Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 7

Monday SEPTEMBER 12, 1983 GAZETTE-JOURNAL Section 2B SPORTS DIGEST" 2B BASEBALL 3B PRO FOOTBALL 5B SCOREBOARD 8B BUSINESS port Business Coronoirs woims pim From wire service reports NEW YORK Jimmy Connors, taking advantage of some unusually erratic play by Ivan Lendl, won the last 10 games Sunday to capture the U.S. Open championship for the fifth time with a runaway 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, 6-0 victory over the hard-luck Czechoslovakian. Although limping along at times on an aching toe, Connors for the second con Although he had six aces in the opening set, four of them in his first two service games, Lendl managed to put in only 43 percent of his first serves and was broken twice. Connors got off to a running start, holding serve at 15 and breaking at 30, thanks -to a pair of double-faults by Lendl. But with Connors serving at 40-0 in the third game, Lendl came back for his lone break of the set when Connors double-faulted on the final point.

Connors, though, retaliated with the critical break in the eighth game when Lendl was far long with a backhand, and he then held at love to wrap up the set. Earlier, Martina Navratilova, one day after winning the singles crown, teamed with Pam Shriver to win the women's doubles with a 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Rosalyn Fairbank and Candy Reynolds. On Saturday, John McEnroe and Peter Fleming won the men's doubles. getting his only ace of the set for the final point, and then broke again at 30 when Lendl was long with a forehand. "Ivan served for the third set," Connors said.

"When I broke him that game it lifted me and I think he got a little dejected. From that point on you never know if you can wear him down, but from there I thought I took a little control." The 31-year-old American had it all his way in the final set. After making a critical break in the second game, Connors, sensing the end, fired three aces in his next service game. Lendl managed to ward off two match Eoints on his service in the sixth game, ut Connors achieved the prized victory on his third match point with a crosscourt return. Lendl, virtually invincible through his first six matches when he didn't lose a single set, ran into immediate problems -with a determined and confident rival.

court temperature reached 107 degrees, both men blew numerous opportunities during the first three sets. In the first 24 games there were 12 service breaks and Lendl, who had been broken only five times in six previous matches, was broken 11 times by Connors during the afternoon. The turning point for Lendl, who once again will have to explain why he can't win the big one, came in the third set. He had broken in the first and third games, sandwiched around a break by Connors, and nursed that advantage for the next six games. Then, serving at set point in the 10th game, he committed his only double-fault of the set on set point.

Connors, who started limping earlier in the set as the result of a slight toe injury suffered during Saturday's semifinal, quickly jumped on the opportunity. He broke serve with a crosscourt backhand to draw even at 5-5, held his serve at 30, secutive year defeated Lendl in me nnai. As a fitting tribute to a brilliant career, it marked his 100th tournament singles success and the $120,000 first prize enabled Connors to become the first man to go over $5 million in career earnings. "To have a chance to do it once again is a thrill," Connors said immediately following the victory. "After winning last year and playing so well, tnougnt i come back this year another time." On another scorching day when tne on- No choke for Czech, just a gutsy champ Grand Slam events, and lost each time, tarnishing his otherwise brilliant career.

"I will say the same thing I've said before," Lendl said. "I will be back next ear at Wimbledon and the French and iere and I will be trying again." LATEST SCORES Major League Baseball American League Blue Jays 16, A's 6 Orioles 5, Yankees 3 Red Sox 4, Indians 1 Royals 3, Twins 1 Tigers 6, Brewers 4 Rangers 2, Mariners 1 White Sox 5, Angels 4 National League Phillies 5, Pirates 3 Expos 4, Mets 0 Cardinals 2, Cubs 1 Giants 3, Astros 2 Dodgers 7, Braves 6 Reds 4, Padres 2 Pro Football Giants 16, Falcons 13 (OT) Bills 10, Bengals 6 Browns 31, Lions 26 Redskins 23, Eagles 13 Steelers 25, Packers 21 Cowboys 34, Cardinals 17 Bears 17, Bucs 10 Seahawks 17, Jets 10 Rams 30, Saints 27 Broncos 17, Colts 10 Raiders 20, Oilers 6 Dolphins 34, Patriots 24 Canadian Football Eskimos 50, Tiger-Cats 21 Hernandez qualifies for Olympic Trials EUGENE, Ore. Reno banker George Hernandez qualified for the United States Olympic Team marathon trials Sunday with an eighth-place finish in the Nike-Oregon Track Club Marathon. Hernandez, the course record holder in Washoe Valley's Silver State Marathon, ran the 26.2-mile run in 2 hours, 18 minutes and 36 seconds. It was a personal best for Hernandez.

The qualifying time for the Olympic Trials is 2:19:04. Former South Lake Tahoe resident Greg Hitchcock, now living in Eugene, also qualified for the Olympic Trials with an llth-place finish in 2:18:53. Reno's Lynn Mentzer and South Tahoe Andy Takaha dropped out of the race, failing to qualify for the Olympic Trails. Eight men and 15 women qualfied. The men's trials will be in May in Buffalo, N.Y.

