Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 192

C2 THI HMTF08D COUIANT: Wedimdoy, April 16, 1997 Frye versatile, but second comes firsf Mets 5, Dodger LOSANCELES Butler c( Guerrero 2b Mondesi rt Piazza Karros lb HtnoswrthK Zeile 3b Gagne ss IValdes Park Hale ph Radinsky ToWorreU Liriano ph Total I SHU 3 0 1 0 2 0 4 0 2 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 12 4 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 2 0 0 1 4 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 AVS .225 250 .229 3U .283 245 195 .304 .000 .333 .143 .000 I HilSO AV6 4 0 2 4 0 0 .309 4 0 2 0 0 0 382 3 0 0 0 1 2 .185 4 0 0 0 0 0 167 4 0 1 0 0 3 .171 3 1 1 0 0 0 .175 1 1 0 0 0 0 .200 3 2 3 0 0 0 .265 3 1 1 1 0 0 .275 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 3 10 5 2 the indoor cage before the game. The Red Sox first interleague game at a National League park is June 13, when they play the Mets at Shea Stadium. Reggie Jefferson's sore left quadriceps was better; Jefferson is available to pinch hit, but he is not close to joining the starting lineup. Minor league pitcher Kerry Lacy was examined by Dr. Arthur Pappas.

Lacy, the closer for Triple A Pawtucket, has soreness in the back of his right shoulder. The Red Sox have set a June 1 target date for righthander Bret Saberha-gen to return from shoulder siir-gery. Saberhagen will probably make a minor league rehabilitation start next month Matchups for the Indians series: Steve Avery (0-1, 3.27) vs. Chad Ogea (2-0, 4.15), 6:05 p.m., tonight; John Wasdin 0--p, 3.14) vs. Albie Lopez (0-1, 6:05 p.m., Thursday.

said. "Whether I'm in there or not, my preparation is the same." Frye worked out at shortstop and third base in spring training, but he is best suited for second base. He has played all three outfield positions and made the team after proving he could play outfield. Now, Frye's best chance to play may be in the outfield. If shortstop Nomar Garciaparra were injured, Valentin would move to shortstop and Frye would play second.

Frye could play third if Tim Naehring were hurt, although he would not be a long-term solution at third. But Williams envisions Frye as a Tony Phillips-like utility player, capable of playing any position from one day to the next. "I would feel comfortable and good with him anywhere," Williams said. "I haven't seen him play first or pitch, but he's already said he can catch and he's worked out at six other positions." Valentin should be back in the lineup today. He called Williams Tuesday afternoon and was excused from batting practice.

Williams was vague about Valentin's condition, but a Red Sox spokesperson called it as a "stomach bug." "1 don't like to talk about those things," Williams said. "They nauseate me." Completions in the outfield Red Sox pitchers have been throwing footballs in the outfield as part of their daily ronning. Williams said that was pitching coach Joe Kerrigan's idea, but it is not a method of building arm strength. "Just keeping it fun," Williams said In preparation for interleague play, pitchers have been taking batting practice. Tom Gordon was hitting in Angels give Leyritz more of their time He gets the chance to play Wherever I go, I should be able to wear it.

We want to keep the legacy alive. lean understand not passing it out year after year. But we wear it for Robinson. Mo Vaughn Vaughn insists he will continue to wear the number, even if he signs with another team. Selig, at a ceremony at Shea Stadium, said the number will be retired by every team, which seems to preclude Vaughn from wearing it with another team.

Vaughn is a free agent after the 1998 season. "Wherever I go, I should be able to wear it," Vaughn said. "We want to keep the legacy alive." Huskey said he would have agreed to give up his number. "At first, I thought, 'Oh, But I told myself, 'It's Jackie's number. If they're going to retire his number, he is bigger than the Huskey said.

"If they wanted to strip it off my back right there, it would have been fine. "Now, I'll wear it with even more pride." it Staff writer Dom Amore contributed to this story. Red Sox 7, Athletics 2 I I I .1 10 innings was given a standing ovation as he approached the plate for the first time Monday. Yankees starter Kenny Rogers stepped off the mound to allow Leyritz the opportunity to absorb the applause, which he said he appreciated. In the eighth inning Monday, Leyritz paid back the favor by hitting a two-run homer off Yankees reliever Brian Boehringer, giving the Angels a 5-1 lead.

