The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 9

The Indianapolis Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1992 Sports Business 11 44M 4 Pinch HR lifts Jays, ties Serial i i 1 a Sunday yl 9 9 2 Toronto 5, Atlanta 4 Tuesday y' Atlanta (Avery 11-11) at Toronto (Guzman 16-5), 7:29 p.m. Wednesday -f Atlanta at Toronto, 7:26 p.m. iSJip. jf Thursday, Oct. 22 rrtr Atlanta at Toronto, 7:26 p.m.

Hft Saturday, Oct. 24 Toronto at Atlanta, 7:26 p.m., if necessary All games on WISH-8 9 Sunday, Oct. 25 Saturday Toronto at Atlanta, 8:29 p.m., if Atlanta 3, Toronto 1 necessary baseball's all-time saves leader; from the Boston Red Sox in August, to bolster a bullpen beset by injuries and ineffectiveness. "Reardon's been doing the job since he's been here," Cox said. "I didn't think about taking him out." "I want Jeff Reardon in there again." said Braves starter John Smoltz.

"That guy has so much heart, how could I not want him In there. He'll pick us up, you'll see," The victory went to former Braves pitcher Duane Ward (1-0), and Tom Henke picked up the save, but not before the Braves put runners on first and second with two outs in the ninth. Henke. however, forced Terry Pendleton to pop up to third base to end the game. ir "Perhaps the momentum is shifting in our favor," said Toronto's clean-up hitter, Dave Win-field.

"It will feel good to get on the plane with a win under our Before Sprague homered, tt apr See SERIES Page 4 By GEORGE HENRY KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS Atlanta For the second consecutive night, a World Series game was decided by a catcher not known for his ability to hit the long ball. Ed Sprague. picking up where Damon Bcrryhill left off the night before, ripped a two-run homer with one out in the top of the ninth off Jeff Reardon to give the Toronto Blue Jays a stunning 5-4 victory Sunday over the Atlanta Braves in Game 2. The World Series, tied at one game apiece, resumes Tuesday night in Toronto. The Braves will travel north today trying to forget the game they easily could have won.

"Low fastball hitter." Braves manager Bobby Cox said when asked about the scouting report his team had on Sprague. "That's the pitch he hit." Sprague. best known for helping Stanford win consecutive NCAA World Series titles In 1987- previous at-bat. "I think It hasn't set in, but yeah, I understand it's a lot more comfortable for us to go back with one win under our belt," Sprague said. "It was Just a first-pitch fastball.

I'd been watching him pitch. Just make sure you get (a fastball) down." The Braves acquired Reardon. 88, hit only the sixth home run of a major-league career that has spanned 207 at-bats In the last two years. But the right-handed pinch-hitter, the son of former major-league pitcher Ed Sprague. blasted the first pitch he took from Reardon for a two-run homer that gave the Blue Jays new life.

Reardon had walked Derek Bell in the ASSOCIATED PRESS Roberto Alomar appears to slide in under the tag by Atlanta pitcher John Smoltz. Alomar was called out on the fourth-inning play. Colts feel twice the misery against Chargers Bernstine batters defense as offense crashes in 2nd half "''t i f. By MIKE CHAPPELL STAR STAFF WRITER The Indianapolis Colts took masochistic football to a new level Sunday afternoon in the Hoosier Dome. Not satisfied simply absorbing the pain inflicted by San Diego's rugged Rod Bernstine.

the Colts magnified their misery by administering some of the self-induced variety. The excruciating combination left Indianapolis with a major migraine, not to mention a 34-14 loss to the Chargers before a crowd of 48,552. "We killed ourselves today," quarterback Jeff George Said dur- mmmmmmmi ing a quiet post- Fjrst TD. Uneman game post-mor- cgreer highight is spoiled by 031,3. tern.

ucicai. rauc u. one chose 3 No the Colts' Notebook: Page 6. to argue point. Running wild: Backup Rod When Bern- stine a tailback- Bernstine steps hard and quick to tight endterror.

Push Chargers toward win. Page 7. wasn't hammer- Colts' next foe: Dan Marino ing the Colts' in lifts Miami to win. Page 7. 1 Fixty-six for 49ers: San Francisco scores at will against fal- -tering Atlanta.

Page 9. terior defense silly with a 150-yard, two touchdown afternoon, the Colts were Moving to jrst. Daas whips ha KC NFC ead themselves into 3 submission. Let Redskins rebound: Defense us count shines as Washington turns back ways: five turn- Philadelphia. Page 10.

overs, four In the second half which led to 13 breakaway points: two excursions inside the San Diego 5-yard line netting 1: utbu STAR STAFF PHOTO D. TODD MOORE San Diego's Henry Rolling (57) and Burt Grossman chase Anthony Johnson's fourth-quarter fumble. The Chargers recovered as the Colts fell apart late. Plenty of blame to spread for this debacle paper, it looked like a mismatch and that's exactly what Sunday's Colts-Char gers game turned out to be. Robin Miller zero points: 11 penalties, nine during a deteriorating second half: five quarterback sacks.

