The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 29

THE TENNESSEAN Friday. July 16 1999 SC' SPORTS: BASEBALL Seattle opens The Safe Dierker back as Astros win SEATTLE The Safe opened for business last night, with the Seattle Mariners uncertain em whether they can keep Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez locked up. After 22V2 seasons In the climate-controlled I a Cardinals 3, White Sox 2 Chicago AB Bl BB SO Avg. Durham 2b 6 1 2 0 0 0 .299 Singleton cf 5 1 2 2 0 1 318 Simas 0 0 0 0 0 0 BWard 0 0 0 0 0 0 SLowe 0 0 0 0 0 0 g-LRdrgi ph-ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 .136 Thomas lb 4 0 1 0 0 1 322 Konerko lb 2 0 0 0 0 0 .280 Rizzo 0 0 0 0 0 0 MOrdonez rt 0 1 0 0 0 330 CLee If 3 0 1 0 1 0 .297 Howry 0 0 0 0 0 0 Simmons cf 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Norton 3b-lb 3 0 0 0 2 1 .225 CWilson ss-3b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .256 MLJohnson 3 0 0 0 0 2 .183 f-Fordvce ph-c 1 0 0 0 1 0 308 Slrotka 2 0 0 0 0 1 333 b-Caruso ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 .261 Foulke 0 0 0 0 0 0.

000 Jackson If 1 0 0 0 0 0 374 Totals 42 2 I 1 4 I St. Louis AB Bl BB SO Ava McEwing rf-2b 6 0 1 0 0 0 302 Drew cf 602003330 McGwire lb 4 1 1 1 2 0 .266 Talis 3b 6 0 2 0 0 1 .290 Lankford If 1 1 0 1 3 318 Renleria ss 5 0 2 0 0 1 301 Croushore 0 1 0 0 1 0 .500 ACastillo 3 0 1 0 0 1 .231 C-Brags ph-rt 1 0 0 0 1 0 374 Polanco 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0 369 d-McGee ph 1 0 0 1 0 0 345 Marrero 000000304 Jimenez 2 0 0 0 0 0 .132 a-THoward ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 347 Avbar 0 0 0 0 0 0 .091 Painter 0 0 0 0 0 0. 000 Boltaltco 0 0 0 0 0 0 000 e-Dunslon ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 349 Rdnsky 0 0 0 0 0 0 DHoward ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 .188 Totals 45 1 10 2 Kingdome, the Mariners moved into Safeco Field, which has a retractable roof but no heating or air conditioning. At $517 million, it is the most expensive baseball stadium ever. While the team wants the Public Facilities District that built the ballpark to pay for $100 million in overruns, some fans didn't concern themselves with the cost.

The government agreed to pay $372 million of the original $417 million estimate. Lorin Sandretzky, a 33-year-old bodyguard from suburban Burien, made his feelings clear as he sat In the main concourse, holding high a sign that read: "Whoever Paid for It, Thanks!" "It's beautiful, It's 100 state of the art," he said. "For anybody that's complaining, I say come down here and look at what CHRISTENING THE SAFE David Bell of the Seattle Mariners gets the first home team hit in Seattle's new ball park Safeco Park a double in the bottom of the first inning, last night against the San Diego Padres. The game was still in progress at presstime. Rangers beat Johnson Associated Press 'HOUSTON The Houston Astros won in Larry Dierker's return from brain surgery.

Derek Bell got the big two-run, go-ahead single that capped a comeback from a six-run deficit. So you'd think Bell would be happy following last night's 8-6 win over the Detroit Tigers, wouldn't you? that wasnt the case. Dierker dropped him to the No. 6 spot in the batting brder. like I just got here," Bell said.

"I've been here helping this team for five years. It hurts." Bell, who batted second in recent years, hit just .244 in the first half of the season. Fpns responded by booing. vSo much for rallying around the manager in his return. hoped he would do well," Dierker said.

