The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 8

THURSDAY Page 61 October 9, 1980 m. w7 nn i a i YANKEES-ROYALS i i it KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Control was the name of the game. Kansas City's Larry Gura had it and New York's Ron Guidry didn't. So even though both teams collected 10 hits yesterday, the Royals made off with a 7-2 victory over the Yankees in the opener of the best of-f ive American League Championship Series.

The series resumes here tonight (7 p.m., Channel 2) with New York's Rudy May, 15-5, opposing Kansas City's Dennis Leonard, 20-11. A third game will be played in New York tomorrow night with' the fourth and fifth games, if necessary, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon in Yankee Stadium. YANKEE-KILLER Gura survived consecutive home runs by New York's Rick Cerone and Lou Piniella in the second inning and blanked the Yankees the rest of the way, scattering five singles over the last six innings. 'Control is a very big factor," said Gura, who issued his only walk in the fourth inning. "It's always a big factor for me.

That's my game." the veteran left-hander was baffling the" Yankees with his assortment of slow pitches, the hard-throwing Guidry lasted only three innings, yielding four runs on five hits while walking four. MI GOT BEHIND too many hitters," Guidry said. "It's tough when you're behind the hitters. My best pitch is a slider, but if I can't get my fastball over, I can't just keep throwing the slider." The key hits against Guidry were Frank White's two-out, two-run double in the second inning and Willie Aikens' two-run single with two out and the bases loaded in the third. George Brett slammed a solo homer off Ron Davis in the seventh and Willie Wilson doubled home two unearned runs off Tom Underwood in the eighth.

Apparently the sight of a New York uniform was all that ex-Yankee Gura needed to end an eight-game winless slump stretching back to 25. Besides Wednesday's triumph, Gura has won his last seven regular-season decisions against the Yankees. "THIS SURE takes the sting out of not winning 20 games," Gura said. "I said during my -v i iS-- I tVvVV v' J- lit. ih i 'v j- 5: tj.

vvu Mr Astros Triumph Over Phils In JO PHILADELPHIA (AP) Slap-hitting Terry Puhl, who earlier drove in two runs with a single and a double, ignited Houston's winning rally with a lOth-inning hit as the Astros erupted for four runs to beat Philadelphia 7-4 in the second, game of the National League Championship Series last night. Jose Cruz's second run-scoring single of the game snapped a tie in the 10th and gave Houston a split of the first two games in this best-of-five pennant playoff. Games Three and Four are scheduled for the Astrodome tomorrow and Saturday and a fifth game, if needed, would be played Sunday. PUHL, WHO SAT on the bench against lefthander Steve Carlton in the opener of this series Tuesday, night, moved into the lineup as part of Manager Bill Virdon's southpaw-swinging platoon and the switch paid off handsome ly- Twice, early in the game, Puhl made Philadelphia starter Dick Ruthven pay for his wild- ness, helping to cash in bases on balls with clutch hits. But his biggest hit came opening the 10th after the Astros had escaped a frightening one-out, bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the ninth.

Philadelphia outfielder Garry Maddox drilled a run-scoring single in the eighth inning to send the game into extra innings, tied 3-3. Houston, trying to tie the best-of-f ive game series at one victory apiece, tied Game Two 2-2 with a run in the seventh and took the lead with another run in top of the eighth. GREG LUZINSKI led off the Philadelphia eighth with a single, and Lonnie Smith came in to run for him. Manny Trillo sacrificed Smith to second, and Smith scored when Maddox sin- gled up the middle. The Astros tied the game for the first time on an RBI double by Terry Puhl in the seventh.

Houston right-hander Nolan Ryan walked on a 3-2 pitch from Dick Ruthven and scored from first on Puhl's hit into the gap in right-center. Jose Cruz gave the Astros a brief lead in the eighth. Joe Morgan, hitless before the eighth, led off with a double to right-center off Phillies relief ace Tug McGraw, and Cruz, then lashed (Turn to Page 64, Column slump that people would.probably rather Tiave 1 1 wia tin'n a mama (w 4Ua vslitrnffe htn OA 4i'MMf "j' iiic win caiuc nt nic uiajuiio uiau uui UPI Colorphoto the season. From the fourth inning on I felt 1 tjn Tfimpf pretty good. The first couple of innings I was i KANSAS CITY New York's Buclcy Dent fires to complete double play as U.L Washington is out at second.

(Turn to Page 64, Column 3) Lou Graham Trying to AAakie PGA's Top 60 twit lJ dmJ otT'TVTC A rVT a'" VU At V. a 1 t.rtll iiramk1a fnr nncittnnc fnr tVlP last fViroA nncitinnc nn tha inn An of the Dlavers. will be scramble for positions for the last three positions on the top 60 that a ia. (An There will be a me Playoffs AmtHrii Lip Toiiy'iCta Nw York (Miy 1S-6) it Ktnui City (Leonard aMl) Toraofrow'i Giim ltnu aty (SpUttorll 14-11) it New York (John NeHoeol Uepe ttemelnuMy ttrke ToaiomwIGtiM Notniecbedul4 Sttsriey'i Utne PbliadalpUa it Hoaston, ii oetef vitally important list that determines the players who gain exemptions from qualifying for next year's Tour events. THOSE WHO make that list of the top 60 moneywinners can pick their spots, play in any tour event they want.

