Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 37

mtrWYGi aportsnne NAL Yjn. 843-6111 Saturday, April 15, 1978 Page 1, Section 14,180 See Dukes Blow Opener, 10-6 By BART RIPP KMXN Tucson's Don Bright relieved starter Paul Mirabella in the fifth inning and was a beacon for the Toros. Brignt, who is from Shelby, N.C., shackled the Dukes on just five hits the rest of the game. Center fielder Jeff Leonard lashed three hits for the Dukes, while third baseman Ron Washington walloped a solo home run in the fourth inning. The loss not only spoiled the evening for the beer night crowd, it also ruined Manager Del CrandaU's return to the Duke City.

Crandall said Gray's seventh inning grounder that hopped over second baseman Rafael Landestoy's head for a hit hurt the hometowners. "That got things going," Crandall said. "It was a routine grounder to Landy. It went over his head and then we couldn't get anybody out. "And Lance was high with his pitches and he couldn't get them down like he normally does Welch did everything we could want for six innings and then he got tired.

f' The Dukes frittered away a 4-0 lead Wednesday night and lost to the University of New Mexico in a meaningless game. Albuquerque rendered a repeat performance Friday night, blowing a 4-0 lead to Tucson. This time, it was the Pacific Coast League opener and this time, a record crowd of 14,180 saw the big fizzle at the Sports Stadium. Tucson, squelched by pitcher Bob Welch through six innings, scored 10 runs in the final three innings and rallied for a 10-6 victory over the Dukes. The Toros gored the Albuquerque bullpen for 11 hits in the final three innings.

Designated hitter Gary Gray led the way with three runs batted in, while sturdy right fielder Keith Smith and second baseman Wayne Pinkerton each drove home a pair. Dodgers ace pitcherDon Sutton called Welch on the telephone about 20 minutes before the game and wished the fastballing righthander luck. Welch took the encouragement and was nearly unhittable for the first three innings, striking out six Toros. Welch tired in the seventh inning and was replaced by Lance Rautzhan, who arrived in Albuquerque Friday after a long drive from his home in Pottstown, Pa. Lance, disappointingly demoted by the Dodgers, couldn't get anyone out as Tucson notched six runs in the seventh.

Albuquerque rallied to tie the game at 6-6 with a pair of eighth-inning runs. But the Toros scored four more in the ninth off Dennis Lewallyn, who was also the loser against the Lobos. Gray hails from a place called La Place, and noted that "Everybody in the dugout was kind of down early in the ballgame. We kept hoping we'd get him (Welch). We've got too many good hitters.

"We've got nine guys in the lineup and they can hit. We got guys on the bench and they can all hit, too. "You can't count the Toros out." Crash dretti set the track record of 214.158 mph in 1973, which at that time was the world's closed course speed record. Several other drivers exceeded the 200-mph barrier on the mild, clear spring day, which provided nearly perfect conditions for high speeds. Others over or very near 200 were defending champion Tom Sneva, An-dretti's teammate; A.

J. Foyt, Johnny Rutherford, Gordon Johncock, Danny Ongais and Larry Dickson. Unser's carsh was the only serious incident of the day. Qualifying for the 22-car lineup begins today at 10:30 a.m. MST with the start of the nationally televised event at 1:30 p.m.

ToAi ir Games Albuquerque baseball fans will be able to see major league games during the next month and a half. After learning from the Journal last week that another station could pick up local ABC affiliate KOAT-TV's (Channel 7) games, KMXN-TV (Channel 23, UHF) secured the Monday Night Baseball package through June 5. Manny Cantu, station manager of Channel 23, said Friday his station would probably have to air this Monday's game on an hour delay basis. He said he hoped to have the games live starting April 24. "We're estimating 7:30 (p.m.)," said Cantu, referring to the start of Monday's Dodgers-Reds telecast.

"I do not have the ABC Monday night schedule, but I should get it by Monday morning." In order to pick up this UHF station, Cantu said viewers must have at least a loop antenna attached to their sets (besides the VHF antenna). KOAT Station Manager Max Sklower said he decided not to air the first eight nationally televised games because of last year's poor ratings during the April, May and early June period. Besides Albuquerque's Channel 7, the only other ABC affiliates not carrying the games are in Waco, Texas and Grand Rapids, Mich. Driver Al Unser Hurt in Crash Hopefuls Grabbed by at he Journal Photo by Greg Sorber Rudy Law Prepares To Rip a Single in Dukes' First Home Game Friday The Albuquerque Left Fielder Contributed Several Hits in the Offensive Show In Texas "We played terrible, but that won't have anything to do with tomorrow night's (tonight's) game. We'll be right back in there battling." Take heart, Dukes fans.

There are only 143 more games to play. The.first of them will be played tonight at 7:30. Albuquerque will start former Auburn University star Joe Beckwith against Tucson's Danny Darwin. The first 3,000 kids to enter the gates will receive a free Dodgers jacket. Inside Sports Wendy's Signees A total of six high school basketball players from Nevada and Utah have agreed to play in this week's Wendy's Basketball Classic.

Page C-3. Ballesteros by 3 CARLSBAD, Calif. Severiano Ballesteros opened a three-stroke lead after the second day of play in the MONY Tournament of Champions. Among the contenders are Masters champion Gary Player and Jack Nick-laus. Page C-S.