"I tried to point out to him that there was a lot of opportunity in that spot for a guy who gets a lot of RBI. We're hoping the other guys will get on base arid give him more RBI opportunities." Dierker collapsed in the dugout on June 13, and two days later had brain surgery to repair malformed blood vessels. Houston went 13-14 under interim manager Matt Galante, the team's bench coach. "It was a wonderful comeback to come back with a comeback win," Dierker said. "That's kind of the way we did it last year." Cubs 9, Twins 3 CHICAGO Sammy Sosa snapped out of a slump with his major-league leading 33rd homer and a double, and Henry Rodriguez hit a three-run shot as the Chicago Cubs beat the Minnesota Twins.

The Cubs, who play 21 of their next 27 games at Wri-gley Field, finished with 17 hits. Rodriguez gave Chicago a 4-2 lead in the fifth, connecting for his 16th homer following a walk to Sosa and single by Grace off Brad Radke (6-8). Sosa, who earlier snapped an 0-for-12 skid with a seventh-inning double, hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Bob We'lls. It was Sosa's first homer since July 4. Cards 3, White Sox 2 ST.

LOUIS Rick Croush-ore scored from first when Greg Norton threw away a 13th-inning bunt, and the St Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago White Sox. Mark McGwire hit his 29th home run as the Cardinals won for only the second time in six extra-inning home games. The White Sox had no hits during the last five innings. Croushore (3-2), who pitched three innings, reached on a walk off Todd Rizzo (0-1) to open the 13th after fouling off several 3-2 pitches. Norton fielded Darren Bragg's high-bouncing bunt to first and struck him a few steps from the bag.

Chicago used three pitchers in escaping a one-out, bases-loaded situation in the 10th. Indians 2, Pirates 0 PITTSBURGH Bartolo Colon regularly hit 101 mph on the radar gun during eight shutout innings, extending his scoreless streak against the Pittsburgh Pirates to 17 innings as the Cleveland Indians won. Colon (8-3) was dominating after winning only once in his previous nine starts. He struck out eight and limiting the Pirates to three harmless singles in his best start of the season. Mike Jackson pitched the ninth for his 20th save.

Only one leadoff hitter reached base against Colon. Chicago 200 000 000 000 0-2 8 2 St. Louis 0O0 100 001 000 1-3 10 0 No outs when winning run scored. a-grounded out for Jimenez in the 7th. b-singled for Sirotka In the 8th.

c-flied out on a bunt for Castillo in the 9th. d-grounded into fielder's choice for Polanco in the 9th. e-grounded out for Bollalico In the 9th. f-walked for Johnson In the 10th. g-flied out for Lowe in the 13th.

E-Norton 2 (20). LOB-Chlcago 7, St. Louis 13. 2B-Drew (7), ACastillo (6). HR-McGwire (29) off Sirotka; Singleton (8) off Jimenez.

RBIs Singleton 2 (41), McGwire (73), McGee (15). SB-Renleria (19). CS-Sin-glelon (1), MOrdonez (5). S-CWIIson, Jackson, Bragg, Marrero. Runners left in scoring position Chicago 3 (Singleton, MOrdonez, Jackson); St.

Louis 5 (McEwing, Renterla 2, THoward). Runners moved up Fordyce, DHoward. DP-Chicago 1 (CWilson and Durham); St. Louis 1 (McGwire). Chicago IP ER BB SO NP ERA Sirotka 7 6 1 1 0 5 105 3.09 Foulke 1 0 0 0 1 2 16 2.98 Howry 1 1 1 1 1 0 26 3.82 Simas 1-3 2 0 0 1 0 16 3.96 BWard 1-3 0 0 0 0 1 4 5.50 SLowe ti 1 0 0 1 1 32 2.72 Rizzo 0-1 0 0 1 0 1 0 16 000 St.

Louis IP ER BB SO NP ERA Jimenez 7 6 2 2 1 6 95 5.54 Avbar 0 2 0 0 0 0 6 3.34 Painter 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 4 5.85 Bollalico 1ft 0 0 0 1 1 14 3.86 Radinsky 1 0 0 0 1 0 16 4.78 Crshr W3-2 3 0 0 0 1 1 38 234 Rizzo pitched to 2 batters In the 13th, Aybar pitched to 2 batters in the 8th. Inherited runners-scored BWard 3-0, SLowe 3-0, Painter 2-0, Bollalico 2-0. IBB off Simas (McGwire) 1, off Foulke (McGwire) 1. Umpires Home, Crawford; First, Nauert; Second, Gorman; Third, West. Astros 8, Tigers 6 Detroit AB Bl BB SO Avg.

