The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 24

vww.tennessean com THE TENNESSEAN Friday. June 30. 2000 5C SPOR IS: BASEBALL 5anks finally get Hi iimliil ill iiii Hernandez's bat sparks Sounds' slugger Justice break after the long game," Serafini said. Nashville took a 1-0 lead on Tim Laker's RBI double in the first inning, then offset Young's homer with the back-to-back doubles by Hernandez and Patterson against southpaw reliever Bryan Eversgerd. Chad Hermansen added a two-run homer in the eighth to seal the deal.

Good news: Pulled from last night's game following the second inning, Tike Redman thought he was in trouble for trying unsuccessfully to stretch a leadoff single into a double. Turns out Redman is headed to Pittsburgh, following an injury to Pirates outfielder Bruce Avcn. "It's a beautiful feeling," said the 23-year-old, who had not played above Class AA until this seasoa "It's what you dream of. I just want to try to make the best of it." Redman is hitting .247 with three home runs and 35 RBI; the latter total is the third-best for Nashville. He also leads the Sounds with 18 doubles and is tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with seven triples.

Pieces of history. The Cooper-stown Exhibit continues today at Greer Stadium will be the site of a three-day stop for the Cooper-stown Exhibit, beginning today and continuing through Saturday. The exhibit will include more than 800 artifacts from all facets of baseball including youth league, college and Olympic levels as well as the minors and majors. Fans will also be able to see how equipment has evolved over the years. A baseball lawyer said the deal ends the Yankees' pursuit of Sosa.

If the Yankees make another major move, it would be for pitching. "I think ultimately Sammy will be traded," said Tom Reich, Sosa's agent. "This one got real close. But there was a difference of opinion on the players. But I think ultimately there is a deal to make." The Indians also are looking to add pitching, with starters Charles Nagy and Jaret Wright out with injuries.

The deal also frees up money to re-sign Manny Ramirez, who is eligible for free agency after the seasoa Justice is making $7 million a year through 2002; while Ledee is making just $240,000 this season and isn't eligible for salary arbitration until after the 2001 seasoa "It was simple economics," Hart said. "This ballclub certainly has it's eyes on winning in '00 and absolutely have our eyes on retooling for the '01 seasoa" Justice, a left-handed hitter who should excel with the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium, was hitting .265 with 21 homers and a team-high 58 RBIs for Cleveland. "I'm stunned," Justice said. "But business is business. That's the game we play.

I'll go there and play hard like I do everywhere. I've never really felt comfortable there as an opposing player." He will likely be used as either a left fielder or designated hitter. "He gives us a powerful force, plus he's a good hitter," Torre said. "He's gonna do a lot for us." Ledee has struggled all seasoa He is hitting .241 with seven homers and 31 RBI. No.

26 Ken Griffey Jr. of the Cincinnati Reds hits his 26th home run of the season in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. The solo shot wasn't enough for the Reds, who lost 12-3. By JOSH DUBOW A Sports Writer The New York Yankees acquired a slugging outfielder no, it wasn't Sammy Sosa In an effort to boost their struggling team, the Yankees traded outfielder Ricky Ledee and two players to be named to the Cleveland Indians yesterday for David Justice.

The Yankees had a tentative deal for Detroit's JUSTICE Juan Gonzalez fall through because they couldn't agree to a contract with the outfielder and their bid for Sosa ended when they couldn't agree on players with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs apparently wanted at least five Yankees prospects, including several considered among the best in the New York farm system. "We had a player who was desirable if they couldn't pull off a Sammy Sosa or Juan Gonzalez deal," Indians general manager John Hart said. "We were waiting in line." "I'm happy, and hopefully this will quiet things down so we can focus on baseball," Manager Joe Torre said after the Yankees beat Detroit 8-0 last night. "Hopefully, it takes some of the distractions away so we can focus." After winning three titles in the last four years, the Yankees would not be one of the four AL playoff teams if the season ended today.

Associated Press SEATTLE Ten games before the All-Star break, the Seattle Mariners have overtaken the Oakland Athletics for first place in the AL West. They're playing like they intend to stay there, too. "I've always liked our chances from Day 1," Stan Javier said after the Mariners beat the Anaheim Angels 7-2 yesterday. "This team does a lot of good things. It doesn't make mistakes." John Olerud hit two home runs and had three RBI, while Javier and Robert Machado added homers for the Mariners.

Yankees 8, Tigers 0 DETROIT With trade talks resolved for now, the New York Yankees finally started winning agaia After trading Ricky Ledee for David Justice before the game, the Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers behind Andy Pettitte's second career shutout. The weeks of speculation weighed heavily on the World Series champions, who are 15-26 since May 9. Blue Jays 12, Devil Rays 3 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Brad Fullmer and Jose Cruz Jr.

hit three-run homers as Toronto won its seventh coasecutive series with a victory over Tampa BayRaul Mondesi and Tony Batista hit two-run homers for the Blue Jays, who have won seven of eight and taken over first place in the AL East. Royals 6, Indians 1 KANSAS CITY, Mo. Carlos Beltran homered from both sides of the plate, and Chad Durbin gave -j Mariners lead in By MAURICE PATT0N Sports Writer With his second straight multi-hit outing, Alex Hernandez helped the Nashville Sounds salvage a split of their four-game series with Memphis last night. The light-hitting left-handed first baseman doubled and scored the go-ahead run in a 4-1 victory, following Wednesday's 10-9, 13-in-ningwin. "It feels good to start playing better and help get the offense go ing," said Hernandez, who went 2-for-3 after tripling home a pair of runs two days ago and going 3-for-6.

