Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 11

Baseball Tuesday, August 23, 1988 Reno Gazette-Journal 3B Baseball notes Mets, Gooden stop Dodger victory streak National League Ricky Jordan to reach base. Jordan beat the throw to second on a fielder's choice play and Milt Thompson doubled him in. BRAVES 5. CARDINALS 3 at St. Louis Ron Gant had three hits, including a home run and a double, and scored three runs, leading Atlanta over St.

Louis. Tom Glavine, 5-14, gave up seven hits through seven innings, striking out one and walking one. The left-hander settled down after allowing three runs on four hits in the first inning. Rookie Jose Alvarez pitched two innings for his second save. Gerald Perry, the NL's leading hitter entering the game with a .327 average, had one hit and two RBI for the Braves and is hitting .326.

ASTROS 9, CUBS 7 at Chicago Craig Biggio's first major league home run, a tie-breaking hit leading off the 10th inning, gave Houston a comeback victory over Chicago, despite two home runs and five runs batted in by the Cubs' Damon Berryhill. Biggio's homer came off Rich Gossagt 2-2, who gave up two runs in the ninth inning, when Houston tied the score at 6. Gossage was booed lustily by the crowd of 30,417 at the second official night game at Wrigley Field. Houston got another run in the 10th off Drew Hall as Gerald Young singled and scored on a three-base error by center fielder Mitch Webster. Glenn Davis then singled in the ninth run.

REDS 2. PIRATES 0 at Pittsburgh Cincinnati's Danny Jackson threw a five-hitter for his fifth shutout of the season to outduel Pittsburgh's Doug Drabek in a battle of pitchers riding seven-game winning streaks. The Reds used two unearned runs and four Pittsburgh errors. Jackson, 18-5, pitched his league-leading 12th complete game to become the National League's first 18-game winner. Jackson has allowed only two runs and 19 hits in his last four starts, all of them complete games, to lower his earned run average to 2.43.

He is second in the league in shutouts. Wire service reports Mookie Wilson led off with a single and Hernandez hit his seventh homer, to right field. PHILLIES 6. PADRES 5 at San Diego Errors by San Diego's Garry Temple-ton and Lance McCullers helped Philadelphia score four unearned runs in a five-run seventh inning as the Phillies broke an eight-game losing streak. Darren Daulton and Steve Jeltz both had run-scoring singles in the seventh, helping the Phillies tie the score 4-4.

The go-ahead run scored on a throwing error by McCullers after he fielded a bunt by Bob Dernier. The Padres had scored three runs in the sixth to take a 4-1 lead and chase Phillies starter Mike Maddux. Greg Harris, 4-4, shut down the rally by getting the final two outs, while Steve Bedrosian worked the last two innings for his 22nd save. In the seventh, Templeton's fielding error at shortstop allowed leadoff hitter v. i.

0 OFF BASE: The Athletics' Carney Lansford slides into home plate as Yankees catcher Don Slaught moves to make the catch. Knee surgery threatens rest of Gaetti's year Gary Gaetti, one of the leaders of the Minnesota Twins' drive to their first World Series title last year, may miss the rest of this season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in South Lake Tahoe Monday. The operation was performed by Dr. R. Steadman.

A piece of torn cartilage was removed and some cartilage fragments were shaved from Gaetti's left knee, the Twins said. Gaetti, an All-Star third baseman who suffered the injury while stealing a base one week ago, is Minnesota's leading home-run hitter and emotional leader. Asked what the Twins would lack most without Gaetti, general manager Andy MacPhail said: "A .300 average, a 30-homer guy, a guy who drives in 100 runs and has a Gold Glove at third. Take your pick. Plus, somebody who led by example with his tough-mindedness.

Gaetti, who is batting .298 with a team-high 26 homers and 76 RBI, was the Most Valuable Player in last year's American League playoffs. The Twins recalled outfielder Eric Bullock from their Class AAA affiliate in Portland, to take Gaetti's place on the 24-man roster. Gaetti has been placed on the 15-day disabled list and MacPhail said it was possible that he might return before the end of the season. He would be eligible for postseason play. MANY NEW YORK Yankees said they not only agree with Don Mattingly's criticism of owner George Steinbrenner.

They wonder why it hadn't been voiced a long time ago. "I think all of us have talked about it at some point amongst ourselves," relief pitcher Dave Righetti said. "I think it needed to be said by somebody." Before Monday night's 9-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics the 10th in 14 games for the Yankees Mattingly said he didn't regret a word he said a day earlier. He also had a closed-door meeting with manager Lou Piniella, who said Mattingly's outburst was the result of personal frustration. "I wasn't trying to start anything," Mattingly said.

