Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 22

C2 THE HARTFORD COURANT: Tuesday, August 31, 1993 On the air Harris wins U.S. Amateur Loss of top ranking unfair, Seles says World Boxing Organization heavyweight title. Bill Cayton, co-manager for Morrison (38-1), said Mike Williams (21-3) backed out an hour before the scheduled 12-round bout because of back spasms. Soccer tickets on sale today Tickets go on sale today for the first Boston Soccer Fall Classic, featuring the U.S. men's national team against Ghana, Oct.

9 at 7:30 p.m. at Foxboro Stadium. Tickets can be ordered through TicketMaster (800) 795-3232 or (617) 931-2000. Youth group discounts are available through the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association, (508) 486-0516. Wednesday is the nationwide opening day of dove hunting season.

Latvia beat Poland 6-2 and Japan beat Britain 4-2 in the Olympic hockey qualifying tournament in Sheffield, England. The Rangers and Maple Leafs open the NHL exhibition season Sept. 1 1 in London, Ontario. The Dallas Stars, formerly the Minnesota North Stars, have a billboard that reads: "The Ice of Texas are Upon You." Compiled by D.A. Lewandowski In the news Italy, and Barry Lane, Peter Baker and Mark James of England.

The biennial tournament is at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England, Sept. 24-26. Greater Hartford Open winner Nick Price is first in three PGA Tour statistic categories, including money won ($1,392,270 in 15 tournaments), and in the Top 10 in three others. Rockets fire Patterson The Houston Rockets fired Steve Patterson, 35, as general manager and replaced him with Tod Leiweke, 33, vice president for marketing for the PGA Tour. Patterson had been GM the past four years.

No reason for the dismissal was given. The Rockets (55-27) were first in the Midwest Division and eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by Seattle. Morrison wins by TKO Tommy Morrison stopped last-minute replacement Tim Tomashek (34-1 1) after four rounds in Kansas City, in the first defense of his matches and through tough tournaments. You know, it has been a very sad incident and it is tough for everybody. "But I think it is difficult for us as players to choose what to do.

I think it is not up to us. It is difficult to say if it is the right thing or not, but I think it has been handled as good as possible." Martina Navratilova expressed a similar opinion. "You can't just keep somebody No. 1 forever," Navratilova said. "Hopefully, it is only going to happen once, and she will have ample time to get her ranking back if she backs it up." That is a long way away, Seles said.

"I only tested my stroke one time, and I couldn't do the whole stroke and it hurt very much," Seles said. "The first step would be to be able to hit a ball with my full swing as I swung the racket before, with absolutely no pain. And if I am holding the grip for a long time, not feeling any numbness in my last three fingers. After that, it is just going to be a matter of practicing." She did say she misses Grand Slam events so much that she can't picture missing the Australian Open in late January. "But that is too big a tournament to start right there," she said.

Combined wire services NEW YORK Four months to the day after she was stabbed in the back during a tournament, Monica Seles says her return to tennis is still far off. She said, however, it was unfair of the other players on the women's tour to vote not to freeze her No. 1 world ranking or at least to make her and Steffi Graf co-No. 1. "1 think for me (the votel was very SELES hard," Seles said at the U.S.

Open, which she won in 1991 and '92. "Because the person who did this to me stabbed me for that reason, and pretty much he got his wish." The man who stabbed Seles during a changeover at the Hamburg Open in Germany said he was a Graf fan who wanted his fellow German ranked No. 1. Graf offered no support for placing Seles in a special category. "You've got to understand," Graf said.

"All of us, we have to play all year long. I mean we all have to struggle through injuries, through our problems, through tough TlilHlllllf.ilH.1iilTirii-1 Graf, Navratilova cruise Associated Press Red Sox lefthander Frank Viola is on his way to the dugout after allowing only five hits and one earned run in 7 Vj innings. With help from Ken Ryan, Viola was able to win his fifth decision in a row. Russell out at least 2 weeks MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 7:30 p.m.: Rangers at Red Sox, NESN 669783 7:30 p.m.: White Sox at Yankees, MSG 1513561) 7:30 p.m.: Astros at Mets, SC 1813566) 7:30 p.m.: Padres at Marlins, ESPN 2550541 7:35 p.m.: Giants at Braves, TBS 1542366151 10:30 p.m.: Orioles at Angels, ESPN 9819671 MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 6:55 p.m.: Eastern League: Bowie Baysox at New Britain Red Sox, WBIS(1120) TENNIS 11 a.m.: U.S. Open, early-round matches, USA 1572162) 7:30 p.m.: U.S.

