Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 11

Reno Gazette-Journal Tuesday, April 11, 1989 3B arton and his glove glad to be with Silver Sox The player was standing alongside the Reno Silver Sox dugout. "Have you seen Shawn Barton?" he was asked. His look was blank. Barton is the Silver Sox shortstop, but the independent Class A club had been put together only days earlier. It was clear more identfication was required to locate Barton.

"The infielder who talks to his glove," the player was told. Without hesitation the player pointed to a lone player standing next to the far end of the dugout. "There he is." It was Barton, who knows the curse of a trademark. When the story is told to him, he doesn't laugh. No one plays shortstop like Barton and he pays, at times, with others' ridicule, STEVE SNEDDON for being unique.

As he waits in the field for the pitch, he talks to himself and his glove. He's constantly moving side to side and then takes a skip step or two forward. Sometimes, he takes invisible ground balls and makes a throwing motion to first, all as he waits between pitches. "I get excited. I iust can't help it," Barton said.

"I think the next pitch is coming to me. If I'm just standing there I've tried that I'm not ready." He is ready to play this game he loves so much. He has played a career in the low minors with an unmistakeable joy. Barton, 25, has spent eight years in minor league baseball, all in Class A. He doesn't complain.

"These guys might not realize how lucky they are to play this game," Barton said. "It's a privilege when somebody wants you to play for them." He didn't play anywhere in pro ball last season. Barton worked as a landscaper in the Bay area in his year away from baseball. "This (playing baseball) beats any thing," he said. "I would play this game for nothing." Barton is reminded that's almost what he is doing, seeing the Silver Sox players make from $350 to $600 a month.

That's still above the $300 minor league minimum. "If I had the money, I'd pay to play," he said. "This is something special." He means it. When's the last time you saw a second baseman or a shortstop smiling as they saw a runner running straight at them, trying to break up a double play. Well, Barton does it.

He feeling the joy. He's a pretty fair Class A shortstop as well. In three seasons playing for San Jose in the California League from 1985 to 1987, he batted .272, .253 and .266. "He's one of the better fielding shortstops in baseball, minor league or major league," said Silver Sox general manager Jack Patton. The fact that his shortstop has little chats with the glove doesn't bother Pat-ton.

"As long as he fields the ball, I don't Blue Jays' Stieb throws one-hitter American League "That's all passed," Grba said. "We had a little talk about it." In 1987 with the Bees, Barton said he had teammates who didn't have the same feelings about winning and playing hard that he has. "Usually, you have one or two guys that rub you the wrong way," Barton said. "That club, it was eight, 10, 12 guys. Maybe it was me.

"We'd be in a tight game there would be an error somewhere we'd give up a lead, the game would be over. It was real upsetting. There were a lot of circumstances I saw affecting me." Barton asked to be released in mid-July. The impossible, for him, had happened. The game wasn't fun.

Now, he and his glove will get to go home to San Jose for a three-game series against the Giants that begins tonight. "It's a good feeling for me to go back," Barton said. If it could speak, the glove, which has been Class A baseball's best listener, would probably say it's glad to be going home, too. NBA roundup McMale, Celtics top Nets Kevin McHale's rebound and layup with seven seconds left Monday night gave the Boston Celtics a 113-112 victory over the New Jersey Nets at Boston and a 2V2-game lead over Washington in the race for the NBA's final Eastern Conference playoff berth. Chris Morris, who led the Nets with 19 points, missed a shot with 16 seconds left.

Boston's Robert Parish, who had 29 points and 13 rebounds, got the rebound and started a fastbreak. Brian Shaw missed a 15-footer but McHale, who had 24 points got his only offensive rebound of the game and made the basket that gave Boston its 13th consecutive home victory and handed New Jersey its 14th straight road loss. New Jersey immediately called timeout but Lester Conner's 3-point shot was long at the buzzer. In the playoff battle, Boston is 39-36 with seven regular-season games left. The Bullets, 37-39 after losing to Detroit on Monday night, have six games remaining.

PISTONS 124, BULLETS 100 at Landover, Md. Bill Laimbeer scored 27 points and Vinnie Johnson and Joe Dumars each added 21 Monday night as Detroit won its fourth straight game. Laimbeer also had 1 1 rebounds tor the Pistons, who have won 12 of their last 13 games and 21 of 23 and opened a three-game lead over second-place Cleveland in the NBA's Central Division. Washington lost at home for the second time in as many days after winning five straight overall and 15 in a row at the Capital Centre. Detroit dominated the game except for the opening minutes.