Encrncn If-cf 5 0 1 0 0 1 .270 Ausmus 4 2 3 0 0 1 .285 Higginson rf 4 1 1 1 0 3 344 Palmer 3b 4 2 3 2 0 1 .278 TCIark lb 4 0 1 0 0 0 .240 Easley 2b 4 1 2 2 0 2 357 Kapler cf 3 0 0 0 0 0 340 d-Polonia ph-lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 351 DCruz ss 4 0 1 1 0 1 .268 AAlirkl 9 ft ft 1 9 AHA career. Jay Bell added his 25th homer in the eighth inning, a solo shot. With Johnson pitching with a lead for the first time in five starts, one run appeared to be all he needed. The Rangers' first seven runners all reached with two outs. McLemore ended that with a leadoff single in the eighth, but was stranded when Roberto Kelly flied out and Johnson struck out Ivan Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez.

The Rangers also wasted a bases-loaded chance in the fourth by striking out Jon Shave. Johnson left after allowing five singles and a double. He struck out eight and walked two. He had fanned at least 1 1 in his last four starts. Johnson's four straight losses by shutout were the 10th time that's happened in major league history.

The Diamondbacks had only four hits until Bell's homer. Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas Randy Johnson can't escape his jinx. Mark McLemore's bases-loaded double with two outs in the ninth drove in all three Texas runs last night, giving the Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Johnson, who had pitched great his last four starts but got zero runs from his teammates, shut out Texas on six hits over eight innings. Newly acquired closer Matt Mantei replaced him to start the ninth and was the goat.

Mantei (1-3) got the first two outs on a strikeout and a comebacker, then became only the second major league pitcher ever to walk three straight pinch hitters. McLemore got the count to 2-2 before driving the ball into the right-center field gap. Speedy right fielder Tony Womack couldn't get there in time for the catch, but he knocked it down. Center fielder Steve Finley threw home, but Lee Stevens slid in before the ball arrived. McLemore, who had slid into second base, jumped up and joined a wild celebration in the middle of the diamond.

Mike Venafro pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory. Mantei, acquired from Florida last week to settle a rocky Arizona bullpen, cost Johnson his first victory since June 14. He has lost five straight despite allowing just six earned runs in 32 innings, a 1.69 ERA. The problem was a lack of hitting by his teammates. The Diamondbacks hadn't scored in their last 34 innings with their ace on the mound before Matt Williams singled home Tony Womack in the first with the hit of his their money did.

This is what baseball should be. I've never seen so many smiles." The game against the San Diego Padres, which was still in progress at presstime, was almost an afterthought as the Mariners celebrated the move to Safeco Field. Former Mariners AMn Davis, Harold Reynolds and Ruppert Jones participated in a pregame ceremony honoring the team's past. Mariners announcer Dave Niehaus, who has been with the team since its 1977 Inception, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. And fans explored the ballpark, many In awe of its technological marvels particularly the retractable roof that covers the stadium like an umbrella.