"I never intended on saying anything. It just came out. But it's been in my heart a long time. It's been building over the years." Saying he was not provoked by a recent event, Mattingly lashed out at Steinbrenner's "disrespectful" treatment of the players. "There won't be many in here who would disagree with that," third baseman Mike Pagliarulo said.

"But he's the owner and I guees he can do whatever he wants." Co-captain Willie Randolph, the longest-standing everyday player on the club, said, "We don't enjoy playing baseball here day in and day out. It's pretty much been that way since after '81. And Donnie's right, it won't change. It doesn't matter what you say, you can't change it. But Donnie has a right to blow off steam.

DON BUFORD, a bench coach with the Orioles, Monday was named Baltimore's minor league director of field operations and instruction. Buford, 51, replaces Lance Nichols, who left the organization earlier this month to become director of player development for the Philadelphia Phillies. CATCHER TROY TALLMAN, whose home run tied the game in the top of the ninth, was charged with a passed ball in the bottom of inning, allowing the winning run to score as the Saitama prefectural all-star high school baseball team edged the U.S. national high school all-stars 8-7 Monday in Tokyo. The passed ball by Tallman, from California's Napa High School, came with the bases loaded and two outs.

Playing before 1,500 spectators at Seibu Stadium in the suburbs of Tokyo, the U.S. squad took a 2-0 lead on a double in the second inning by Roger Burnett of Oklahoma's Broken Arrow and a single by Roger Weems of California's Esperanza. But the Japanese scored three runs in the bottom of the second on three hits. The U.S. team then tied the game 3-3 in the third inning on a run-scoring single by Joel Wolfe of California's Chatsworth.

Wire service reports Fights From page 1B step. Amparo lost a 10-round decision to World Boxing Council middleweight champion Iran Barkley, but dominated. Walker, who lost a 15-round title fight decision to International Boxing Federation middleweight champion Graciano Rocchigiani in Berlin on June 1, said tonight's bout is a must-win fight for him. Walker is ranked No. 7 by the World Boxing Council.

In the other half of the main event, Mike Zena, 14-0, of Hayward, will face Mauricio Beltran, 25-15-1, of Tijuana, Mexico, in a 10-round junior lightweight bout. In two bouts scheduled for eight rounds, Salt Lake City middleweight Karama Leota, 15-1, will fight Lester Yarbough, 8-7-1, of Memphis, and Sacramento junior welterweight Bobby Nunez, 12-8-1, will face Javier Moreno, 15-4, of Los Angeles. In a six-round lightweight bout, John Edwards, 3-1, of Reno, will fight Angelo Nunez, 4-1-2, of Sacramento. Dwight Gooden pitched an eight-hitter for his first complete game in seven starts and Keith Hernandez and Kevin McReyn-olds homered Monday night as the New York Mets snapped the Dodgers' seven-game winning streak with a 7-1 victory. It was the fourth straight victory against Los Angeles for Gooden, 15-6, who is 7-1 against the Dodgers lifetime.

He has a 0.34 earned run average in six career starts at Dodger Stadium, where he is 4-0 with only two earned runs allowed. The victory, which ended the Mets four-game slide, also featured a 14-hit attack. The six runs were twice as many as the Mets scored during their losing streak. Gooden walked one and struck out eight, including Kirk Gibson three straight times. It was the right-hander's ninth complete game.

John Tudor, making his second start for the Dodgers since being acquired from St. Louis last week, allowed nine hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking none. The Mets got all the runs they needed against Tudor, 7-6, in the fourth inning. American League A's rout struggling Yanks, 9-2 Even without anything from Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, the Oakland Athletics had no trouble beating the fading New York Yankees. Glenn Hubbard's two-run double highlighted a six-run third inning and Curt Young and Gene Nelson combined on a four-hitter Monday night as the Athletics beat New York, 9-2, in Yankee Stadium.

Doug Jennings, filling in for Canseco, drove in two runs with two hits and Hubbard added a sacrifice fly for Oakland, which maintained its eight-game lead over Minnesota in the American League West. "You play so many games that you need help from the entire roster," Athletics manager Tony LaRussa said. "Jen-ning had a great ballgame, in right field and at the plate. I just told Jose that we're going to platoon him for the rest of the season." Canseco, leading the majors with 32 home runs, got the day off. McGwire went 0-for-2 with three walks.

The last time the Athletics visited New York, Canseco and McGwire went 0-for-21 in three games. For the Yankees, it was an all-too-familiar story. They lost their fourth in a row as the pitching again failed and remained six games behind Detroit in the AL East. Charles Hudson, activated from the disabled list earlier in the day after tendinitis trouble, lasted just 2 innings and gave up five runs. In the last 16 games, New York starters are 1-11.

