. WHO: L.A. Dodgers at N.Y. Mets.

WHEN: Today, 12:08 p.m. PITCHERS: L.A.'s Tim Belcher (12-6) vs. N.Y.'s Sid Fernandez (12-10). SERIES: Tied, 2-2. TV: Channels 12,2.

RADIO: WCKY-AM (1530). took McDowell's 0-and-l pitch deep over the right-center field fence off the scoreboard and to the right of the 396-foot mark. "I figured it was about time," (Please see NL, Page B-3) Howell suspended 3 days, Page B-3. NFL scores Bengals 36, Jets 19 Bears 24, Lions 7 Bills 34, Colts 23 Oilers 7, Chiefs 6 L.A. Rams 33, Falcons 0 Packers 45, Patriots 3 Seahawks 16, Browns 10 Vikings 14, Buccaneers 13 Redskins 35, Cowboys 17 Cardinals 31, Steelers 14 Broncos 16, 49ers 13, OT Dolphins 24, LA.

Raiders 14 Saints 23, Chargers 17 TODAY'S GAME N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, 9 p.m. Straight A's Gibson's homer in 12th saves LA Looking ahead How high can the Bengals fly? The 6-0 Bengals have 10 games remaining in the regular season, only three of which will be against a team that currently has a winning record. The Bengals' records of upcoming opponents (home games in caps): 0.16 New England 2-4 0.23 HOUSTON 4-2 O.30 Cleveland 3-3 N.6 1-5 N.13 Kansas City 1-4-1 N.20 Dallas 2-4 N.27 BUFFALO 5-1 D.4 SAN DIEGO 2-4 D.11 Houston 4-2 D.17 3-3 AL settled: Next step Series after 4-game sweep BY TIM SULLIVAN The Cincinnati Enquirer OAKLAND The report card on the American League Championship Series showed flying colors of gold and green. In short, straight A's.

Oakland's powerful Athletics advanced to the World Series Sunday, completing a four-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a 4-1 victory at the Oakland Coliseum. It was the most efficient post-season performance in baseball since the Reds steamrol-led the New York Yankees in the 1976 World Series. It was every bit as impressive. "This is the best team I've ever been on," said left fielder Dave Parker, the star of Pitts- i BY GREG The He praised To to do TM 30 carries, running Vegas. With broken carries Jennings suffering load and The r.

-as rt 7 wMMmmtst, fl i i BY MICHAEL PAOLERCIO The Cincinnati Enquirer NEW YORK Kirk Gibson and Orel Hershiser are the reasons many believe the Los Angeles Dodgers are where the are this year. And where they were this morning was in the winner's circle when Gibson hammered a tremendous home run after the midnight hour in the 12th inning off the Mets' Roger McDowell for a 5-4 victory in Game Four of the National League Championship Series. Hershiser who had started Saturday's Game Three entered a two-out, bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the inning and got Kevin McReynolds for the final out to save the game. The victory evened the NLCS at two games each in this best-of-seven affair and assured a return trip to Los Angeles. Gibson, 0-for-5 on the night, ble.

"I think they're both the best player in their league," Parker said. "Eric is more solid defensively and can do a few more things as far as baserunning, but there's no man alive as strong as Jose Canseco." Recently, a Washington Post reporter recklessly attributed that strength to steroids. Canseco insists it is the product of assiduous weight training. Whatever the cause, the effect has been dazzling. A's coach Dave Duncan, describing Canseco's bat speed, says, "It's not a blur, it's invisible." It seems sometimes as if the A's spend half their time trying to top each other on Canseco superlatives.

The catalogue of gushing comments is certainly impressive. Yet all of it would have sounded like hollow hyperbole had Canseco arrived at his first playoff series and flopped on center stage. Paging Mr. October Canseco knew he needed to perform for the A's to win, but also for posterity. Ballplayers build their names over the long haul from April through September, but they can make their mark in a moment in October.

For Canseco, that moment could have been Thursday night in Boston, when he tied Game Two with a homer off Roger Clemens. Or it might have happened Sunday. With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, he launched one of Bruce Hurst's offerings on a powerful parabola over the fence in right-center, his opposite field. The blow tied Canseco with George Brett for most homers in an ALCS, and it filled the Red Sox with foreboding. Trotting out to take his position in the top of the second, Canseco was stopped by Boston left fielder Mike Greenwell.

"I can't tell you exactly what he said," Canseco explained, censoring Greenwell's language. "But it was something like, 'You're a strong son-of-a-gun." Standing still in the clamor of the Oakland clubhouse, Jose Canseco could have passed for a statue. The champagne made his muscles shine. Tim Sullivan is Enquirer sports columnist. iJil Mi cji iL Si The Associated Press ning touchdown on a 4-yard rollout in the third quarter.

The resurgent Phoenix Cardinals, 4-1 since dropping their opener to the Bengals, beat Pittsburgh, 31-14, for their first victory over the Steelers since 1969. UC product Rich Karlis was Denver's star for the second straight week. Karlis kicked a 22-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 16-13 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Details, Pages B-5-8. (Please see AL, Page B-9) A's reliever Dennis Eckersley was MVP of the Series.

New England turns patsies for Pack Elsewhere in the NFL's sixth week: Cleveland quarterback Don Strock became the fourth signal caller to see action for the Browns this year, stepping in when Mike Pagel who stepped in for Gary Danielson, who stepped in for Bernie Kosar separated his right shoulder in the second quarter of a 16-10 loss to Seattle. Houston Oilers coach Jerry Glanville said his team's 7-6 victory over Kansas City was ugly but we've had all the thrilling defeats we need." Third-string quarterback Brent Pease threw three interceptions, but scored the win ENQUIRER NEWS SERVICES Brent Fullwood rushed for a career-high 118 yards and three second-half touchdowns, and Green Bay intercepted five passes in its first victory of the season, a 45-3 drubbing of the New England Patriots the Bengals' next opponent. New England quarterback Doug Flutie, making his fourth NFL start, was intercepted three times. He was replaced late in the third quarter by veteran Steve Grogan, who was intercepted twice before Flutie returned to the game in the fourth quarter..