The women's trials will also be in May, in Olympia, Wash. Gary Siriano of Pittsburgh won the Nike race in 2:12:32. The first woman finisher was 4-foot-11, 83-pound Akemi Masuda, 19, of Japan. She set a world junior record for the marathon in 2:30:30. Reno bodybuilder is first Reno's Joe Panicaro Jr.

won the overall men's championship Saturday at the Amateur Athletic Association's Bodybuilding Classic in Alameda, Calif. Panicaro, who trains at the Reno YMCA, also won most muscular, best chest, best back and best abdominal muscles. Panicaro is also the defending short class Mr. Nevada champion. wins fastpitch title Todd Garcia was the most valuable pitcher and catcher Rick Watson was named the most valuable player Sunday, leading Sports of Reno to the championship of the Crown Beverage B-C fastpitch softball tournament at Shadow Mountain Complex in Sparks.

Watson batted .500 in the seven-game tournament while Garcia hit .531. won six of seven tournament games, defeating Canepa and Son for the championship. Golf tournament continues As marvelous as Connors was in return-' ing Lendl's monstrous serve Jimmy -broke Lendl's serve 10 times; it had only been broken five times in Lendl's straight-set sweep to the final Lendl -t himself proved his own worst enemy. The double fault at set point in the third -1 devastated him. 4, "I never really recovered mentally from having double-faulted," Lendl admitted.

"The wind got a little hold of my toss. I should have caught the ball and tossed it up again." But he didn't. "He double-faulted and I said, 'Well, if he's going to do that he's going to give me a said Connors. "I started get-ting in there and jumping on my returns more. I won that game and my spirits 1 lifted about 50, 60 percent and I think his dropped a little from that point." 1 Still, Connors didn't realize until told later the extent the double fault had dis-turbed Lendl.

"I didn't know that was bothering him that much," said Connors. "You've got to shake that off. Go on. Obviously, it both- By GREG BOECK GNS NEW YORK There are those who will say that Ivan Lendl choked in grand slamly fashion again Sunday in losing the 102nd U.S. Open to Jimmy Connors, 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, 6-0.

That at the very worst of times, his specialty the big serve that had served him so faithfully in this tournament failed him because he had one hand on his racket, and the other wrapped around his throat at set point in the game-turning second set. But the Czechoslovakian didn't run his record of futility to O-for-15 in Grand Slam events because he choked in the final of the world's richest tennis tournament. Rather, he got strangled by the gutsiest tennis player in the world. Jimmy Connors had a draw sheet full of reasons to go home content with the $60,000 losers share. Anyway, he'd already won four Opens.

After the seventh game in the second set, he had to leave the court because he was sick. He confirmed later he had diarrhea. After the seventh game of the third set, he started to noticeably limp. He passed over it later as a sprained toe, but there were pre-match whispers that his right ankle was hurting badly. Finally, he was just one lethal Lendl serve away from dropping the third set, and falling behind, 1-2.

But Connors limped and sweated and battled and grunted his way back after Lendl fatally wounded himself by double-faulting, and not only won over another New York crowd of 20,000 Jimmy lovers, but his fifth Open and the $120,000 winner's share. It was gutsy. It was emotional. It was Jimmy Connors at his fightin' best. He was asked afterwards if there is a player in the game with more guts.

"I hope not," Connors said. This was a rematch of last year's final that Connors also won, and it was a bitter reminder for Lendl that he still hasn't won a big one. He's now reached the final of three if Vi 7 ImJ' IBS ereamm. Nothing seemed to bother Connors. He won the first set with two service breaks, and had just broken Lendl's serve in the second to pull to within 3-4 when he suddenly left the court.

ne was gone six minuies. "I took a leave of absence." he said later. "It was a question of duty calling. It woa ucuci wiicic i uiu 11 uiau wneie i was." i He was asked if he had diarrhea. 1 1 I i iic aiiswei eu.

Ha rAtumoH anH cant fVia cat infst ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO breaker, but lost it, 7-2. -c Lendl was also leading the third set, 4-3, when Connors started limping after almost every point. But even in victory, he refused to acknowledge that the foot OPEN NO. 5: Jimmy Connors raises his hand to indicate how many U.S. Open championships he has won.

Connors added his fifth by beating Ivan Lendl for the second straight year. was causing mm iruuuie. Plunkett Dulls Raiders to win From wire service reports LOS ANGELES Only a couple of weeks ago, a lot nf npnnlP innliinina enmo nf hie nwn roammatoc thought it was time for Jim Plunkett to be replaced Raiders. Plunkett, a 13-year National Football League vet-; Reno's Mark Gilmartin was 4-under par after nine holes of the Reno-Sparks City Golf Championships eran, suffered through a shaky pre-season, and perhaps that's putting it mildly, as the Raiders went 1-3. Several Los Angeles players were quoted as saying they believed Marc Wilson should be the starting quarterback for the team.