He hit another homer in the second Tuesday against David Wells. "I wasn't sure what the reception would be," Leyritz said. "It was nice to know you were a part of something special in New York, and that the fans remembered me." Gooden feeling better Yankees righthander Doc Gooden reported no unusual discomfort Tuesday, one day after having surgery on a hernia in Tampa, Fla. Gooden, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday (retroactive to April 6) spent the day resting at home and is scheduled for a follow-up exam today. Though the swelling in Darryl Strawberry's left knee decreased a little, he was hejd out of batting practice because of cold, damp conditions at the Yankees' facility in Tampa.

Paul O'Neill started against Angels lefthander Chuck Finley. He's had at least one hit in 12 of New York's 13 games. O'Neill, hitting .420, was 2s for-3. Yankees manager Joe Torre said he thought about starting Tim Raines, but Raines, a switch hitter who came off the DL Friday, hasn't had much batting practice right-handed. Torre was ejected by plate umpire Brian O'Nora for balls and strikes in the second inning.

David Cone (0-1, 1,80) and Andy Pettitte (3-0, 2.79) are the scheduled starters for the Yankees' two-game series beginning tonight in Milwaukee. By JOHN ALTAVTLLA Courant Staff Writer NEW YORK When the Yankees traded Jim Leyritz to the Angels in December, they did not part with a bitter player. Just a postseason hero who wanted a chance to play regularly and wasn't going to with them. "My numbers have always been good when I've played consistently," said Leyritz, who came into the season with a .267 batting average. "But I've never had the chance to play every day." Leyritz, 33, started 72 games for the Yankees last year, 50 behind the plate, 10 as the DH.

But Angels manager Terry Collins pledged to give Leyritz between 80 and 100 starts at catcher, with time at first base and DH. "We believe he has some offensive potential," Collins said. The Yankees are aware of this by now. Leyritz made his seventh start at catcher for Anaheim Tuesday night and made the most of it. He had four hits in five at-bats, including the winning two-run double with two out in the ninth as the Angels beat the Yankees, 6-5.

Leyritz is hitting .400 (14-of-35). All three of his homers and 10 of his RBI have come against the Yankees. "When you're swinging the bat the way I am right now, it really doesn't matter who you are playing against," Leyritz said. "But I must admit, it is a little sweeter to have it happen here." Leyritz, whose three-run homer off Atlanta's Mark Wohlers in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the 1996 World Series pulled the Yankees into a 6-6 tie New York won 8-6 in Huskey gets rally started for the Mets Associated Press NEW YORK Appropriately, the key play of the game was vintage Jackie Robinson. And the player who started the go-ahead rally wore No.

42. With President Clinton on hand to honor the 50th anniversary of Robinson's major league debut, the Mets beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 Tuesday night, taking the lead on a two-run single that didn't make it past second base. In honor of the occasion, Shea Stadium was mostly full for the first time this season. Some of Robinson's teammates and many baseball dignitaries were on hand. The crowd was listed as 34,596, which included 19,451 free tickets that were distributed.

The ballpark appeared to have more than 1,000 Secret Service, police and law enforcement officials. As Clinton waited to walk onto the field to deliver his speech after the fifth inning, Butch Huskey who wears No. 42 to honor Robinson led off with a single against IsmaelValdes (1-2). "That's the utmost award I can ever get in my life," Huskey said of wearing No. 42.

"I can get any other award for the rest of my career and it will not mean more to me." Carlos Baerga followed Huskey with a grounder to third that Todd Zeile fumbled and Alex Ochoa's single loaded the bases. Rey Ordonez grouned into a pitcher-to-catcher-to-first double play, but pinch hitter Matt Franco walked. Lance Johnson followed with a grounder up the middle. Second baseman Wilton Guerrero knocked down the ball but had no play. One run scored easily, and Ochoa never broke stride and scored from second base on a ball that never made it out of the infield.

Robinson seemed to be on everyone's mind the scoreboard played tributes every half inning both his career and his legacy. "I'll remember the President was here. I'll remember Butch wore 42 and had a big part in the game," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "For me it was a wonderful experience," Dodgers center fielder Brett Butler said. Ordonez had an RBI single in the seventh and Johnson followed with a two-run single.

