The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 36

The Indianapolis Star SPORTS MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1992 I Obituaries 7 Children's Express 8 Beach SunJMvaiM bomp into victory at Long OF LONG BEACH Late-race tangle of teammates deprives Unser of fifth straight Pruett shows toughness, heart during frustrating racing day Comeback trail: Mark Dis-more of Greenfield wins Formula Atlantic race. Page 5. Pain killer: Davey Allison overcomes rib injuries to win NASCAR First Union. Page 5. the best they can." said Rick Galles, who probably had trouble watching the final five laps.

Sullivan, stuck to Unser's rear wing the last half of the race, bumped Junior's right rear with his left front as they braked Into Turn 6 on Lap 102. Unser spun out and lost his bid for a fifth consecutive victory here, while Sullivan stormed to his first checkered flag since the 1990 finale In the MolsonKraco GalmerChevrolet. The 1985 Indianapolis 500 winner had to use up all his By ROBIN MILLER STAR ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Long Beach. Calif. In Formula One, drivers on most multi-car teams are under orders to run behind, not Into, each other.

There's an A driver and a driver and rank Isn't to be challenged. In IndyCar, thankfully more of a racy atmosphere exists and that was never more evident than here Sunday Danny Sullivan, the new guy In the GallesKraco stable this season, knocked teammate AI Unser Jr. out of the way with three laps left to win the closest, most intense Toyota Grand Prix ever held at Long Beach before a crowd of 84,000. "Maury Kraines and I have an unwritten rule we Just turn 'em loose and let them do asters places Couples in the majors Robin Miller have been a memorable race for the BudweiserTruesports team will be all too forgettable. "Yeah, It was tough, a tough day and a tough weekend," acknowledged Pruett, sitting on the pit wall trying to collect his thoughts.

"And it started out to be so good." In Friday's first round of qualifying, Pruett posted the second-fastest speed in the Bud-welser '92 TruesportsChevy. On See MILLER Page 3 "foung 'loses' no-hitter, decision By CHUCK MELVIN ASSOCIATED PRESS Cleveland Baseball won't let Matt Young call It an official no-hitter, so he created his own word for it: "Purgatory." The Boston left-hander pitched a complete game and tossed eight no-hit Innings Sunday, but he lost the game and official credit for a no-hitter as Cleveland beat the Red Sox 2-1 in the first game of a double-header. In the second game, Roger Clemens rebounded from last week's Injury to his right hand and pitched a two-hitter, blanking the Indians 3-0. He struck out 12 and Improved to 16-2 with six career shutouts against Cleveland. Cleveland's two hits in a dou-bleheader set a major-league record, breaking the old mark of three set four times, most recently when the California Angels were held to three, hits by Cleveland In a doubleheader on June 8.

1969. A committee headed by the commissioner changed the rules on qualifications for a no-hitter last season, requiring a pitcher to go at least nine Innings. Because Cleveland won the first game, it did not have to bat in the bottom of the ninth, and Young was denied his official no-hltter. "It's Irrelevant, because we lost the game," Young said. "A no-hitter's supposed to be where you strike out the last guy, and the catcher comes out and Jumps In your arms.

A loss Is a loss." In his heart, though, it's a no-hitter, even if he did walk seven batters. "They didn't get any hits. Game's over. People can make See YOUNG Page 6 Scores LONG BEACH. CALIF.

The final finish will show Scott Pruett In ninth place, three laps off the pace In Sunday's Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. But It doesn't begin to show how much heart one of America's best young race drivers displayed on a very trying day. Pruett survived a myriad of mechanical failures, which Included a nasty crash during Sunday morning's practice period, to bring home the only American-built Indy car and his body in one piece. What promised to be a brilliant weekend wound up with a frustrating finish. What could have been Pruett's first IndyCar victory turned out to be another one that got away.

What should ASSOCIATED PRESS for the 56th Masters crown. 4, STAR STAFF PHOTO GUY REYNOLDS stealing in the sixth inning on the I TOYOTA GRAND PRIX TOP TEN FINISHERS 1. Danny Sullivan 2. Bobby Rahal 3. Emerson Fittipaldi 4.

AI Unser Jr. 5. Scott Goodyear i 6. Rick Mears 7. Jim Vasser 8.

Eric Bachelart i 9. Scott Pruett 10. Hiro Matsushita PPGINDYCAR STANDINGS 1. Bobby Rahal 2. Emerson Fittipaldi 3.

AI Unser Jr. 4. Danny Sullivan 5. Rick Mears 6. Eddie Cheever 7.

John Andrew 8. Scott Goodyear 9. Scott Pruett 10. Mario Andrew Michael Andrew Jim Vasser skills and the track to stave off Bobby Rahal and Emerson Fittipaldi during the final three cir Red-hot Fred Couples holds up his "If he pitches like he did today, no one will care how many foul lines he jumps over. "He was outstanding today.

He kept the ball down and got in front of hitters." Indianapolis manager Pat Kelly said Wendell's behavior distracts batters enough to help him get outs. "I think it works to his advantage somewhat," said Kelly. "Players get more aggressive against him because they want to hit him harder. Then he throws a sinker off the plate, and the guy winds up hitting a weak ground ball. "Everyone has superstitions, he Just has more than most players.