Like a curtain rising on a new act, the 22-mlllion-pound roof opened an hour before Seattle played the Padres. Blair 000000 000 erocaii uuuoou Florie 0 0 0 0 0 0 f-Jefferies ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .206 Totals 36 12 6 1 12 Bl BB so Ava 0 .294 0 0 0 316 0 .313 0 0 319 Houston Biggio 2b Spiers 3b Bagwell lb Everett cf JPowell e-Howell ph Wagner Hidalgo If DeBell rt Bako Bogar ss Reynolds a-RuJohnson ph DHenry b-Mleske ph TrMiller 2 .241 i i 0 347 0 .280 0 .247 0 329 0 .236 ASSOCIATED PRESS Memphis takes two from Sounds 0 Rangers 3, Diamondbacks 2 0 .240 0 .000 0 386 2 c-GBarker ph-cf Totals Arizona AB Bl BB SO Avg. Womack rf 3 1 1 0 1 0 .269 JBell 2b 3 1 1 1 1 0 386 LGonzalez dh 4 0 1 0 0 0 359 MaWilliams 3b 3 0 1 1 1 0 319 SFinlev cf 3 0 0 0 1 2 366 Delluccl If 4 0 1 0 0 1 33 TLee lb 4 0 0 0 0 1 354 AFox ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 376 DMiller 300000 358 Totals 31 2 2 4 Texas AB Bl BB SO Avg. McLemore If 5 0 2 3 0 0 376 RKelly rf 4 0 1 0 0 1 313 IRodriguez 4 0 2 0 0 1 397 JuGonzalez dh 4 0 1 0 0 2 313 Zeile 3b 4 0 0 0 0 2 381 Mateo cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .184 Clayton ss 2 0 0 0 1 1 343 a-Greer ph 0 1 0 0 1 0 368 Alicea 2b 2 0 0 0 1 0 .162 b-R Palmeiro ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 355 1-ScGreen pr 0 1 0 0 0 0 333 Shave lb 3 0 0 0 0 2 322 c-Stevens ph 0 1 0 0 1 0 385 Totals 32 3 7 3 TODAY: vs. Memphis, 7 p.m.

LPH Paul Ah Yat ERA) gets the start for Nashville. The Redbirds will go with LHP RickAnkiel (3-1, 3.38), considered one of the top prospects in the minors. TOMORROW: vs. Memphis, 6 p.m. SUNDAY: vs.

Memphis, 4 p.m. American Conference Central Division Pet GB Omaha (Royals) 55 34 -Albuo, (Dodgers) 43 44 .483 12 Col.Springs (Rockies) 42 45 .483 12 Iowa (Cubs) 42 47 .472 13 Eastern Division Nashville (Pirales) 57 30 .655 Oklahoma (Rangers) 49 39 J57 VI Memphis (Cardinals) 43 40 518 12 New Orleans (Astros) 36 53 .404 22 Pacific Conference Southern Division Pet. GB Fresno (Giants) 48 41 .539 -Salt Lake (Twins) 45 42 il7 2 Tucson (D'backs) 43 47 .478 5Va Las Vegas (Padres) 39 50 .438 9 Northern Division Vancouver (Athletics) 47 42 -Edmonton (Angels) 39 47 .443 6'S Tacoma (Mariners) 38 49 .437 8 Calgary (Marlins) 36 50 .419 9i Wednesday's results PCL All-Stars 9, IL All-Stars 5 Yesterday's results Salt Lake at Fresno Albuquerque at Iowa Oklahoma at Las Vegas Memphis at Nashville, 2 Colorado Springs at Omaha New Orleans at Tucson Calgary at Vancouver Edmonton at Tacoma Today's games Edmonton at Tacoma Calgary at Vancouver New Orleans at Tucson Colorado Springs at Omaha Memphis at Nashville Oklahoma at Las Vegas Albuquerque at Iowa Salt Lake at Fresno Detroit 010 410 000-6 12 1 Houston 000 032 30X-8 9 0 a-doubled for Reynolds In the 5th. b-ground-ed out for Henry In the 6th. c-grounded out for TMiiler In the 7th.

d-grounded out for Kapler in the 8th. e-grounded out for J.Powell In the 8th. f-struck out for Florie In the 9th. E-TClark (5). LOB-Detroll 4, Houston 8.

2B-Kigginson (16), Easley 2 (22), DCruz (16), RuJahnson (5). 3B-Palmer (1), Bako (1), Bcgar (1). HR-Bagwell (29) off Mlicki; Palmer (23) off Reynolds. RBIs-Higginson (37), Palmer 2 (60), Easley 2 (44), DCruz (18), Bagwell 3 (81), DeBell 2 (50), Bogar 2 (24), Mieske (6). SB-Bagwell (18).

CS-Everett (2). GIDP-Encarnadon. Runners left in scoring positkw-Detroil 3 (TCIark, Mlicki 2); Houston 5 (Everett 2, Bogar, Reynolds, GBarker). Runners moved up TCIark, Bagwell, Everett, Mieske. DP-Houston 1 (Bogar, Biggio and Bagwell).