The Yankees have lost 10 of the last 14 with a 6.45 earned run average during that span. "You keep thinking you can turn it around, but one person can't turn it around," Hudson said. "You keep thinking it's going to get better. If not today, then you think tomorrow." TWINS 7, TIGERS 0 at Minneapolis Allan Anderson pitched eight shutout innings for his sixth straight victory as Minnesota blanked Detroit the Twins' ninth consecutive victory over the Tigers. Anderson, 12-7, gave up six hits, struck out none and walked one, raising his record to 11-4 since May 29.

Jeff Reardon pitched the ninth. Kirby Puckett had four hits, his fifth four-hit game this season and the 25th in his career. RANGERS 9, ROYALS 5 at Arlington, Texas Jeff Kunkel's two-run single in Taiwan a favorite WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP)- Teams from the Far East have won 17 of the last 21 Little League World Series, but the organization's president said Monday television ratings prove interest in the championship hasn't waned because of the Asian dominance. "It's one of the highest rated sports shows in August, usually the highest, including major league baseball and other events," said Creighton Hale, president of Silver Sox From page 1B next year? Piatt doesn't know.

"Anything is possible," he said. "It would be extremely rough to operate as an independent." Reno's Cal League franchise lost its player-development contract with the San Diego Padres after the 1987 season. Without a working agreement with a major league team to supply players, Reno has spent this season struggling to survive as an independent. The Washoe Youth Foundation, the nonprofit corporation that operates Reno's team, kept baseball alive at Moana in 1988. The Sox lived on a shoestring in Reno this season, hoping they'd stay alive long enough to attract another major-league contract.

For that, according to Piatt, the city, which owns and operates Moana, must spend money to improve the ballpark. Moana is better than it used to be. For California League Allison homer ends Reno's losing streak Jamie Allison snapped the Reno Silver Sox's latest losing streak with a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning that beat the Riverside Red Wave 6-5. The victory in Monday night's California League baseball game at Moana Municipal Stadium ended Reno's string of defeats at 11. Allison's home run with two out came on the first pitch he saw from Riverside's Bill Blount.

The homer, which scored Fred Carter from first base, was Allison's seventh of the year. "I was just trying to hit the ball up the middle," said Allison. "The pitch was down and in. It was a pretty good pitch, actually." The homer probably will help Reno finish the tail end of a season that was starting to drag before Allison came through. The last-place Sox, who are 14-49 in the Cal League's second half, have eight games remaining, all at Moana, before the season ends next week.

Reno plays Riverside tonight at 7 o'clock. "It feels good to get that 11-game losing streak off our back," said Reno shortstop Jim Pace, who filled in as manager for Nate Oliver. With the season almost over, Oliver returned to Oakland, for the day, making arrangements to resume his regular job with Bay Area Rapid Transit. That left Pace to plan ninth-inning strategy for the Sox. He decided to do nothing when Riverside manager Tony Torchia brought in Blount to face Allison.

Torchia 's strategy was traditional. Allison bats left-handed. Blount is a lefthander. Pace could have responded by replacing Allison with a right-handed hitter. He didn't.

"We really didn't have anybody to put in," Pace said. "He's (Allison) our No. 3 hitter. You've got one of your better hitters up. You let him swing." Allison, who was hitting .260 before the game, responded with a smash that cleared the fence in right field.

One pitch made Blount the loser. He came into the game with a 4-0 record and 10 saves. Eric Reinholtz, Reno's relief pitcher who allowed three hits, including an RBI single in the top of the ninth, got the victory. His record is 2-2. Tom LeVasseur, who was hit by Jim Boebel's pitch to start Riverside's ninth, scored the Red Wave's go-ahead run.

Reinholtz took over after Boebel hit LeVasseur. He struck out Warren New-son. But LeVasseur reached second base on a passed ball and stole third. LeVasseur put Riverside in front 5-4 when he scored on Greg Hall's single. Hall tried for second on the play.

But Hall was out on the throw from Reno left fielder Mike Garner. The play was important, because the next hitter, Riverside's Kevin Garner, doubled. Steve Hendricks followed with a single that moved Garner to third before Reinholtz retired the Wave on a foul popup. In Reno's ninth, Jim Lewis, Riverside's second pitcher, struck out Mike Garner for two away after Carter's single. Then, Blount replaced Lewis and Allison homered.

Moana next season. But Piatt isn't sure of the future. He says other cities, with better stadiums and bigger budgets, will compete against Reno for baseball. Right now, Piatt would love to see some sign of city support for baseball at Moana. New lights.