The result was a second straight victory for San Diego after an 0-4 start and the end to Indianapolis' modest two-game winning streak. The Colts will try to regroup and retool their 3-3 record when they visit AFC Eastern Division-leading and unbeaten Miami Sunday. "What we have to realize is we're still .500 and there Is a long season ahead," said rookie defensive tackle Steve Emtman. Emtman's intent wasn't to forecast a loonnnnggg season ahead for the Colts, but It could evolve that way if Sunday's turnover-tainted, opportunlty-squan-i dered performance Isn't brought to a screeching halt, Bernstine's defense-bashing heroics aside, Indiana polis remains a team at serious odds with Its How bad of an afternoon was It for Coach Ted. Marchibroda's offense? One of the Colts' two touchj downs belonged to offensive lineman Bill Congratulations Schultz.

shame on you Indianapolis. "We moved the ball at times offensively." noted Marchibroda, "but It was the same as last week. We didn't score once we got down there." See COLTS Page 7 like anything but a quarterback with a 54.9 rating. He completed 12 of 17 passes for 205 yards and set up the second score with a 62-yard bomb. "It's amazing how much better people play when they get on top," continued Bickett.

"We needed to stop them early and we couldn't, but credit them for keeping us off balance." While Indy's defense was spread out and manhandled. Rick Venturi's squad has been a pleasant surprise so far in 1992. Other than last month's mauling in Buffalo, the Colts' can take credit for all three wins. On the other side of the ball, Indy's offense continues to execute itself in-See MILLER Page 6 "They used three tight ends and that's like having eight offensive linemen and that's not easy to defend," reasoned Indy nose tackle Tony Sira-gusa. The recipient of these wide-open spaces was San Diego running back Rod Bernstine, who plied up a career-best 150 yards and personally accounted for 72 of the Chargers' 8 1 yards in their opening bee-line to the end zone.

"We knew they liked to pound the ball inside and they didn't do anything that surprised us. We just couldn't stop It," said Bickett. Because Bernstine was untouchable, Stan Humphries was able to look Except the 3-2 team didn't match up against the one that came in 1 -4. It was quick, efficient and all San Diego as the Callfornians rushed out of town with a most convincing 34-14 victory. There was no finger-pointing afterward because just about everyone on the Indianapolis sideline deserved credit for this sorry performance.

The Colts were steamrolled inside on defense, their offense derailed twice inside the 5-yard line and both units combined for 11 penalties. "They gashed us inside and we didn't score when we should have," admitted linebacker Duane Bickett. "It was definitely a team loss." Indianapolis, ranked 11th overall defensively and eighth against the run, was literally shoved Into a 14-0 hole because San Diego's offensive line created bigger holes than our street Rahal wraps up third IndyCar points title Scores INDYCAR SUNDAY'S RESULTS Kodalux Processing 300 1. Michael Andretti LolaFord 2. Mario Andretti LolaFord 3.

Bobby Rahal LolaChevy-A 4. Eddie Cheever LolaFord 5. John Andretti LolaChevy-A FINAL SEASON STANDINGS 1. Bobby Rahal 196 2. Michael Andretti 192 3.

Al UnserJr. 169 4. Emerson Fittipaldi 151 5. Scott Goodyear 108 6. Mario Andretti 105 7.

Danny Sullivan 105 8. John Andretti 94 9. Roel Boesel 80 Eddie Cheever 80 BASEBALL WORLD SERIES Toronto 5 Atlanta 4 NFL San Diego 34 Colts 14 Cleyeland 17 Green Bay igj Dallas 17 Kansas City' 'x) Washington 16 Phiiadelphia Chicago 31 Tampa Bay 14 San Francisco 56 Atlanta Miami 38 New England'''' IT Denver 27 Houston 21 LA Raiders 19 Seattle New Orleans 30 Phoenix "jf LA Rams .38 NV 'Giants 17 able to run relatively quickly and it was Just enough to get us where we needed to be," Rahal said. Michael Andretti, earning his series-leading fifth victory of the season, his second in a row at Laguna Seca and the 27th of his Indy-car career, said. "Of course we're not going (to Formula One) as champion, but we gave It our best shot.

"The car ran pretty good, but it was getting a little slick out there near the end, and Paul was putting on some pressure, but. all In all, it was almost a perfect day," See TNDYC AR Page 2 By MIKE HARRIS ASSOCIATED PRESS Monterey, Calif. Michael An-dretti's dominating victory Sunday in the Kodalux Processing 300 couldn't keep Bobby Rahal from wrapping up his third IndyCar PPG Cup championship. Andretti, driving his last IndyCar event before leaving for the Formula One series in 1993, finished 4.72 seconds ahead of his father and teammate. Mario after leading all 84 laps.

More important, though, Rahal ran a consistent race on Laguna Seca Paceway's 2.214-mile, 11- lapped car of Jim Vasser while turning onto the main straightaway on Lap 79. That accident knocked a wing off the front of Tracy's car and made for a severe handling problem that caused him to go off-course before completing another lap. That left the Andrettis to cruise to their 1-2 finish, but also assured Rahal, who knew he only needed to finish fourth or better to win the championship, to ease to the finish without pushing his car too hard. "As thijj race unfolded, we were turn course, finishing third and adding the 1992 series title to the ones he earned in 1986 and 1987. "The car wasn't too bad.

but it wasn't good enough to finish first or second," Rahal said, a big smile on his mustachioed face. "Fortunately, third was as good as a win." Michael Andretti averaged 99.996 mph. fighting off a challenge from Paul Tracy late In the. race. Tracy was often less than a second behind Andretti and appeared ready to make a move on the leijider before tangling with the 4-.