"To win it for Jackie, to have a good game is something I'm never oing to forget for the rest of my ife," Johnson said. "To honor the man who made it possible for me that's awesome." Armando Reynoso (1-0), brought Jacobs Continued from Page CI Every time Robinson swung at some opponent who held up a watermelon in a dugout or buried a spike in his belly, he would strike a terrible blow against his own race. Rickey needed a Hall of Fame ballplayer, but even more, he needed a disciple of passive resistance. He needed a disciple of Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. Be assured, this is not historic hyperbole.

This 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson isn't about baseball. It is about the commitment to a struggle for equality in sport, in education, in corporate America. "Nonviolence is the first article of my faith," said Gandhi, assassinated one year after Robinson shattered the color barrier. "It's also the last article of my creed." Rickey understood this. He knew there would be men such as Phillies manager Ben Chapman who would attack Robinson's birthright, whose players would hold up pork chops and chicken wings and wash them down with racial epithets.

This is why Rickey read from Giovanni Papini's book "The Life of Christ" when they met on Montague Street in Brooklyn in the summer of 1945. Do not believe in an eye for an eye. Believe in turning the other cheek. Do not do the attacker the honor of meeting him on his own ground. Rickey began to scream at Robinson.

"What if a hotel clerk tells you 'no niggers can stay Rickey played the role of a racist opponent, a bigoted fan. He got into Robinson's face, showed him his fist and kept screaming. "What are you going to "I've got two cheeks," Robinson finally answered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mr. Rickey, if you want to take this gamble, I'll promise you there will be no incidents." On April 15, 1947, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, Robinson started at first base and batted second against Boston Braves righthander Johnny Sain.

There would be no incidents. "I never stared Jim Crow in the face," Lee said, "but I know I never could have handled what Jackie did. I would have exploded." Fifty years later, Robinson's widow, Rachel, stood next to President Clinton to present drawings of commemorative coins to benefit the Jackie Robinson Foundation and, then again, on the field before an entire nation. "What impresses me is the totality of the man," Clinton said. "He did more than change the face of baseball.

He changed the face of America." We cannot be satisfied with the By PAUL DOYLE Ctmrant Staff Writer BOSTON For days, Jimy Williams was searching for a way to give Jeff Frye a start. He was prepared to use Frye in the outfield Tuesday. As it turned out. Frve started at his natural position second base. John Valentin had an upset stomach and was not available.

Before Tuesday, Frye was the only non-pitcher without a start. He went 1 -f or-4 with a run scored in the Red Sox's 7-2 victory over the Athletics. "But I come to the park expecting to play every day, anyway," Frye Wearing 42 is a tribute, Vaughn says By PAUL DOYLE Courant Staff Writer BOSTON While Red Sox players watched Bud Selig's televised speech at a ceremony honoring Jackie Robinson Tuesday night, Mo Vaughn sat in front of his locker. But as Selig, baseball's acting commissioner, announced Robinson's No. 42 would be retired throughout baseball, players called for Vaughn.

His teammates were surprised Vaughn would not be allowed to wear 42 if he leaves the Red Sox. "I'll wear that number until I retire," he said. Vaughn and Butch Huskey of the Mets each of whom wears No. 42 in honor of Robinson will be allowed to keep the number, but only because they resisted a request from the Major League Players Association. In spring training, each was asked to stop wearing the number.

Vaughn said Huskey was prepared to comply. But Vaughn and Huskey talked when the Mets and Red Sox played in Las Vegas. "I told him to tell the union to retire the number after we retire," Vaughn said. "I said for guys who wear it for Robinson, we should continue to wear it. They didn't fight me on it.

Sele's start lets Red Sox build a lead Continued from Page CI Hatteberg, Sele's college teammate at Washington State. "He used a lot of pitches in the first inning, but endurance-wise he got through it. He just had good stuff all night." Hatteberg had one of the Red Sox's 11 hits. They took the lead with a homer from Troy O'Leary in the second and broke it open with three in the fifth. Shortstop Nomar Garciaparra had three hits, including a homer and a triple.

Garciaparra is thriving in the leadoff spot, hitting .306. He is also playing well at short. "I still have a lot to learn," he said. "I just try to listen to everyone and do my job. The big thing is to do the job on defense, so the pitchers can relax and know they've got guys behind them who will make the plays." Garciaparra's homer should have been ruled a double, as it was touched by a fan along the right field wall.

Earlier in the sixth, Hatteberg hit one off the center field fence that appeared to be a homer. But umpire John Shulock called it a double. It would have been Hatteberg's first career homer, but he wasn't bothered by the call. "It will only be a problem if I hit 60 this year," Hatteberg said. The Red Sox also scored two runs in the eighth, when Garciaparra tripled with Mike Stanley and Darren Bragg on base.