Better seats. A fresh coat of paint. All of those things would be nice. But the city has other priorities that are hard to dispute. Maybe the Sox are right.

Maybe nobody cares. But, there is a hard reality they should recognize. Nobody is required to care. ITlJA CAR! details daily RtnoGaxelltOaimaL. Classified the four-run fifth gave Texas the lead and the Rangers beat Kansas City.

Texas took advantage of eight walks, with four of the runners scoring. Oddibe McDowell had three hits for the Rangers, who have won five of their last seven. Jose Guzman, 11-10, gave up seven hits and four runs in six innings. Ed Vande Berg pitched three innings, earning his first save for Texas. BREWERS 7, INDIANS 3 at Milwaukee Dale Sveum drove in three runs, including a go-ahead double in a four-run sixth, as Milwaukee defeated Cleveland.

Mike Birkbeck, 9-6, gave up nine hits in six innings to beat Cleveland for the first time in his career. Chuck Crim pitched three innings for his seventh save. John Farrell, 13-8, allowed nine hits and all seven runs in 5 innings. RED SOX 6, ANGELS 2 at Boston Bruce Hurst won his sixth consecutive decision since coming off the disabled list and improved to 11-1 in Fenway Park this season as Boston beat California. Hurst, 15-4, allowed four hits in seven innings, striking out five and walking one.

Hurst left after feeling an arm problem as Little League World Series begins Associated Press and Mike Smithson finished with two-hit relief. Ellis Burks hit a two-run double and Mike Greenwell hit a two-run triple off Terry Clark, who gave up eight hits and walked six in 6 innings. BLUE JAYS 6. WHITE SOX 3 at Toronto Dave Stieb struck out a career-high 12, matching Toronto's club record, and pitched a five-hitter as the Blue Jays downed Chicago. Stieb, 12-8, pitched his fifth complete game of the season and improved his career record against Chicago to 16-4.

It was the fifth consecutive loss for the White Sox. Stieb tied the Toronto strikeout record set by Pete Vuckovich in 1977 and matched by Jim Clancy this year. MARINERS 7, ORIOLES 3 at Baltimore Bill Wilkinson pitched 4 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief and Mickey Brantley and Darnell Coles drove in two runs each as Seattle won its fourth straight game. Wilkinson, 1-2, relieved Bill Swift with Seattle trailing 3-2 in the fourth. Wire service reports have one team winning all the time," said Bob Carroll, manager of the Central U.S.

champions, Tulsa, Okla. "We used to say that when I was growing up about the New York Yankees. It would hurt baseball to have one team win every year and that probably was true," he said. This year, managers agree Far East champion Tai Chung, Taiwan is the team to beat in the tournament. Moana, no matter what the weather is, or how the team is playing.

The Sox have spent most of 1988 losing, so a lot of their crowds have been small. If the Sox never play another game after this season, how many people would care? How much of Reno would even notice the Sox were gone? Professional baseball has existed in Reno for 41 years. Fans with long memories would miss the Sox. But the city has changed. Baseball interest is no longer focused on Reno's minor-league team.

The Sox aren't the town's hot topic. Most baseball fans in this area follow the San Francisco Giants or Oakland A's. It's a four-hour drive west to see major league teams, whose games are broadcast on two Reno radio stations. Nobody broadcasts the Sox. The Sox don't need a huge following of fans to survive in Reno.

An agreement with a major league team for next season will keep the Sox alive. If a Class A franchise is available and a major league team is willing to locate it in Reno, then pro baseball will be played at Little League Baseball Inc. Still, ratings for the Little League World Series have slipped in recent years, according to ABC-TV. Looking at the last 10 years, the series attracted 20 percent or more of the television viewer until 1985, when it dropped to 13 percent. It attracted 15 percent of the viewers in 1986 and 14 percent in 1987.

"It certainly hurts the world series to one thing, the infield is playable. It actually looks like a baseball diamond instead of a lunar landscape. But, Piatt is right. There is plenty wrong with Moana. The lights are lousy.

So are the seats. Boundary fences could, at least, use a little paint. Baseball, however, isn't a high priority in Reno, where the government is searching for enough money to fix streets, pay for police and fight fires. From a political standpoint, the Sox don't count. At Moana, members of the immediate Sox family grumble about the city's lack of interest in their fate.

Maybe they're right. Maybe the city doesn't care. Maybe the city isn't supposed to care. If baseball fans filled city council meetings, demanding money for Moana, the city's attitude might be different. But minor-league baseball in Reno doesn't generate that kind of passion.

Last year, when the Reno Padres played for the Cal League championship, spectators filled Moana. Normally, however, Reno's hard-core fan base for baseball is about 200 people. They show up at v. 1.