Those who don't make it, for the most part, must undergo the nerve-wracking trials of the Monday morning qualifying rounds. deeper in the standings, the fight for a spot in the season's top 60 moneywinners. Making a check, a check just large enough, will be the goal of a handful of players that include Terry DiehJ, George Archer, Rex Caldwell, Lanny Wadkins, Mark Hayes, John Fought, Lou Graham, Bobby Wadkins, Miller Barber and Brad Bryant. They are the ones involved in the struggle tournament within a tournament this week in the $200,000 Pensacola Open; the final individual event on the 10-month PGA Tour schedule. There will be usual race for the title and the $36,000 first prize with such players as Arnold Palmeri Jerry Pate, Hale Irwin, Hubert Green and Andy Bean as the most likely to succeed.

BUT OF EQUAL equal importance to many ODOOOOOOOOOOOOOO by F.M.Williams fd Winning Edge Waltrip Caught Sn A Stalemate nessee provides a classic bit of evidence to support that long-ago proven fact. The Vols have lost six fumbles this season, Five came in losing to Georgia and California. The one that occured. in winning efforts K' against Washington State and Auburn came I with the score 35-0 late in the third period at i Auburn. They have had three passes intercepted, two I in the-Southern Cal game and one against Washington State.

"One of the reasons for this remarkable record of turnovers comes from a coaching decision to let junior James Berry over on short yardage situations, especially when Tennessee was near the goal line. AND ONE OF the results of that strategy is that Berry with six touchdowns, is fighting Alabama kicker Peter Kim for the Southeastern Conference scoring lead this year. Kim has a one-point edge at this point, 37 to 3.6. If Berry should wind up the scoring champi- Vfr i 1 vs 1 1 1 i (ft! '-A 'if James Berry By LARRY WOODY Unless either Darrell Waltrip or his boss back down on their positions, the successful Grand National race driver from Franklin will be sitting out the next three seasons. Bill Gardner, boss of the DiGard Racing Team for which Waltrip has driven the past five seasons, says Waltrip has informed him that he will refuse to drive for the team again next year.

AND GARDNER, pointing out that Waltrip still has three years on his contract after this season, says if Waltrip doesn't drive for DiGard, then he won't drive. "Gardner has informed Waltrip that under no circumstances will he be released from his contract," said DiGard spokesman Paul Luf-kin from the team headquarters in Charlotte, N.C. yesterday. "He made the decision when Darrell tola him he wanted out, a couple Weeks ago at North Wilkesboro (N.C.). "Waltrip has said flatly he would not drive for DiGard next season and as soon as he made that decision, we began to contact other drivers including Johnny Rutherford, Mario Andretti, Bruce Jenner, Paul Newman, Joe Reuttman, Buddy Baker, Benny Parsons, Ricky Rudd and Don Whittington," said Lufkin.

"So far, we have had responses from Rutherford and Jenher, indicating they are interested. And I'm sure lots of the top NASCAR drivers, including some of the ones mentioned, would jump at the chance to get a ride like this." BUT EVEN IF a new DiGard driver is hired, Gardner says he will hd Waltrip to his contract, meaning he could drive for ho other team. serious," said Lufkin. "If Waltrip doens't drive for DiGard, then he doesn't drive for anybody for the next: three years and you know how stubborn Darrell is. Right now the situation is at an impasse and I really don't see either side giving in." i Waltrip was unavailable for comment yesterday, but his wife Stevie said he had signed no for-; mal letter of resignation and until he did, DiGard could not legally replace him with another driver.

Lufkin said, however, that Gardner was considering fielding two cars next season and, based on Waltrip's attitude, might put another driver in the featured Gato-rade No. 88 in which Waltrip has gained a reputation as one of the top race drivers in the country. "Again, I repeat what Gardner says: if Waltrip doesn't drive for DiGard next season, he doesn't drive," said Lufkin. "And he is just as stubborn as Darrell." WALTRIP HAS made no effort to disguise his dissatisfaction with the DiGard team. For sometime now, he has expressed a desire to breakaway.

"I don't think it's any secret that I've never been happy with the team," he said recently. "Ever since I've been here, there has been too much outside intefer-ence, too much meddling by peo-: pie who don't know anything about racing. I just think it's time for a change." Three more races remain on the Grand National schedule this season, Oct. 19 at Rockingham, Nov. 2 at Atlanta and Nov.

25 at Ontario, and Waltrip said he would continue to drive- the Digard car in those eveiity. on, he will be only th6 sixth Tennessee man to ever achieve that feat. Beattie Feathers did in the SEC's first year, 1933; Hal Payne in 1951; Jimmy Wade in 1953; Haskel Stanback in 1972; and Morgan twice, 1974 and 1975, when he tied with Kevin McLee, of Georgia. Bill Pace, Tennessee's assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, gets a lot pf credit for the improvement in turnovers, and since he calls the plays, for calling on the 185-pound Berry in short yardage situations on the goal line. -f i MYOU OUGHT TO check this out, but I was told when I came here that Berry did not fum ble a single time last season," Pace said yesterday.

"I know for sure that he has a history of not fumbling. "But he is natural for the short yardage situations because he is strong, and a fine inside runner. If you'll recall at Auburn (when Berry scored three touchdowns) he drove into a pile of defenders and just bulled his way through them to get over the goal line. His strength is in his No Tennessee fan will ever forget the horrible eight minutes late in the third quarter and early in the fourth when the Vols turned a certain victory over Georgia iriq a 16-15 defeat Staff colorphoto by Billy Easley Riding High These Hendersonville Commandos ore riding high after beating high-scoring Madison last week. Taking ride on the school lawn mower and not the mechanic bull from the movie lineman Steve Yest, left, and receiver Cowboy Lancaster.

The Commandos travel to Mount Juliet tomorrow night for a tough District 9-AAA showdown with the Bears. See story on Page 66. (Turn to Pse 62, Column 2) Urban Cowboy are back Stey Sale, center, I).