Bragg had two hits and O'Leary, moved to the cleanup spot Sunday, had two hits and a walk. Sele was replaced in the eighth by Jim Corsi, who allowed two runs in BASEBALL 1:05 p.m.: Reds at Braves, TBS 47972210 1:30 p.m.: Dodgers at Mets, (548993, WFAN (660) 6 p.m.: Indians at Red Sox, NESN 127429, WTIC (1080), WHYN (560), WILI (1400), WINY (1350), WSTC (1400), WNLK (1350), WAXB-FM (105.5), WINE (940), WEEI (850) 7 p.m.: Yankees at Brewers, MSG 361023, WABC (770), WPOP (1410), WLAD (800), WICC (600), WWCO(1240) 7:30 p.m.! Orioles at White Sox, ESPN 253852 MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 6:30 p.m.! Rock Cats at Navigators, WSUB (980), WMRD (1150), WLIS(1420) 7:30 p.m.: Portland at Ravens, WAVZ(1300), WMMM(1260) NEW YORK LJohnson cf Olerud 1 Gilkey If Hundley Huskey 3b Baerga 2b Alexander 2b Ochoa rf Ordonez ss Reynosa MFranco ph Borland ToMi LOS ANGELES 000 000 0000 1 NEW YORK 000 020 30X 5 10 1 Zeile (2), Huskey (2). LOB Los Angeles 1 1 New York 0. 2B Baerga (1 RBI LJohnson 4 (7). Ordonez (1).

WGuer-rero. Borland. OP Los Angeles New York 1 LOS ANGELES 9 RERBBSO NP ERA IValdes 1-2 5 6 2 0 1 4 74 2.95 Park 1 0 0 0 0 1 12 2 57 Radinsky 1 4 3 3 0 0 11 4.91 ToWorreU 1 0 0 0 1 1 17 1 50 NEW YORK IP RERBBSO NP ERA Reynoso 1-0 5 6 0 0 2 2 77 0.00 Borland SI 4 2 0 0 1 3 64 4.05 HBP by Borland (Mondesi). Umpires Home Gregg; First, Gobman; Second, Pulli; Third, Davidson. 2:39.

A 34,596 (56.000). The Courant's "Remembering Jackie Robinson" special section is available on our Web site. It includes some additional features including historical photos, RealAudio and RealVideo segments and links to additional resources on the World Wide Web. The address: http:wrww.coufant.com The Voice News Network reports on baseball's celebration of Jackie Robinson at Shea Stadium Tuesday. Call Courant Source at 246-1000 or (800) 246-8070 and enter Source No.

6307. To hear excerpts from Jesse Jackson's eulogy of Jackie Robinson, call Courant Source and enter Source No. 5377. A RealAudio version of the eulogy is available on The Courant's Web site. The address: http:newc.courant.com speciaijackieaudvid.ctm up from the minors earlier in the day, allowed six hits in five shutout innings.

Toby Borland, who relieved after the 35-minute break for the tribute, finished with two-hit relief for his first save. By then, most of the crowd had left. In the clubhouses, players were still talking about Robinson. What about players who want to honor him in the future by wearing No. 42? "A day late and a dollar short," Huskey said.

U.S. Mint pressing commemorative coins. Not when there are three field managers and one general manager among 28 major league teams. Not when there are 14 black managers among 168 minor league affiliates. Fifteen teams have no blacks in their minor league organization.

These numbers aren't troubling. They are obscene. "Marge Schott is a whipping post," Lee said, "but I'm afraid a lot of baseball owners feel the same way as she does. They're just smart enough not to verbalize it. "The number of managers and GMs is a joke.

But there aren't enough young brothers playing the game anymore, either baseball is 36 percent minority, only 18 percent African American. They don't say they want to be like Ken Griffey Jr. or Frank Thomas, They want to be like Mike or Shaq." The sights and sounds from Augusta, riveted a sporting nation last weekend. But we must not be satisfied with Tiger Woods becoming the first black to win the Masters with record scores. While it is terrific Woods has inspired youngsters of all colors to take up golf, we must not rest until all those youngsters and their parents can gain memberships into exclusive country clubs.