The back-to-back efforts raised his average from .089 to .154. "I'm being a little more patient at the plate, making the pitcher throw strikes, trying to get ahead in the count and get a pitch I can hit. It's been kinda tough; they throw more breaking balls for strikes here (than in Double-A)." The seventh-inning run scored by Hernandez on Jarrod Patterson's two-bagger made a winner of Nashville starter Dan Serafini. In his debut with the Sounds after coming over from the San Diego organization, Serafini threw seven innings of four-hit ball, allowing one run on a solo homer by Ernie Young in the fourth. "I knew they could hit," said Serafini, who started the Redbirds on June 5 while he was with Las Vegas (4 13 innings, three earned runs).

"But they hit balls right at people. We played well defensively. I threw more pitches than I wanted, but I threw a lot of strikes. "I was happy to give the staff a Sounds vs. Omaha: The Sounds will begin a series against Omaha at Greer Stadium at 7 p.m.

Pitchers: Nashville will start RHP Jose Parra (2-2, 7.61 ERA) against RHP Jason Rakers (2-0, 3.52) of the Golden Spikos Radio: 560-AM. liana -liAili'etoS'VtVI m-u. a -e Sounds 4, Redbirds 1 MEMPHIS ab bi ab bi 1010 little Richard rf Young If Lucca 3b Haas lb McDonald Garcia ss Reames Whrfmore ph Totals 2000 4000 4000 3111 4020 4000 3000 4010 2000 1000 31 1 4 1 Redman cf Brederf 2100 3100 Wood 2b Hermonsen l(cf 4112 laker 4021 Montgomery rflf 3 0 0 0 Hernandez lb 3120 Patterson 3b 40 2 1 Zoskyss 3010 Serafini 1000 Totali 30 4 9 4 Memphis 000 100 000 I Nashville 100 000 12x 4 Clapp, Hernandez, Serafini. DP: Memphis 1, Nashville I. LOB Memphis 8 Nashville 6.

2B Garcia, Laker, Hernandez, Patterson. HR Young (24), Her- mansen o). on rvtamnez. od wooa (zj. er bb so Memphis Reames, Eversgerd 3-4 Dougherty Crafton Nashville Serafini W.3-4 Sauerbeck Andujar 72:30.

A 4,022.. 6 5 1 1 2 8 1 I 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 list against his will, the biggest blow to a Boston Red Sox team losing games and players at an alarming rate. The decision wasn't unanimous, with the American League's best pitcher saying he could take his regular turn tomorrow against MARTINEZ the Chicago White Sox despite side and shoulder problems. But management preferred the cautious approach when the health of their ace was involved. The move was retroactive to Monday, making i 11 grab AL West lohnson Associated Press PHOENIX Randy Johnson pitched five-hit ball over eight innings, tied his season high with 13 strikeouts and got his NL-leading 12th victory as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Houston Astros 7-1 last night.

Steve Finley hit his second homer in as many nights for the Diamondbacks, who won for the sixth times in eight games to remain two games ahead of the Colorado Rockies in the NL West. Johnson (12-2) walked three and hit a batter as he ran his league-leading strikeout total to 177 and lowered his league-best ERA to 1.57. Johnson reached the double-digit strikeout mark for the 12th time in 17 starts this season and 137th time in his career. Cardinals 12, Reds 3 CINCINNATI Shawon Dun-ston, Eric Davis and Edgar Rente-ria homered, powering the Cardinals to a victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Dunston had a run-scoring single in the first and a three-run homer in the third, putting the Cardinals ahead 6-0 and on track for their 13th victory in 17 games.

Rockies 11, Giants 4 DENVER Jeff Cirillo had three hits and drove in three runs as the Colorado Rockies beat San 12 suspensions lifted: Twelve members of the Los Angeles Dodgers had their suspensions overturned for their roles in a brawl with fans at Wrigley Field last month. Sixteen players and three coaches were originally suspended for a total of 76 games for their part of a brawl in the stands in Chicago on May 16. It was believed to be the largest number of suspensions in a single case in baseball history. Paul Beeston, baseball's chief operating officer, overturned three-game suspensions for pitchers Terry Adams, Darren Dreifort, Eric Gagne, Onan Masaoka, Alan Mills, Antonio Osuna and Chan Ho Park; gets 12th fans 13, victory Francisco to take three of four from the Giants. Neifi Perez, Brent Mayne and Larry Walker each added two RBIs for Colorado and Masato Yoshii (4-7) posted his third straight victory, allowing four runs and nine hits in seven innings.

