Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 60

COURIER-POST, Wednesday, April 8, 1998 Thunder Watch billies need a day at Beech after injuries Fast facta: The Trenton Thunder a Boston Red Sox Class AA affiliate Dtavina in the Fnstnm league. The Thunder play at Mercer wumjr naienrom ram, irenton ronai Oil 177; Lftat pl-70; fourth place in South Division. "'iu was second in league attendance with 446.527 total. 6.566 per Season opener 7:05 tonight, pome vs. Norwich Navigators.

Game ia OUT. Ticket prices: $8 for club and pavilion seats, $5 for adult terrace seats, $3 for children 5-14, $3 for age Di-ana-oider. Ticket information: 394-8326. Standard nam timaa- Waalr. nights.

Saturdays (April-June) "This is what you play for. This is why you put on a uniform every day." Arias said playing against the Marlins for the first time Tuesday wasn't too big a culture shock. "It's a little odd," Arias said. "But it's not like I'm playing against a lot of ex-teammates. That's practically a whole new team over there.

I don't know exactly how to feel." Trainer's room: Desi Relaford sat out Tuesday's game, still bothered by a sore right hamstring. Relaford injured the leg Saturday in Atlanta. He hopes to be ready by today, but the Phillies won't rush him. Arias started at shortstop Tuesday. "He may not be out more than a day or two," Francona said.

"But we've got a guy who can play out there, so he'll play. I'm pretty comfortable when Alex plays." Homerless: The Phillies entered Tuesday's game as the only major league team without a home run. The Pirates were the only other team to go homerless through the weekend, but Pirates third baseman Freddy Garcia connected against the Mets Monday. No Drew: The Phillies are still waiting for some word from Scott Boras, agent for top draft pick J.D. Drew, on the offer they made April 2 in New York.

The Phillies have offered a $2.6 million signing bonus and a four-year contract that with incentives could be worth more than $6 million. Boras said he would make a counter-offer to the team this week. Today's game: Mike Grace (0-1, 7.20 ERA) makes his second start against Erik Ludwick (0-1, 2.57). Grace posted a 7.94 ERA in spring training this season, and allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings in a 5-1 loss to Atlanta in his first start April 3. Grace has pitched just twice against the Marlins in his career, with a 1-1 record and a 5.40 ERA in 10 innings.

(July-August) 7.05; Sundays 1:05: Radio: WHWH (1350-AM). After an examination in Houston, doctors decided to clean out the knee which underwent reconstructive surgery in 1994. Apparently the reconstructive work had begun to break down, and Portugal will now be out until mid-May "and that's a hopeful estimate," Phillies manager Terry Francona said. "He's supposed to be pitching somewhere, but whether that's pitching here or pitching (on a rehabilitation assignment) to get ready to pitch here, we don't know," Francona said. The obvious candidate is Beech, who was the last starting pitcher cut in spring training after he lost the competition for the fifth spot and the Phillies elected to go with Garrett Stephenson.

Beech was scheduled to start the opener for Class AAA ScrantonAVilkes-Barre, but has been bumped from that start. The Phillies won't announce a move until today or perhaps Thursday at the earliest since by waiting they can keep seven relievers as long as possible. In the ring: Alex Arias, one of the original Florida Marlins who stayed with the team from its inception in 1993 until last season, was awarded his World Series ring Tuesday. It wasn't much of a ceremony Marlins general manager Dave Dombrows-ki walked up to Arias before batting practice and said, "Here you go," but for Arias, it was pretty sweet. "As long as I get it, it doesn't matter," Arias said.

"It's a great feeling. There are a lot of Hall of Famers, a lot of players, who came through and played a lot of years and weren't lucky enough to get one. I'm pretty proud of that. Manager: DeMarlo Hale, 2nd sea- wi. uoacnes: uave uaiiagher (hit naipn ireuei (pitching).

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Bowia lOrinlASl Marrichnrn By KEVIN ROBERTS Courier-Post Staff PHILADELPHIA Barring a rainout, figure left-hander Matt Beech to make his first start on April 11, when the Phillies will need a fifth starting pitcher for the first time. Beech may stick around a while, too, since Mark Portugal will now be out 4-to-6 weeks after knee surgery. Tuesday also brought news that Billy Brewer's sore left elbow he had bone chips removed over the winter has worsened. He will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) today, and is "probably more than likely" due for a stint on the disabled list, team doctor Philip Marone said. Brewer allowed all four Braves he faced to reach base in his last outing Saturday, in which he turned a 4-1 lead into a 5-4 loss in the eighth inning.