Open, early-round matches, USA (1 193251 p- 12:35 a.m.: U.S. Open Late Night, (DO 56655171; 1:05 p.m.: 59529131 HOCKEY 7:30 p.m.: Whalers Encore: Sabres at Whalers, SC 628306 (taped from March, 13) VCR Plus codes included) -I "'I V. Red Sox honor Ryan Before the game the Red Sox made a presentation to the Rangers' Nolan Ryan for his service to baseball. Ryan is on the disabled list because of a rib muscle injury. Russell and the other Red Sox on the DL infielder Luis Rivera (right hamstring), infielder Jeff Richardson (back), lefthander Joe Hesketh (elbow) and right-handed reliever Jose Melendez (neck, shoulder) are eligible for the postseason roster.

Hesketh said tests showed the problem is scar tissue, but he said it might be more serious. "I might go see Dr. James Andrews in Alabama when the season is over to see if it just needs a cleaning-out." No. 1 draft choice Trot Nixon is due today to sign his contract. cy and a lack of confidence.

But he has beaten the Rangers twice in the past five days and is 4-0, 1.60 in five August starts. In Texas last week, Viola established his fastball inside, and that opened up the outside for his changeup. "Tonight, early, it was fastball away, fastball in, he said. "Then 1 went to the changeup. One thing about the Rangers, you know they're going up there swinging." The Red Sox broke the game open with four runs in the fifth.

Naehring, who replaced second baseman Scott Fletcher in the second because Fletcher's left hamstring tightened, led off with an infield single. Mike Greenwell (3-for-5) singled and Andre Dawson bunted to load the bases. Brown struck out Mo Vaughn but third baseman Jeff Huson booted Rob Deer's double play grounder to make it 2-0. Brown then came apart. He balked in a run, catching a cleat and nearly falling down on his first pitch to Scott Cooper.

Cooper then had a two-run double. The Red Sox scored another run in the sixth on John Valentin's double (his 30th) off third base and a single by Greenwell who then got picked off first to give the Red Sox 15 running mistakes in the past 11 games. opponents for open schedule dates, Continued from Page CI don't know. I just couldn't serve today. It didn't work." He had three set points in the first set and two more in the third.

Ferreira, an accomplished serve-and-volleyer who was given a good chance of winning this match when the draw was announced last week, wasn't flawless. He scored on 52 percent of his net approaches. "I was lucky in the fifth set," he said. "He gave me a bit of a lead and didn't put enough pressure on me, and I carried the pressure to him." With Monica Seles, the champion in 1991 and '92, recovering from a stab wound, Graf is expected to have an easy route to the semifinals. Leading 4-3 in the first set, Graf won the next eight games and said there was no recurrence of the inflamed foot bone she had at Wimbledon.

Graf is trying to win her third consecutive Grand Slam event and her third U.S. Open. Connors: no remorse Jimmy Connors, who turns 41 Thursday, showed up to announce a business deal, serving as spokesman and mentorcoach for Reebok's junior tennis development program. "It seems strange not to be practicing or getting ready to play," Connors said. "Things go on.

I didn't want to come in and not play the tennis I played in my time here. Following in LeMond's Staff and wire reports 'John Harris of Edina, defeated Danny Ellis of Haines City, 5 and 3 Monday to win the U.S. Amateur golf championship in Houston. Harris received a spot in the 1994 Masters, U.S. Open and British Open with the victory.

He took a three-hole lead after 10 holes of the morning round of the 36-hole final, but Ellis rallied for a one-hole lead on No. 17. Ellis bo-geyed No. 18 and the finalists started the afternoon round even. Ellis conceded the match without putting out on the 33rd hole.

European team complete Captain Bernard Gallacher chose Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain and Joakim Haeggman of Sweden as wild cards to complete the European Ryder Cup team. Bemhard Langer, after his vic tory Sunday in the German Open, topped automatic qualifiers. Also on the team are Nick Faldo of England, Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance of Scotland, Ian Woos-nam of Wales, Costantino Rocca of Britsox get ahead in ninth Three hits enough to defeat Baysox By KEVIN LYONS Courant Staff Writer NEW BRITAIN The New Britain Red Sox had three hits Monday night. But the final hit, a one-out bunt single in the ninth inning by Scott Bethea, helped the Britsox to a 3-2 Victory over the Bowie Baysox in front of 2,023 at Beehive Field. Bowie made five errors, including two in the ninth.