Detroit IP RER BB SO NP ERA Mlicki 6 8 5 3 0 2 109 5.29 Blair 1-8 0 0 2 2 2 0 14 7.27 Brocail 1 1 1 1 2 0 27 2.85 Florie 1 0 0 0 1 0 14 4.54 Houston IP RERBBSONPERA Reynolds 5 8 6 6 1 7 82 3.89 DHenry 1 1 0 0 0 1 12 5.84 TMIr 1-1 1 2 0 0 0 1 12 615 JPowell 1 1 0 0 0 2 18 3.63 Wagner 23 1 0 0 0 0 1 11 1.76 Blair pitched to 2 baiters In the 7th. Inherited runners-scored Brocail 2-2. HBP-by Mlicki (Bagwell), by Mlicki (Bogar). PB Ausmus. Umpires-Home, Rapuano; First, Williams, Second, Bonln; Third, Pulll.

T-305. A 32,573 (54J70). Cubs 9, Twins 3 Minnesota AB Bl BB SO Avg. Hocking 2b 5 1 1 1 0 0 372 CGuzman ss 3 0 1 0 1 0 .223 c-TWalker ph 1 0 I 0 0 0 .281 Gates 3b 4 0 1 1 1 0 .287 Coomer lb 4 0 0 0 0 1 378 CAIIen If 3 1 1 0 1 0 .295 MCordova rf 4 0 2 0 0 1 391 Steinbach 4 0 1 1 0 0 315 THunter cf 2 1 1 0 1 0 333 TraMiller 0 0 0 0 0 0 b-Koskie ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 306 BWells 0 0 0 0 0 0 Guardado 0 0 0 0 0 0 Radke 2 0 0 0 0 0. 000 JJones cf 2 0 0 0 0 1 387 Totals 34 1 3 3 Arizona 100 000 010-2 5 0 Texas 000 000 003-3 7 2 Two outs when winning run scored.

a-walked for Clayton In the 9th. b-walked for Alicea in the 9m. c-walked for Shave in the th. 1-ran for Palmeiro In the 9th. E-IRodriguez (5), Helling (2).

LOB-Arlzo-na 6, Texas 8. 2B-Delluccl (7), McLemore (12), RKelly (10). HR-JBell (25) off Helling. RBIs JBell (66), MaWilliams (83), McLemore 3 (25). SB-Womack (39).

CS-IRodriguez (4). Runners left in scoring position Arizona 3 (SFinlev, AFox, DMiller); Texas 4 HRodriguez, Zeile, Shave 2). Runners moved up-LGonzalez, Delluccl. Arizona IP ER BB SO NP ERA RaJohnson 8 6 0 0 2 8 120 2.80 Mantei 1-3 1 3 3 3 1 36 3.32 Texas IP RERBBSONPERA Helling 8 5 2 2 3 4 117 4.49 Vnfro W3-1 1 0 0 0 1 1 11 2.77 PB-DMiller. Umpires-Home, Cooper; First, Merrill; Second, Johnson; Third, Ford.

T-238. A 33,328 Baseball prepares to replace umpires Get ready for the amateur umps. Baseball owners are pre-. pared to let the men In blue resign en masse and replace them all. Management officials said yesterday they are not Inclined to challenge the umpires' decision to quit over the tension that be- gan when Roberto Alomar spat at an ump in 1996.

But while baseball Is leaning toward hiring a new set of um- pires, Commissioner Bud Selig will make the final decision, the Associated Press reported. "That reaction typifies the smugness, the arrogance that has led us to where we are, and It exemplifies the lack of apprecla-j Hon for the umpires," union head Richie Phillips said. "They tried it before, It wasn't successful. They tried it In '79, it wasn't successful. They tried it in '84, it wasn't successful.