The Pistons missed four of their first five shots, then made 12 of 15 to open a 35-21 lead in the first quarter. In the second period, Detroit stretched the lead to 19 points and, after the Bullets trimmed the margin to 10, pulled away again to lead 57-40 at halftime. Dave Stieb, who closed last year with consecutive one-hitters, pitched a one-hitter in his second start of the season as the Toronto Blue Jays beat New York 8-0 Monday night, the Yankees' sixth straight loss. Stieb, 1-0, gave up just Jamie Quirk's solid single to center with one out in the fifth. He struck out five and walked four.

Stieb pitched three one-hitters last season, the first one-hitters of his career. He lost no-hitters in his final two starts when he yielded singles with two outs in the ninth inning. Stieb got a no-decision in his first game this season, giving up four hits and one run in eight innings at Kansas City. Jesse Barfield, Fred McGriff and Lloyd Moseby each homered among Toronto's 12 hits against Andy Hawkins and two relievers. Barfield went 4-for-5 and also doubled.

The Yankees' losing streak matches their longest of last season. They have given up 48 runs this year, most in the majors, and scored only 13, the fewest, in falling to 1-6. Hawkins, the $3.6 million free agent, was pounded for the second straight start. He gave up six runs on nine hits in 4 1-3 innings after losing his American League debut last week when Minnesota raked him for nine runs on 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings. Hawkins, 0-2, struck out the side in the first inning, but McGriff opened the second with a home run over the 399-foot mark in left-center.

It was McGriff's first run batted in of the season. RED SOX 5, INDIANS 2 at Boston Nick Esasky homered in his Boston debut and Wade Boggs keyed rallies with a pair of singles Monday as the Red Sox won their home opener. Mike Boddicker, 1-0, blanked the Indians on two hits for five innings before giving way to Mike Smithson after a two-run homer by Joe Carter in the sixth. Smithson finished the game to pick up his second save. The Red Sox, who returned home with a 1-4 record, spoiled the major league debut of Joe Skalski, who allowed three runs on six hits in five innings.

Cleveland, coming off a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees, pulled to within 3-2 on Carter's homer, which snapped Boddicker's scoreless string against the Indians at 16Va innings. RANGERS 6, BREWERS 4 at Milwaukee Ruben Sierra doubled in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning Monday as Texas spoiled Milwaukee's home opener. Sierra's hit off Milwaukee reliever Chuck Crim, 0-1, followed a walk to Rafael Palmeiro. Cecil Espy singled in the final run for the Rangers, who won for the fifth time in six games. The victory went to Texas reliever Jeff Russell, 1-0, who struck out Robin Yount with two on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth and then retired the Brewers in order in the 10th.

Pete Incaviglia tied the game for the Rangers with a two-run homer off Milwaukee starter Chris Bosio in the sixth. Incaviglia's first homer of the season, a 430-foot shot, followed a single by Geno Petralli. ROYALS 3, ORIOLES 0 at Kansas City Bret Saberhagen threw a three-hitter Monday night, leading Kansas City past Baltimore for their 14th consecutive victory over the Orioles. Kansas City hasn't lost to Baltimore since July 26, 1987, when the Orioles beat the Royals and Saberhagen 4-3. Saberhagen, 3-0 against the Orioles last year, became the first Royals starter to get a victory this season and the first to get a decision since Mark Gubicza lost on opening day.

The right-hander struck out six and walked none in his ninth career shutout. He allowed a single to Brady Anderson leading off the game and a one-out double to Phil Bradley in the fourth. He then retired the next 16 batters until Anderson's single with two outs in the ninth. MARINERS 6, WHITE SOX 5 at Seattle Dave Valle tripled off a Kingdome speaker to drive in the go-ahead run in a three-run seventh inning Monday night and Seattle hung on to beat Chicago. Valle's pinch hit off Ken Patterson was headed for the left-center field stands when it hit one of the six speakers suspended from the Kingdome ceiling, 132 feet above the field.

The ball came down, hit the outfield wall and bounced to Ron Kittle in left. Mickey Brantley, who doubled off Eric King, 0-2, scored to snap a 3-3 tie. Wire service reports care if he talks to the dirt," said Patton. Patton is glad that Barton and glove came to the Silver Sox's door. Barton drove to Reno from the Bay area in February to ask if the team needed a shortstop.

Manager Eli Grba answered the door. Barton introduced himself. Grba, the former major league picther and ex-Reno Padres' coach, did likewise. There was instant recognition on both sides. Back in 1987, when Barton was playing for San Jose and Grba was Reno's pitching coach, they had been involved in an altercation.

Grba was the puncher. Barton was the punchee. "Pitchers were throwing at hitters that day," Barton said. "Eli's team was getting thrown at. A couple of his players were hit.