Boo Moore, who reached on an error by third baseman Brad Tyler, scored the winning run. "I wanted to make sure there Were no extra innings," said Bethea, who was l-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base. "I wanted to make sure I got the ball on the ground." The winning run came off Dave Paveloff (4-3), who pitched one inning. Peter Hoy (8-4) pitched two-thirds of an inning for the victory. With the score tied at 2 in the the eighth, Bowie missed a chance to win the game.

With the bases loaded and no outs against reliever Bernard Dzafic, Jeffrey Hammonds hit a fielder's choice to third baseman Bill Norris, who threw out Bo Ortiz trying to score from third. Tony Mosley relieved Dzafic, who got Brent Miller to hit into an inning-ending double play. Said Mosley: "I just wanted to get ahead of Miller. I like coming in situations like that because my adrenalin is flowing." Bowie also left a runner on third In the ninth inning. "We've had a lot of tight games like this in the past two months," Britsox manager Jim Pankovits said.

"That is a credit to our pitching." Bowie took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on an error and three hits. After Brent Miller and Brad Tyler Greg Zaun double over the head of Bruce Chick, driving in Miller and Tyler. Britsox catcher Alex Delgado threw a ball into the outfield attempting to pick off Miller. The error allowed Tyler to advance to second base and Miller to third. New Britain made it 2-1 in the fourth on a groundout by Chick, scoring Bill Norris.

The Britsox tied it in the fifth. Moore, among the team leaders in stolen bases, reached on a walk and then stole second. Zaun, trying to throw out Moore, threw the ball in the outfield, which let Moore go to third. Moore scored when center fielder Ortiz, attempting to throw out threw wildly. Baysox starter Daryl Smith, signed Aug.

23 as a free agent after playing in Mexico, was effective in his second game with Bowie. Through eight innings, Smith struck out 10 while allowing two hits. One of the runs was unearned. Britsox starter Tim Vanegmond was also effective. In seven innings, he allowed two hits while striking out 10.

He was most dominating in the second, third and fourth in- nings, when seven of the 10 outs were strikeouts. Ortiz, who played at Bulkeley High School in Hartford and Eastern Connecticut, was promoted re-; cently from Frederick, the Orioles' Class A team. Correction Water skier Andy Mapple of Orlando, was incorrectly identified in a photo caption on Page B6 Monday. Also, Kristi Overton of Oviedo, defeated Jennifer Leachman of Orlando, in the semifinals of women's slalom in the Budweiser Water Ski Tour Finals. The result was incorrectly reported on Page B7.

ourant Staff Writer BOSTON The Red Sox will call up infielder Luis Ortiz today to take the roster spot of right-handed closer Jeff Russell, who was put on the 15-day disabled list because of partially torn left ankle ligaments. Russell, third in the American League with 33 saves, hurt the ankle shagging balls Sunday in Kansas City. He was moving gingerly Monday before the Red Sox's 7-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. He left wearing a supportive boot. "The two ligaments on the outer side of the left ankle are partially torn," Dr.

Arthur Pappas said. "The treatment is rest and therapy." Righthanders Greg Harris and Ken Ryan, depending on the situa- Featured matches Today at the U.S. Open (seeding In pamilnata)i Stadium Court Day tattlon: Olivier Delaitre, France, vs. Stefan Edberg (3), Sweden; Jennifer Capriati (7), Wesley Chapel, vs. Leila Meskhi, Georgia: Andre Agassi (16), Las Vegas, vs.

Thomas Enqvist, Sweden Night session: Mary Joe Fernandez (6), Miami, vs. Andrea Vieira, Brazil Fabrics Santoro, France, vs. Pete Sampras (2), Tampa, Fla. Grandstand Court Day (assion: Shelby Cannon, Ponte Ve-dra Beach, vs. Michael Chang (7), Henderson, Jim Courier (1), Dade City, vs.

Marcos Aurelio Gorriz, Spain; Patty Fendlck, Sacramento, vs. Gabriela Sabatml (5), Argentina. Night sMskmi MaliVai Washington, Ponte Vedra Beach, vs. Alberto Manctni, TV) USA, 1 1 a.m., 7:30 pjm. The fans here gave me more than I could ask.

I didn't want them to look back and say, 'I wish he didn't play. It was not up to his standards "Physically, I think I could have played. Mentally, I don't know if I could stay out there for four or five hours. If I question my desire to do that, better I don't play." Overall, he seemed comfortable with just being at the Open, not playing. "I wondered how I'd take this," he said.

"It's not so bad. I've given everything I had here. That's good enough." tracks Wire report Beginner Hockey for Adults: learn with other aduk Beginners in the League which has taught over 10,000 adults In how to play hockey. No experience is necessary. No fighting Is permitted.