I guess peri-odically they have to try that." Phillips said he had submitted the resignations of 57 of the 68 major league umpires, effective Sept. 2, 4'i weeks before the end of the regular season. Six of the remaining umpires will soon add their resignations, Phillips said. If the umps do quit, owners could hire umpires from minor ''leagues, high schools and colleges, as they have during previous work stoppages. They also could use legal maneuvers to avoid Kr delay handing over $15 million In termination pay.

Minor-league umpires will decide tomorrow whether to Join thelr major-league counterparts and walk off the job. Minor- league umpires are considering the action to protest poor work-. ing conditions and minor-league baseball's refusal to recognize their union, said Pat Campbell, associate counsel for the Major League and Minor League Umpires Associations. MILWAUKEE PARK OPENING IN DOUBT: After an accident killed three workers and seriously damaged the new stadium, the opening date of Miller Park in Milwaukee has been thrown Into doubt. "We have no Idea as to whether there will be a delay or not.

We could Just as likely be opening on time as not opening on time," said Brewers spokesman Laurel Prieb. A 567-foot crane collapsed while lifting a piece of the retractable roof Wednesday, crushing another crane and landing heavily on the first-base side of the $400 million ballpark. But several hundred tons of smashed, mangled structure, the Brewers insisted plans to open the ballpark next April haven't been abandoned. Officials said the main concerns are finding replacements for the crane and for the roof pieces, which are made with a type of steel manufactured only in Luxembourg. MARINERS ACTIVATE BUHNER: The Seattle Mariners activated right fielder Jay Buhner from the disabled list in time for the team's first game at Safeco Field last night.

Buhner has been out since May 19 with a strained left hamstring. He's played in Just 26 games this season, hitting .268 with six home runs and 18 runs batted in. LANKFORD BACK: Outfielder Ray Lankford was back in the lineup for the St. Louis Cardinals after missing nine games with soreness In his midsection. Lankford was batting .320 with 12 homers and 37 RBI.

NOMO TALKS: The Milwaukee Brewers are talking with Hideo Nomo about a contract extension. Nomo signed with the Brewers on May 2 after he was released by the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. He's gone 7-2 with a 3.95 ERA in 13 starts. OTHER DEALS: The New York Yankees purchased the contract of left-hander Allen Watson from Trlple-A Columbus. Watson appeared in 17 games this season for the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners.

He was a combined 2-3 with a 4.64 ERA before being released by the Mariners on June 28. Right-handers Rolando Arrojo and Esteban Yan were activated from the disabled list by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. -ALL-STAR IMPACT: The economic impact of the All-Star game was more of a windfall to Boston than tourism officials expected, according to early estimates. The unanticipated success of FanFesI and evidence of higher-than-expected retail sales have officials at the Greater Boston Convention visitors Bureau predicting that spending may come closer to major league baseball's estimate of $62 million. That's well over their own prediction of $50 million to $54 million.

TENNESSEAN NEWS SERVICES Bv MAURICE PATTON Sports Writer Having won a few games this season that perhaps he didn't deserve to win, Todd Van Poppel lost one he probably didn't deserve to lose last night. The Nashville Sounds right-hander posted 10 strikeouts in six innings and allowed one run on five hits. But that one run was all the Memphis Redbirds needed to complete a sweep, grabbing a 1-0 victory on the heels of a 4-2 win in the early game at Greer Stadium. "That's just baseball," said Van Poppel (74), who posted a 6.50 ERA in three consecutive starts last month but won all three. "There have been times I've gone out and gotten beat up and came up with the win.

It all evens out." Nashville, which scored two late runs but couldn't get over the hump in Game 1, made a similar run in the nightcap. The Sounds loaded the bases in the sixth inning against Memphis starter Brian Barnes. With one out, though, Barnes struck out Jose Guillen and got a ground-out from Ray Montgomery to snuff out the threat. The Sounds put on two more runners in the seventh, but couldn't advance them any farther than second base as they were swept for the second time in six twinbills. "Barnes is a smart pitcher," said Montgomery, who doubled to lead off the fifth but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.