"He was backing up his players. I respect that. That's the purest form of team play, backing up your team." Barton was hit because he had stepped in Grba's path to the San Jose pitcher. Both Barton and Grba say the incident hasn't affected their relationship. 4 f.

4 Associated Press B.J. Surhoff the tag by Milwaukee catcher 5-2 victory to Hayes, a sacrifice and a wild pitch by Harris. The Phillies made it 4-1 in the second inning on singles by pitcher Floyd Youmans and Dernier and Hayes' three-run homer. The Expos closed to 4-2 in the fourth with the help of a throwing error by Dernier in center field. Tim Wallach opened with a single and advanced to second when Dernier made a wild throw trying to double him off first after catching Tom Foley fly.

Fitzgerald and Owen walked to load the bases and Mike Aldrete hit a pinch sacrifice fly. Montreal tied it, 4-4, in the fifth with the help of a throwing error by third baseman Mike Schmidt. With one out, Andres Galarraga grounded to Schmidt, who threw into the dirt at first. Hubie Brooks walked and Wallach singled, scoring Galarraga and sending Brooks to third. Greg Harris relieved Youmans and Foley hit a sacrifice fly.

The Phillies edged ahead again, 5-4, in the fifth without a hit. Wire service reports Giants From page 1 Kirk Gibson drove in pinch-runner Dave Anderson with a grounder that first baseman Will Clark booted for an error, and then Murray homered deep to right field. Prior to the homer, Murray had two hits in 25 at-bats both singles. Hershiser pitched eight innings, allowing six hits and three runs. He struck out 10 and walked five.

Last season, Hershiser was 4-1 against the Giants with a 2.16 earned-run average. Jay Howell started the ninth for the Dodgers and loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Alejandro Pena relieved with one out and got Thompson to fly to center but then balked home a run. Pena ended the game by striking out Clark for his first save. San Francisco rocked Hershiser for four hits and two runs in the first but were deprived of a third run on Mike Marshall's perfect throw to the plate.

GAME-WINNER: Texas' Rafael Palmeiro scores ahead of Monday. The Rangers went on to win 6-4 at Milwaukee. Padres' Hurst allows Braves one hit in HAWKS 112, HORNETS 105 at Charlotte, N.C. Glenn Rivers hit two jumpers, including a 3-pointer, to lead Atlanta on a 17-6 run in the final five minutes that lifted the Hawks. The Hawks led by 13 points in the third quarter but allowed the Hornets to get back in the game by missing 13 consecutive shots and six of 12 free throws.

Rivers, who scored 19 points, broke the shooting drought with a jumper with 6:25 left in the game. Dominique Wilkins, who scored 22 points, added two of his five second-half points on an inside shot. Moses Malone followed Rivers' two jumpers with a fadeaway in the lane and the Hawks then hit 10 of 12 free throws. Malone had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Reserve Dell Curry led the Hornets with 18 points, Kelly Tripucka added 17 and Dave Hoppen had 16.

PACERS 110, MAVERICKS 103 at Dallas Reggie Miller scored 25 points Monday night, including a 3-pointer with 4:20 to play that gave Indiana the lead for good. The Mavericks, trailing 89-73 early in the fourth quarter, went on a 19-2 run and took a 92-91 lead with 4:47 to play on two free throws by Adrian Dantley, who led Dallas with 26 points. SUPERSONICS 102, SPURS 89 at San Antonio Dale Ellis scored 28 points and Xavier McDaniel added 26 as Seattle defeated San Antonio and clinched a playoff berth. Willie Anderson led San Antonio with 22 points and Vernon Maxwell added 15 for the Spurs, who have lost eight of their last 1 1 games. Ellis had eight points to trigger a 13-2 Seattle run late in the third quarter that gave the Sonics an 85-71 lead.

LAKERS 1 33, CLIPPERS 1 1 6 at Inglewood, Calif. Magic Johnson scored 24 points and added 13 assists and A.C. Green had 15 points and nine rebounds Monday night, leading the Los Angeles Lakers. The victory snapped the Lakers' two-game losing streak and reduced their magic number for clinching their eighth consecutive Pacific Division title to six. They lead Phoenix by two games with seven left for each team.

The Lakers took control from the outset, outscoring the Clippers 31-9 in the first 7Vi minutes as James Worthy and Byron Scott each scored eight points. KINGS 108, HEAT 69 at Sacramento Kenny Smith scored 23 points, Vinny Del Negro added 20 and Wayman Tisdale had 18 as Sacramento routed Miami for the largest victory margin in the history of the Kings' franchise. The 39-point margin was five less than a 146-102 victory over Denver on Dec. 22, 1983. Miami's 69 points were four more than their record low of 65 against Boston last Nov.