I saw him pitch all year in winter ball, and he's a good pitcher. He never gives anyone a good pitch to hit. He changes speeds he's not a flame- 1 1 105 1 105 105 105 104 103 102 102 102 100 51 points 48 36 31 29 I 21 16 14 6 6 6 cuits. Rahal finished .596 of a second behind Sullivan in the See SULLIVAN Page 3 A ball of victory after holing out on 18 The Tnbe Wil Cordero is caught tag of the Cubs' Rey Sanchez. thrower and knows how to get hitters out." Wendell's only problem came in the fourth when Wil Cordero led off with an opposite-field homer that barely cleared the wall in right.

Otherwise, the Tribe never got a runner as far as second base against Wendell 1 By PHIL RICHARDS STAR STAFF WRITER Augusta, Ga. Over the past year, Fred Couples has demonstrated power, patience, poise, touch and imagination, all the credentials of a great golfer save one. He acquired that Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club: His first major championship. Couples shot 2-under-par 70 to win the 56th Masters by two strokes over Raymond Floyd. With rounds of 69-67-69 the first three days.

Couples finished at 13-under 275. He came within a turn of the ball on his final putt on the final hole of becoming the first player In Masters history to post four scores in the 60s. It was a monumental moment. Couples celebrated with a shrug and a smile. "An unbelievable feeling," American golf's halting hero said without much conviction.

Pressed for a little more fervor, Couples declined to perform backflips. "I'll never be more emotional than I am," he said. "I'm not going to go running around high-flving." Everyone else was enthusiastic. "If I couldn't win, I'm glad Freddie did," said Floyd, 49, Couples' mentor and U.S. Ryder Cup team partner.

"I predicted this. I said there's one more plateau and he reached It and that's winning a major. I think he'll go on from here and one day be known as a great player. He's a great player now." Or doing a heck of an imitation. In 25 events dating to a tie for third place in the U.S.

Open Championship last June, Cou- A- crown THE MASTERS FINAL ROUND PAR 72, 6,905 YARDS Fred Couples Ray Floyd 69689-71277 Corey Pavin Mark O'Meara 7467-69-70280 JeffSluman Nolan Henke Ted Schulz 281 Steve Pate 281 Greg Norman 281 Larry Mize 7369-71-68281 Nick Price 70-71-67-73281 I. Baker-Finch 706968-74281 pies has finished sixth or better 20 times. In his last six tournaments. Couples has won the Los Angeles Open, finished second in the Doral Open and the Honda Classic, won the Nestle Invitational, tied for 13th after shooting a course-record 63 in the Players Championship and, now, won the Masters. Couples has averaged 68.53 strokes for his 40 rounds on tour this season.

Thirty-six have been subpar. "I always hope he's not playing. That leaves another spot open in the top 10," said Corey Pavin, who shot 67 to finish third at 10 under par. "Fred's playing great. He's always been a wonderful talent but now he's got confidence.

I think he's Just starting to realize how good he is. He's starting to be great." Couples won the traditional green Jacket and $270,000, pushing his season earnings to $1,008,162. Jeff Sluman shot 71 and Mark O'Meara 70 to share fourth place at 8-under 280. Third-round leader Craig Par-See MASTERS Page 2 Joined the Chicago Cubs organization last September in a trade that sent Mike Bieleckl to the Atlanta Braves. "I read articles about my doing this and that or the other thing, but it doesn't mention until the last couple of paragraphs that I was 11-3 at Greenville (in the Double A Southern League) last year." Still, the antics are a big part of the 24-year-old right-hander's story.

Even after the game, Wendell appeared a bit hyper as he hopped around the I-Cubs clubhouse high-fiving his teammates. But as his manager, former Indianapolis Indian Brad Mills explained, there is nothing wrong with going sock-less as long as he gets batters out. "It doesn't hurt him a bit. In fact, I think all of the things he does helps his concentration," said Mills, who played for the Tribe part of the 1984 season. Superstitious Iowa hurler 'Turk' makes believers out of Indians AMERICAN LEAGUE Clewland 2-0 Boston 1-3 Toronto 3 Baltimore 1 California 13 Milwaukee 9 Chicago 6 Oakland 4 Seattle IZZI 3.

Texas 4 Minnesota 3 NATIONAL LEAGUE Pittsburgh 6 Philadelphia 1 Montreal 8 New York Atlanta 6 San Francisco 2 Chicago 4 St. Louis 2 Cincinnati 5 Houston 4 San bieao 5Los Ariow 4 NBA Detroit Wmi New York 61 Milwaukee 94 Philadelphia 90 Cleveland 114 Washington 91 Portland 123 San Antonio 97 Boston 128 Charlotte 102 Seattle "116 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION Iowa 0 2 Indians 1 By DAVE GARLICK STAR STAFF WRITER He waves to the center fielder before every Inning, leaps over the foul line on his way to and from the mound, doesn't wear chews licorice and brushes his teeth between innings. But there is one other bit of information about Steven J. "Turk" Wendell that hasn't been as well publicized. He is one helluva pitcher.

Wendell proved that to the Indianapolis Indians and 1,829 fans Sunday afternoon In Bush Stadium, firing seven Innings of three-hit ball as the Iowa Cubs beat the Tribe 2-1. Wendell fanned four and walked just one as the Indians lost for the first time in four starts this season. "I think my pitching does get overlooked," said Wendell, who or relievers Jeff Robinson and Jim Bullinger. Tribe pitching wasn't bad either. Kent Bottenfield started for Indianapolis and fell behind 1-0 in the first when right fielder Shon Ashley got a late jump on See TURK Page 6.