"He didn't make too many mistakes in the strike zone. We never really figured him out." In the first game, the Redbirds got to Sounds starter Kane Davis (1-1) for a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Nashville came back in the bottom of the inning and put the first two runners on, but followed with an infield fly, a fielder's choice and a strikeout to squelch the threat Memphis added a run in the third, before the Sounds finally scratched in the fourth Indians 2, Pirates Cleveland AB Bl BB SO Avg. SJonrf 4 11 0 1 1 304 Vizpuel ss 3 1 0 1 0 328 RAtomar 2b 4 0 1 2 1 2 323 MRamirez rf 5 0 1 0 0 0 331 Thome lb 4 0 1 0 0 2 382 Justice II 3 0 1 0 1 0 303 EWUson 3b EiDiaz 2 0 0 0 2 0 366 Colon 3 0 1 0 0 1 333 MJackson 000000 Totals 32 2 7 2 i 6 Bl BB SO Avg. 1 0 0 360 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 when Dale Sveum singled and later scored on Tim Laker's two-out base hit.

Nashville closed the gap to 3-2 in the fifth, when Jeff Patzke scored on Sveum's infield out, but the Redbirds added an insurance run in the seventh for the final margin. No scabs: Last night's umpiring crew said the resignation effective Sept. 2 of 57 of the 68 major league umpires will not create any job opportunities for them. "They'll ask some guys to cross the picket line; some will, some won't," said Jeff Patterson. "Those that do -once this is over, those guys are scabs and their careers will be over.

"Anybody that thinks they've got a major league umpiring future won't cross. Nobody in this room will cross." Shut 'em down: Sounds reliever Matt Ryan pitched a scoreless sixth inning in Wednesday's Triple-A All-Star Game, helping hold the International League in check as the Pacific Coast League picked up a 95 victory in New Orleans. "It was a good trip," said Ryan, whose wife, Stacey, made the trip, too. "They had a lot of events for us, kept us busy. I guess they were trying to keep us off Bourbon Street.

They did a good job." Ryan, the fourth pitcher for the PCL, threw 13 pitches and allowed just one hit Robo'sback Mike Robertson, who began the season with the Sounds, was promoted from Class AA Altoona yesterday. Bl BB SO Avg. AB Chicago Morandinl 2b Houston 3b a-Alxandr ph-3b Sosa rf MaGrace lb HRodriguez If JHernandez ss JReed Adams CGoodwin cf Serafinl SSanders Santiago Totals FIRST GAME Redbirds 4, Sounds 2 MEMPHIS NASHVILLE abrhbi abrhbi Larivlererf 4020 Mntgomry lb 3020 Bieser3b 2000 Hermansen cf 3000 Little cf 2210 Sveum3b 3111 Perez lb 3121 Guillen rf 3010 McDonald 3022 Brinkley If 3010 Clapp2b 3000 Brown prlf 3010 Hulself 3000 Laker 3011 Ordaiss 3110 Howard 2b 3000 Busby 2000 Palikess 1100 Eversgerdp 0000 Davis 1000 Sodwskyp 0000 Ward pit 1010 Dishingfon ph 1011 Sparks 0000 Heisermanp 0000 Ramireiph 1000 Totals 26 4 9 4 Totals 25 2 7 2 Memphis 201 001 1 -4 Nashvle 000 110 0 2 E-Brinkiey. DP Memphis 2. LOB Mem-Phis 3, Nashville 6.

2B-Perei SH-Bieser. CS Lariviere, Little, Dishington. ip er tab so Memphis Busby 4 6 2 2 2 2 Eversgerd W3-4 0 0 0 0 0 Sodwsky 1 1 0 0 0 0 Heiserman 1 0 0 0 1 0 Nashvle Davis 5 7 3 3 0 2 Sparks 2 2 110 1 HBP-bv Heiserman (Montgomery), by Davis (Little). 18. A-NA.