15. Wire service reports Bruce Hurst pitched the first one-hitter of his career and struck out 13 as the San Diego Padres beat the Atlanta Braves 5-2 Monday night. Hurst, who signed as a free agent for $5.25 million over three years, lost his debut with the Padres last week. He was 88-73 in nine seasons with the Boston Red Sox and had two two-hitters. The left-hander's performance was a reversal from his NL debut last Wednesday when he was shelled for nine hits and seven runs in five innings in an 8-3 loss to San Francisco.

The only hit Hurst allowed was a two-out, homer by Lonnie Smith in the third inning, scoring pitcher Pete Smith who had walked. Tony Gwynn homered leading off the fourth to move the Padres within 2-1. A's From page 1 hits in 6 innings before he was relieved by Willie Fraser. Weiss led off the seventh with a double to left center and went to third when Tony Phillips gave himself up groundin to second base. With the Angels' infield pulled in, third baseman Jack Howell saved a run when he made a diving stop on a hard-hit ground ball and threw out Felix Jose at first.

Finley walked Dave Henderson before Javier singled. Phillips went 0-for-4, but turned in a strong game. In addition to advancing the runner, Phillips who began the game in left field but moved to third base in the shift caused by McGwire's injury, made a brilliant play in throwng out Mark McLe-more on a groundball in the fourth. Phillips also made a strong play on an over the shoulder catch of a Wally Joyner popup in foul territory in the seventh. The Athletics scored single runs in the The Reds added three runs in the ninth on run-scoring singles by Benzinger and Oester and Paul O'Neill's sacrifice fly.

Browning has lost only two decisions since June 6 and has a 14-0 record against West Division opponents over the past two seasons. PHILLIES 7, EXPOS 6 at Philadelphia Von Hayes led off the bottom of the ninth with his second home run of the game to give Philadelphia a victory over Montreal Monday night. Hayes' homer over the right-field fence came on the first pitch of the inning by Gene Harris, 1-1, to make a winner of reliever Steve Bedro-sian, 1-0. It was the seventh time in Hayes' career that he has hit two homers in a game. Mike Fitgerald also hit two homers for Montreal, the second giving the Expos a 5-5 tie in the sixth.

The Expos took a 6-5 lead in the seventh when reliever Jeff Parrett walked pinch-hitter Wallace Johnson with the bases loaded. But the Phillies tied it in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff single by Bob Dernier, a walk The Angels mounted a threat in the fourth that Welch turned back by striking out Joyner and Chili Davis to end the inning. Brian Downing led off the fourth with a double down the right field line. After Mark McLemore grounded out to Phillips, Devon White sent a bloop single to left that moved Downing to third. As Welch struck out, White stole second.

Welch struck out Davis on a questionable called third strike by umpire Larry McCoy on a breaking pitch wide of the plate. A'S NOTES Right-fielder Jose Canseco, whose slight ligament tear in the left wrist was diagnosed March 25, probably will be out longer than the three to five weeks orginally predicted. Canseco, the 1988 American League most valuable player, said Monday he will go to the minors before returning to action. "When it comes time to swing the bat, I think I will go down to the minors," Canseco said. "I think Oakland has an idea of me going to (Class AA) Huntsville." National League REDS 8, ASTROS 3 at Houston Eric Davis' three-run homer highlighted a four-run, fifth inning and Tom Browning won his 18th game in 20 decisions, leading the Cincinnati Reds.

Astros left-hander Bob Knepper dropped to 0-2. Last season, Knepper did not lose consecutive starts en route to a 14-5 record. Ron Oester walked to start the fifth, was balked to second and moved to third on a sacrifice by Browning. Barry Larkin's single to left field scored Oester and after Kal Daniels singled, Davis homered over the center-field fence. Browning, 2-0, pitched seven innings and allowed three runs.

Rob Dibble finished for his first save. Glenn Davis singled in the Astros' second and scored on Kevin Bass' double. Davis hit his second homer of the season in the fourth and doubled home Billy Hatcher from second in the sixth. first, second and fourth innings against Finley. McGwire's two-out single that dropped in front of right-fielder Claudell Washington scored Henderson, who had reached base on a ground-rule double.

McGwire took over the club's RBI lead with his 10th, but after striking out weakly in the third inning left the game in the fourth with the back problems that he said started two weeks ago in New Orleans. Oakland scored again in the second with two outs when Weiss' line-drive single to right brought home Carney Lansford from third base. Finley averted an even bigger Athletics' inning when he got Ron Hassey to ground into a double with Lansford on second and Glenn Hubbard on first with none out. Hubbard gave the A's a 3-0 lead when he put a l-and-2 Finley fastball just over the 370-foot sign in left field in the fourth. The homer was the second in four days for Hubbard, who only hit three all of last season for the A's..