Experienced Mayers: Compete in City-wide competition, plus International Tournaments, Local, Regional, and National Playoffs. The League featured in over 40 cities (more than 600 teams) in North America and Europe, with full-slapshot, no-check hockey for players 21 and over. Kl WNTtD Ovn0NOML- 1-800-4-HOCKEY "CMMmMno 14 of Hockty" 1084 xV p( j- Red Sox notebook tion, will share the role of closer. Ortiz, 23, was hitting .294, with 18 homers and 81 RBI in 102 games at Triple A Pawtucket. The Red Sox, who must submit their 25-man, postseason roster by midnight tonight, had planned to call up six players after Pawtucket finishes its season Saturday.

Rosters can expand to 40 Wednesday. The six: Ortiz, utility player Steve Lyons, catcher John Flaherty, outfielders Greg Blosser and Jeff McNeely and right-handed reliever Cory Bailey. Manager Butch Hob-son said the team might promote lefthander Scott Taylor and that Bailey, 22, will join the team Wednesday. Red Sox 7, Rangers 3 TCXM II MM AVO OSTON Fletcher lb Naihrlng 2b Grttnwttl If Diwton dh MVtughn lb Dtr rt Cooptr 3b Matcher ct Pn I MM AVO 1 0 0 0 .21 4 I 0 .12 I I 1 I .24 1 I 1 0 .273 9 1 I 0 .104 I I 0 I .311 I 0 I I .271 1 0 0 0 .301 Ducty cf 1 Rtdutrt I PUmtlro lb 4 Gonulii 4 I I I I I I mm 1 I .113 Franco dh Rodrlgti Pilmtr 3t Hutwilb Strange 2b MLHU Tttak 10 1 0 I 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 I I 4 111 .179 4 I I 0 .142 M2t Valentin TEXAS OSTON hi ra-i Ml Wa- I l-Mwon Strange I). Nathrlng I Viol O) 10-Tnn 4, Boiton t.

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Urns Horn, Hendry; Fir It, Evins, Second, CrtN; Third, WckOK. T-J 0I. weighed heavily upon him and the news got worse on the recent trip when his daughter Jennifer, 9, was badly injured in an accident at Danny Darwin's ranch in Texas. "The whole thing has been tough, but my daughter's accident was the worst thing," Pena said. "I knew after that it couldn't get worse." The same could have been said at almost any point for Viola.

He has suffered with injuries, inconsisten of teams seeking you? Jeff Otterbein Sports Editor piease can Assistant 241 -3978 or Assistant Sports toll-free, To submit adult to the Courant news are: 643 Main 1 1 6 Main 101 Phoenix 200 Adams 56 E. Main 285 Broad To submit new Red Sox take advantage of errors Lance Armstrong became the youngest American to win the men's professional road race at the World Cycling Championships in Oslo, Norway. Greg LeMond, the only other American winner, was 22 when he won the first of his two titles in 1983. Armstrong will be 22 in three weeks. The 160-mile race Sunday was held in rainy weather that made the track, parts of it covered with new asphalt, slippery.

Several riders crashed, including two-time defending champion Gianni Bugno. Armstrong, who has heard comparisons to LeMond for a couple of years, had a time of 6 hours, 17 minutes, 10 seconds. Miguel Indurain of Spain, the Tour de France champion, won the silver medal and was followed by Olaf Ludwig of Germany, winner of the 1988 Olympic road race as a member of the East German team. HOCKEY! Continued from Page CI sions in Boston and is 1-4, 7.01 lifetime at Fenway Park. Not that the Red Sox (69-61) played perfect baseball.

Viola, who has won five consecutive decisions, had two wild pitches and one of the team's two errors. The Red Sox gave the Rangers their second run in the eighth when Tim Naehring made a throwing error that allowed Manuel Lee to reach base. Viola's throwing error sent him to third and Lee scored on a sacrifice fly. But there were some sweet moments, and two belonged to Red Sox catcher Tony Pena. Pena, who has struggled at the plate all season, was a big part of the offense.

His fielder's choice to the right side after a protracted at-bat with Brown gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the fourth. And in the seventh, he made a curtain call after hitting his third homer of the season to give the Red Sox a 7-1 lead. "How does it feel to contribute?" Pena said after extending his hitting streak to a season-high five games. "It feels great considering I haven't been doing nothing all year." Pena, 36, is in the final season of a three-year deal and his troubles at the plate (.179) have the Red Sox balking at offering him a contract extension. Those factors have I Mow can wc help We Invite readers to write, call or visit our news offices to share their opinions, I ideas tor news stories and letters to the I editor.

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