Game 2 Cardinals 1, Sounds MEMPHIS NASHVILLE abrhbi abrhbi Lariviere rl 3030 Brown 4000 Bieser3b 3011 Hermansen 3010 Little cf 3000 Ramirei3b 2010 Perei lb 2000 Guillen rt 2000 DshngtonK 3000 Scott 0000 Mohlerp 0000 Mnlgomery lb 30 10 ClapD2b 3000 Laker 3000 Warner ss 3000 Howard 2b 3020 Sletanskic 3120 Palikess 2000 Barnes 1000 Sveumph 1000 HulsephH 1000 VanPopoelp 1000 Wardphrl 1010 Totals 25 1 1 Totals 25 0 6 0 Memphis 000 010 0-1 Nashvie 000 000 0-8 E-Ramirez, Laker. 1. LOB-Memphis 7, Nashville 7. 2B Lariviere, Bieser, Stefanski, Montgomery. CS Clapp.

SH Lariviere, Bieser, Barnes. iparerbbso 0 0 0 302 4 0 0 Pittsburgh Martm If ABrown rt Giles cf 0 1 2 0 1 Young 10 Sprague 3b WMorris 2b 17 2 341 1 310 2 311 0 300 1 302 2 315 0 306 1 337 0 .000 1 .063 0 0 312 0 10 Beniamin ss Osik a-BBrown ph MiWilliams Schmidt Sauerbeck b-Nunez ph Tremie Totals Cleveland 002 000 0002 7 0 Minnesota 002 000 010-3 Chicago 000 130 23x- 17 0 a-singled for Houston in the 7th. b-walked for Miller in the 8th. c-slngled for Guzman In the 9th. LOB-Mlnnesota 9, Chicago 7.

2B-Hocking (10) Sosa (15), Santiago (12). HR-Sosa (33) off BWells; HRodriguez (16) off Radke. RBIs-Hocking (21), Gales (25), Steinbach (23), Morandinl (24), Sosa 2 (76), MaGrace 2 (55), HRodriguez 3 (61), JReed (14). SB-CAIIen (11) JHernandez (6). SF-Morandiri GIDP-Gales, Coomer, JReed.

Runners left In scoring position-Minnesota 4 (CAIIen, Radke, JJones 2); Chicago 7 (Moran-dini 2, Sosa 2, JReed). Runners moved up-Radke, Houston. DP-Mlnnesote 1 (Hocking, CGuzman and Coomer); Chicago 2 (Houston, Morandinl and MaGrace), (JHernandez, Morandinl and MaGrace). Mfnrmota RERBBSONPERA Radke L. 6-1 5)04 4 1 286 380 TraMNter 2 4 2 2 0 1 26 2.66 BWe 2-3 3 3 0 0 15 435 Guardado 1-3 0 0 0 0 6 443 Chicag IP RERBBSONPERA Serafini 5 2 2 4 0 62 675 SSndrs WJ-4 1 1 0 3 3 118 Adams 4 I 0 0 1 0 24 2.93 Inherited runners-scored-Adams 2-1.

SSanders 2-0. IBB-off Serafinl (THunter) I Pittsburgh goo oro oou-g 2 a-struck out for Oslk In the 8th. b-flled out, for Sauerbeck In the Bth. E-Sprague (20), MiWilliams (3). LOB-, Cleveland 11, Pittsburgh 4.

2B-Lofton (17), RAIomar (23). RBis-RAtomar 2 (62). SB-Vlzquel (18), EiDiaz (5). CS-WMorrts (4). S-Vizquel, Colon.

GIDP-WMorrls. Runners left in scoring position-Cleveland I (MRamirez 3, Thome, EiDiaz, Colon 3). Riners moved up-EWiSon. DP-Cleveland 1 (Vlzquel, RAIomar and Thome). Cleveland IP RERBBSONPERA Colon 8-3 8 3 0 0 3 8 121 4.95 MJcksn S30 1 0 0 0 8 2 17 4.46 Pittsburgh IP RERBBSONPERA Smdl LI-7 6Vj 7 2 2 4 4 116 431 Sauerbeck I II 1 1 I 1.71 MiWmiams I I I I 1 I Inherited runners -scored Sauerbeck 2-g.

VP-Schmklt. Umpires Home, Denlev; First, Winters; Second, Davir'son; Third, Montague. T-2J7. 6 4 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 1 Barnes 3-1 MonlerS, 1 Nashvle Van Poppel 7-4 i 1 1 1 Scott 1 I 0 0 I HBP-by Barnes (Ramirez). T-2OT.

A-7324..