There are no tee times in Harlem. "Through the civic rights and black power movements, there were demands," Sharon Robinson said. "We saw progress. Maybe we got a little lazy. Then one day you wake up and you see a Harvard study showing Connecticut with the least-integrated schools in the nation.

"We cannot take the road to equality for granted." King once said he had a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood. You see the magic of the weekend from a golf course in Georgia. You see this momentous tribute to this Georgian son of a former slave. It is wonderful. But it cannot be an end to itself.

For this was never only about baseball. It is about a commitment to the struggle. That's what makes baseball's well-intentioned decision to retire No. 42 forever other than those currently wearing it curious. The whole idea of Mo Vaughn and Butch Huskey wearing No.

42 is to keep Jackie's memory alive, to keep Jackie's struggle active. What about the 10-year-old kid who wants to be the next Jackie Robinson? OAKLAND AB BB SO AVG Mashorecf 5 1 0 0 0 1 .250 Giambi If 3 0 1 0 2 0 .234 Canseco rf 5 0 2 2 0 2 .241 McGwire 1b 4 0 0 0 1 1 .293 Berroadh 2 0 1 0 2 0 .426 Brosius3b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .163 Spiezio2b 3 0 2 0 1 0 .271 Batista ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 .171 Magadan ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 Molinac 3 0 0 0 0 0 .120 Stairs ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 .333 TeWi 34 2 7 2 6 6 BOSTON AB Bl BB SO AVG Garciaparra ss 5 2 3 3 0 1 .306 Frye 2b 4 110 11 .286 Vaughn 1b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .234 O'Leary rf 3 12 110 .294 Naehring 3b 3 0 1 1 1 1 .320 Stanley dh 3 110 11 .250 Corderolf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .255 Hatteberg 4 1 1 0 0 2 .200 Bragg cf 4 1 2 0 0 1 .371 ToUU 34 7 11 4 9 OAKLAND 000 000 0022 7 1 BOSTON 010 031 02X 7 11 2 Wells doesn't have it; neither does Rivera Angels 6, Yankees 5 ANAHEIM AS Bl BB SO AVG OPalmeirocf 5 0 1 0 0 0 .238 Grebeck2b 2 0 0 0 1 0 .063 Howell ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 .400 Aliceapr-2b 0 1 0 0 0 0 .207 Hollins3b 4 110 12 .354 SalmOn rf 5 0 0 0 0 3 .176 Leyritz 5 3 4 3 0 0 .400 Erstadlb 5 1 3 2 0 0 .354 EMurray dh 4 0 2 0 0 0 .303 GAnderaonlf 4 0 2 1 0 0 .365 DiSardnass 4 0 0 0 0 0 .311 Tetota 39 6 14 6 2 NEW YORK AB Bl BB SO AVG Jeter ss 3 0 1 1 2 1 .381 Hayes 3b 4 0 1 0 1 1 .389 BWilliamscf 4 0 0 0 1 0 .245 Fielder dh 5 1 1 0 0 0 .172 TMartinezlb 4 2 1 1 1 1 .293 Whiten If 5 1 1 3 0 0 .421 O'Neill rf 3 1 2 0 1 0 .420 Duncan 2b 4 0 2 0 0 0 .412 PKellypr-2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Qlrardic 3 0 0 0 1 0 .138 Totals 33 9 3 ANAHEIM 010 200 012 14 0 NEW YORK 013 000 1003 9 0 LOB Anaheim 9, New York 1 0. 2B Leyr- itz (1), Erstad (5), O'Neill (7). HR-TMar-tlnez (4) off PHarris; Whiten (2) off Finley; Leyritz (3) off DWells. RBI Leyritz 3 (10), Erstad 2 (5), GAnderson (6), Jeter (7), Martinez (11), Whiten 3 (8).

SB Erstad (5), GAnderson (2). CS O'Neill (2). St Grebeck. OP Anaheim New York 1. ANAHEIM IP RERBBSO NP ERA Finley 2 4 4 4 5 1 71 18.00 DeLucia 2 0 0 0 2 1 30 0.00 DaMay 1Vj 2 0 0 0 0 17 4.91 PHarris 1 3 1 1 0 0 17 2.08 HasegawaWM 1 0 0 0 0 1 18 10.45 James 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 04 NEW YORK IP RERBBSO NP ERA Dwells 6 9 3 3 2 3 134 3.57 Nelson Vt 1 1 1 0 1 8 5.87 Stanton '1 1 0 0 0 0 13 0.00-, MRIveraLO-1 1 3 2 2 0 1 14 4 9Q Finley pitched to 4 batters In the 3rd, Nel- son pitched to 1 batter In the 8th.