Tracksters at Home This afternoon is the last chance for Albuquerqueans to see the University of New Mexico track and field team, which hosts a quadrangular at University Stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m. The Lobos host Texas Tech, West Texas State and New Mexico State. Page C-7. ITITeteptBto Injured "The preliminary evaluation showed nothing, but they'll be studied again very closely while he's still here," Turner said. "He still has a severe headache.

He's listed in satisfactory condition." A witness said Unser's car went into turn three of the high speed Texas World Speedway oval with a heavy understeer condition the nose pointing toward the wall. "He tried to correct it, but he was unable to do more than straighten the car out for the impact with the wall," said a member of one of the racing teams who was observing. "He hit it sideways. It was a pretty heavy impact. He's lucky it wasn't a lot worse." Observers felt Unser was averaging is he went to play in some all-star game in Ohio." New Mexico graduate assistant Manny Goldstein was said to have been in Tyler Thursday and Friday with Lee, who averaged 25.9 points and 17 rebounds in his senior season.

"If Lee went to Washington, he went to Washington," Ellenberger said Friday. "I can get blamed for a lot of things, but I don't know what happened with Lee "We're still about where we thought we'd be at this particular time. We're still having players visit our campus and there's still a long way to go. The people we're having in and the people we're planning to have visit are some of the best basketball players in the United States. "Many of them haven't signed because there are still Quite a few all-star games to be played.

Most will play in three or four games. They've got school to attend, too, and sometimes it's very hard to contact or pin down a great player." The District 7 basketball coach of Al Unser COLLEGE STATION, Tex. (AP) -Al Unser was admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital in nearby Bryan with a possible concussion Friday after his Lola race car slammed into a retaining wall nearly 200 miles per hour during a practice session for today's 200-mile Indianapolis car race here. "Mr.

Unser has been admitted. We are going to keep him overnight for observation. He has a possible concussion. But he seems to be in pretty good shape," said Mrs. Mary Lou Turner, director of nurses.

"He's alert, and talking. He was never unconscious or anything when he came in." Officials said the 38-year-old Unser appeared to have a broken jaw when was taken from the wreck. But X-rays proved negative. Other Schools 6 Dale Cooke of Pasadena High School, but they were both snared Friday by Arizona State. Former Lobo assistant Jim Newman signed the two players.

Williams averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds for Lobo Michael Cooper's junior college. Cooke averaged 15.5 points and eight rebounds for Coop's high school. New Mexico tried to sign 6-8 Maurice Williams of basketball-tough Ver-bum Dei High School in Los Angeles. But Williams and his more renowned teammate, first-team Ail-American Leonel Marquetti signed to play for SoutherffCalifornia. The Lobos wanted 6-9, 230-pound Anthony Lee of Tyler (Texas) High, but he is said to have signed Friday with the University of Washington.

The Huskies' sports information office said the three-time Texas all-state selection had signed. The Journal contacted the Lee home in Tyler and Anthony's sister Ada said: "He didn't sign with nobody. And he's not gonna sign for a while. All I know Still No Lobo Basketball Signings close to 200 miles per hour shortly before the accident. Most of the right side of the car, which was so impressive last week when it turned a lap at 202 mph during tire tests at Indianapolis, was torn off in the impact, including the right rear wheel and the rear wing.

It took rescue crews nearly 20 minutes to strap Unser to a special back brace and remove him from the disabled vehicle. The accident occurred during the first half hour of Friday's practice session. The fastest speed of the day was turned in by Mario Andretti at 208.466 mph in his Penske PC6-Cosworth. That's the fastest lap here since An- the year, Ellenberger added that people tend to think that basketball recruiting is similar to football. "Basketball signing compared to football is as different as night and day," said Ellenberger, runner-up in the balloting for U.S.

Basketball Writers Coach of the Year. "Football ends in November and the coaches have three months to pursue prospective athletes. "At the same time, prospective athletes can get their heads straight on what school they want to go to. "But basketball isn't over until mid-March and we have about three weeks instead of three months before that first signing date. "And it's especially hard for a school like us because of the evident difficulties in recruiting at distant metropolitan areas, where many of the good basketball players are.

"I realize our great fans want to read and hear about the people who will be playing for the University of New Mexico. But these things just take time." By BART RIPP If you're interested in reading about the basketball players signed to play for New Mexico, about all there is to report is who has decided NOT to play for the Lobos. The Western Athletic Conference champions haven't signed any junior college transfers or even a high school player. Wednesday was the earliest a school could sign a player to a national letter-of-intent. The Lobos, Coach Norm Ellenberger says, have six scholarships to give.

Guard Russell Saunders and forward Phil Abney, who may be moved to guard next season, are the only returning starters from the 24-4 club which led the nation in scoring and perhaps thrills. New Mexico recruited 6-3 Vi Jeffrey Taylor, the three-time all-stater from Hobbs, but he and teammate Steve Smith opted for Texas Tech. The Lobos wanted 6-8 Sara Williams of Pasadena (Calif.) City College and 6- Howell May Score Toronto's Roy Howell is safe at home as Detroit pitcher Jim Slaton waits for the throw from Catcher Milt May. Howell's run, the result of a wild pitch by Slaton, was one of 10 Toronto runs as the Blue Jays defeated the Tigers, 10-8. Baseball Roundup on C-2..