Brewers 8, Phillies 6 PHILADELPHIA Jason Bere struck out a season-high 13 in eight innings as the Milwaukee Brewers snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Pirates 5, Cubs 4 PITTSBURGH Sammy Sosa hit a tape-measure homer not long after learning he wouldn't be traded to the Yankees, but the Chicago Cubs blew a late two-run lead in losing to Pittsburgh in 10 innings. Padres 5, Dodgers 4 LOS ANGELES Wiki Gonzalez and Phil Nevin each hit two-run home runs as the San Diego Padres did all their scoring with homers in a victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. catcher Todd Hundley; first baseman Eric Karros; and outfielders Geronimo Berroa and Shawn Green. Coach Glenn Hoffman's eight-game suspension also was overturned, and pitcher Mike Fetters' four-game ban was reduced to one game.

Beeston upheld the penalties for catcher Chad Kreuter (eight games), pitcher Carlos Perez (five games) and outfielders Gary Sheffield and F.R Santangelo (five games each). Eight-game suspension for coaches Rick Dempsey and John Shelby were also upheld, as were fines to all 19 Dodgers. Martinez on DL Pedro Martinez was placed on the 15-day disabled L. Jtlitl.t dlllnl American Conference Central Division Pet. 531 .526 GB Albuquerque (Dodgers) 43 38 Col.Springs (Rockies) 41 37 Omaha (Royals) 38 40 Iowa (Cubs) 33 48 Eastern Division Memphis (Cardinals) 49 31 Oklahoma (Rangers) 40 39 New Orleans (Astros) 39 40 Nashville (Pirates) 35 44 Pacific Conference Southern Division Sacramento (Athletics) 47 34 Lis Vegas (Padres) 45 32 Tucson (Diamondbacks) 40 39 Fresno (Giants) 28 52 l'i ,487 4'? .407 11 .613 .506 .494 .443 8'; 9'! Wh Pel.

GB .580 .584 .506 .350 18 Northern Division Salt Lake (Twins! 50 39 .625 Edmonton (Angels) Tacoma (Mariners) Calgary (Marlins) .506 9V 39 29 .488 11 .358 21 'A Wednesday's results Las Vegas 10, Aibuqueraue 1 Colorado Springs 1 0, Salt Lake 8 Fresno 3, Calgary 2 Oklahoma 6, Iowa 3 Nashville 1 0, Memphis 9, 1 3 innings Omaha 3, New Orleans 2 Edmonton 7, Sacramento 5 Tacoma 3, Tucson I Yesterday's results Albuquerque at Las Vegas Colorado Springs at Salt Lake Fresno at Calgary Iowa at Oklahoma Memphis at Nashville New Orleans at Omaha Sacramento at Edmonton Tacoma at Tucson Today's games Albuquerque at Tucson Colorado Springs at Tacoma Fresno at Edmonton Iowa at Memphis Oklahoma at New Orleans Omaha at Nashville Sacramento at Calgary Salt Lake at Las Vegas Martinez eligible to be activated July 11 the day of the All-Star game. "He says he's OK to pitch on Saturday so it's basically my decision to put him on the disabled list," Manager Jimy Williams said. "I think it's the right decision. He doesn't. That's all Martinez hasn't been his dominating self in his last four starts since missing a turn with a strained oblique muscle in his right side.

He was 8-2 with a 1.05 ERA before that stretch but was 9-3 with a 1.44 ERA after Sunday's 6-5, 13-inning loss in Toronto. He still leads the majors in ERA and the AL with 140 strikeouts but has allowed six homers in his last two starts NEWS SERVICES Nashville 3425 Murphy Road (615) 383-5151 Goodlettsville Rivergate Mall (615) 859-5909 Franklin Cool Springs Mall (6)5 771-7243 Anrioch Hickory Hollow Mall (615 731-9363 Clarktville 2644 Wilma Rudolph Blvd. (931645-9191 Columbia 1904 Shady Brook St. (931) 380-0599 The Diva Extra Pager $19.99 when you present this coupon. Teletouch Limited time ofler.

White supplies last Plus activation and service agreement Some restrictions may appty. See stores tor details. up only five hits in 8 2-3 innings as Kansas City rolled to a victory over the Cleveland Indians. Kansas City took a 1-0 lead after Cleveland starter Bartolo Colon walked the first four batters in the first, tying a major league record. Colon (7-5) began the night by walking Johnny Damon, Jeff Re-boulet and Mike Sweeney.

Then he walked Jermaine Dye to force in a run. Red Sox 12, Orioles 4 BOSTON Brian Daubach snapped out of a slump with two homers and six RBI and Tim Wakefield pitched seven strong innings as the Boston Red Sox broke a five-game losing streak with a victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Rangers 3, Athletics 1 OAKLAND, Calif. Esteban Loaiza, whose previous start was skipped because the schedule allowed the Rangers to use a four-man rotation, gave up one run in 7 1-3 innings and Texas defeated the Oakland Athletics. Twins 10, White Sox 1 CHICAGO Eric Milton allowed five hits in seven innings, and Jay Canizaro had a career-high four hits, including a solo homer, to lead the Minnesota Twins over the Chicago White Sox.

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