WP Stanton. PB Glrardl. Umpires Home, O'Nora; First, McKean; Second, Hendry; Third, Hirschbeck. 3:49. A 16,944 I Canseco (1), MVaughn (3), Hatteberg (1).

LOB Oakland 11, Boston 7. 2B Giambi 2), Hatteberg (2), Bragg (3). 3B Garciaparra (1). HR Garciaparra (2) off Wengert; O'Leary (1) off Karsay. RBI-Canseco 2 (9), Garciaparra 3 (10), O'Leary (4), Naehring (14).

SB Canseco (2), Garciaparra 2 (4), Frye (2). CS Hatteberg (1). DP Oakland 1 Boston 1 OAKLAND RERBBSO NP ERA Karsay 0-1 4 6 4 1 3 6 93 2 00 Wengert 3Vi 5 3 3 1 3 63 5 68 BOSTON IP RERBBSO NP ERA Sele 2-0 7 5 0 0 4 6 113 3.00 Corsi 1 1 2 1 2 0 26 20.25 Slocumb 1 0 0 0 0 4 1.69 WP Karsay 3. Umpires Home, Tschida; First, Hickox; Second, Shulock; Third, Reed. 2:59.

A 17,862 Vh innings. The runs scored when Heathcliff Slocumb allowed a bases-loaded single to Jose Canseco in the ninth. But the Red Sox had a cushion, thanks to Sele's seven shutout innings. Tonight, Avery attempts to continue the run against the Indians. Avery and Williams came from Atlanta, where the best rotation in baseball resides.

Is this beginning to feel a bit like the Braves' Fab Four? "Oh, I don't know about that," Williams said. "I'm not comparing them to anybody. They're just doing a nice job, that's all." PRO BASKETBALL 7 p.m.: Hornets at Celtics, SC 912993 8 p.m.: Bulls at Heat, TBS 848264 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS 7:30 p.m.! Blues at Red Wings, ESPN2 6260239 10:30 p.m.! Coyotes at Mighty Ducks, ESPN 812167 MSG subject to blackout on some cable systems. VCR Plus codes Correction Hank Aaron had 3,771 hits and scored 2,174 runs. Some of Aaron's career statistics were incorrect on Page G14 of the Jackie Robinson special section Tuesday.

Continued from Page CI great, great honor for me." Wells' work seemed enough to support a three-run homer by Mark Whiten in the third and a solo homer by Tino Martinez in the seventh, his first homer since hitting three in one night at Seattle April 2. But the Angels began to creep back with a run in the eighth to make it 5-4. Lefthander Chuck Finley started for the Angels You figured he would eventually show up at the Stadium. With the possible exception of the guy who started in the baggy home pinstripes "David Wells isn't ex- tly what you would call a fashion plate," Torre few pitchers have exhibited more dominant behavior against the Yankees the past few seasons. The veteran, who tied Nolan Ryan's franchise record for starts (288) when he climbed the mound, came to the game 14-8 lifetime against the Yankees, with seven victories in his past eight starts against them.

During batting practice March 15 in Tempe, Finley was struck near the right eye by an errant bat, suffering a non-displaced fracture of the right orbital bone. Finley prepared for the world champions with two Class A starts where he struck out 12 (and walked four) in nine innings. That and the 314-foot sign in right field was all the evidence the Angels needed to rush him back to the rotation. They should have waited a little longer. Finley was gone after 16 hitters and 71 pitches, done in by errant control (five walks) and a three-run homer in the third by Whiten that gave the Yankees a 4-1 lead.

Leyritz gave the Angels the first lead with a one-out, 374-foot homer over the fence in right in the second. Two Finley walks, the last to Derek Jeter with the bases loaded and one out, quickly tied it in the second. Again, Finley managed to get out of the inning alive. Then came the third. Cecil Fielder singled and Martinez walked to brine Whiten (halting tn the plate.

Whiten's line drive, opposite-field homer, his second of the season, sent Angels manager Terry Collins to the bullpen for Rich De-Lucia. DeLucia, lefthander Darrell May and righthander Pep Harris (who replaced May with one out and one on in the sixth) kept the Yankees quiet through the sixth,.