Even though the Raiders won their regular-season Sunday at Wildcreek Golf Course, Dut ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO opener over Cincinnati 20-10 on Sept. 4, Plunkett wasn't particularly impressive, hitting on just 14 of 29 passes for 155 yards. he never got to hnisn. Gilmartin and the rest of the field will have to wait until next Saturday morning to complete their second round at Wildcreek. Play started too late and was going too slow Sunday for all golfers to finish.

"You iust never know," said EARLY SCORING: Atlanta Braves' third baseman Jerry Royster flashes across home with a run in the fourth inning, one half of a double steal. Atlanta gave up four runs in the bottom of the ninth to lose, 7-6, Sunday. Rookie Reynolds lays down bunt to burn Atlanta By JACK STEVENSON The AP LOS ANGELES Rookie R.J. Reynolds laid down a bases-loaded perfect squeeze bunt down the first-base line in the "greatest moment of my life" to cap a four-run ninth inning that brought the Los Angeles Dodgers a 7-6 over Atlanta Sunday and boosted their National League West lead to three games over the Braves. The 23-year-old Reynolds had played the season with San Antonio of the Double-A Texas League before coming to the Dodgers at the end of last month.

He started the series against the Braves only because veteran Ken Landreaux suffered an ankle injury. "I'm like a little kid right now," said the rookie. "This has got to be my greatest moment. When the ball hit the bat, I knew the game was over." Reynolds described the pitch from Gene Garber, the sixth Atlanta hurler, as "a ball with a little break on it, but I don't know exactly what it was." The bunt with one out scored Pedro Guerrero from third base. He said manager Tom Lasorda told me to "be aware of a squeeze," when he went to bat.

He took one ball and then laid down a the bunt that scored Pedro Guerrero from third base, ending the wild battle. Lasorda commented, "To win a ball game like this on a squeeze play it's just great." Lasorda said he's using rookies, despite the toughness of the race because, "I don't ask kids how old they are. I just put them up and tell them to do the job. We're going to make men out of them real quick." Trailing 6-3 going into the final inning, pinch-hitter Jose Morales led off with a double. Donnie Moore then walked Steve Sax and Garber took over.

He fanned Bill Russell but then Dusty Baker hit a bloop single, loading the bases. Guerrero walked, forcing in one run and Mike Marshall doubled to right, tying the game. Garber, 4-4, walked Greg Brock intentionally, loading the bases. Reynolds executed his squeeze bunt, pushing the ball past Garber for his first major league RBI. The victory went to Joe Beckwith, 2-3, the sixth Dodger hurler to see action.

Gilmartin, when asked if the stoppage liui it woo uuicicut owl uii ouiiuaj as 1 luiuicit connected on 19 of his 28 throws for 229 yards and one touchdown as the Raiders, despite numerous blown opportunities, rolled to a 20-6 triumph over the Houston Oilers. Plunkett, 35, guided the Raiders on a pair of 80-yard, eight-play scoring drives and the Los Angeles was a blessing or a curse. He is tied for the lead with Kirk Triplett after 27 holes. "But it was the same for everybody." Gilmartin had shot 70 during Saturday's first round, but came out defense performed magnificently, holding the Oilers to only seven first downs. Despite his fine effort.

Plunkett was UDset about firing Sunday. He eagled the first hole and scored birdies on No. 5 ana wo. 7 to go 4-under at that point. Then play mi wing wu unci ucpuuiia tlliu uic uiuwii uppui IUI11- ties.

"We should have scored a lot more points than we did." he said. "We had them down several times nnrf couldn't capitalize on the opportunities. We just couldn't put them away. "Our game plan was to be patient. We knew we could run against them, and we knew they don't have -the pass rush that other teams have." The races AL East Division Baltimore Detroit 5Vz New York 7 Milwaukee 712 AL West Division Chicago Kansas City 1612 NL East Division Montreal Philadelphia V2 St.

Louis IV2 Pittsburgh 2 NL West Division Los Angeles Atlanta 3 Houston 7V2 was stopped. UNR tickets go on sale Tickets for all University of Nevada-Reno football games, including the UNR-Boise State game Sept. 24, go on sale today at the UNR campus ticket outlet. Other UNR home games include Idaho State (Oct. 1), Cal State-Fullerton (Oct.

8), Weber State (Oct. 22), Pacific (Nov. 5) and Mnntana Stat (Nov 19). The Oilers played without standout running back Earl Campbell, who has a knee injury. They were limited to a pair of field goals by Florian Kempf.

we piayea nara, saia Houston coacn to cues. "But we didn't do all the thines that had to be done. The ticket office is located in the old We did about as good as we apparently could today. They (the Raiders) are a fine football team, a good defensive team. We'll learn from this game." Coach Tom Flores seemed pleased with his team's effort.

gym. WIRE SERVICE AND STAFF REPORTS.