Portugal was removed from his first start against the Mets April 2 he won 6-5 with soreness in his right knee and was placed on the disabled list the next day. High sky benefits Moorestown By WALT BURROWS Courier-Post Staff MOORESTOWN Sophomore pitcher Kevin Fields had the high sky to thank for his first varsity victory Tuesday. A fly ball off the bat of Moorestown High School's John Shields went for an RBI double and broke a 4-4 tie when Cinna-minson center fielder Rob Win-terborn appeared to lose the ball in the sky. Losing pitcher Jason Visconti, rattled by the two-out circumstances, uncorked two consecutive wild pitches to plate another run and Moorestown went on to a 7-4 win in the Burlington County Liberty Division baseball game. Fields entered the game in relief of starter Mike Rhoads in the fourth inning with the game tied at 4-4.

He shut the door over the last four innings, allowing Cinnaminson two hits and recording five strikeouts. "I threw mostly fastballs," said Fields, who had pitched an inning neaoing (r-niiues), irenton (Red Sox). Top two teams in each Tjrvision quanry ror piayons. Th schedule: APRIL uHij tii tJV Norwich Norwich at Reading at Reading at Reading at Bowie at Bowie at Bowie at Bowie at Bowie Harrisburg Harrisburg Akron Akron Akron at Harrisburg at Harrisburg at Harrisburg at Akron at Akron at Akron MAY )2 By John Jablonowski, for the Courier-Post Over the top: Moorestown's John Shields jumps over a sliding Jay Visconti of Cinnaminson in the third inning. V3 4 ''5 New Haven New Haven New Haven at New Britain at New Britain at New Britain at Bingnamton at Bingnamton at Bingnamton Binghamton Binghamton Binghamton -Bowie Bowie -Bowie Norwich Norwich Norwich Portland Portland Portland Portland 6 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17.

18 19 20 21 Continued from Page 1D groundout, Lewis walked and Bobby Abreu singled his fourth hit of the night. Alex Arias was walked intentionally, bringing up Rex Hudler to pinch hit. Hudler struck out, setting the stage for Glanville. "That kid pays attention," Francona said. "He watched Hud's at-bat, and he saw that (Marlins reliever Jesus Sanchez) struck him out on some nasty pitches, but pitches out of the strike zone.

He waited him out, got a pitch up and he put a good swing on it." Abreu and Arias the seventh and eighth hitters reached base every time up, 12 times in all. Lewis, in addition to the season's first home run," was one base four times with two hits and two walks. "We battled the whole way," Lewis said. "That's how you win games like this, you keep battling and you get a break. "Even when it was 8-4, I felt like it was still early and we had a chance to win.

The game's not over until the last out. Personally, I felt like we were in the game the whole way." The night started ominously. The first four Marlins to make it to home plate singled, each advancing the runners one base, with Gary Sheffield's single to left giving the Marlins a 1-0 lead. A Derek Lee force out made it 2-0, but Stephenson struck out Charles Johnson to end the inning. The Phillies got one back in the third, on Doug Glanville's sacrifice fly.

They rallied to take the lead briefly in the fourth inning. Scott Rolen singled and scored when Mike Lieberthal doubled off the wall in left, tying the game at 2-2. Mark Lewis singled to score Lieberthal and the Phillies had the lead. Bobby Abreu followed with a double to right, and Alex Arias was walked intentionally to load the bases for Stephenson. The pitcher hit a soft pop fly down the right field line that second base man Craig Counsell couldn't handle.

It was ruled an error, and the Phillies grabbed a 4-2 lead. It wouldn't last. Armed with a two-run lead, Stephenson got Marlins pitcher Rafael Medina to fly to center. Then Cliff Floyd walked, Edgar Renteria singled and Craig Counsell singled to make it 4-3. After a pop-up, Stephenson walked Mark Kotsay to load the bases.

Disaster loomed as Stephenson went to 3-0 on Lee, the Marlins rookie first baseman. Stephenson poured a 3-0 fastball at 86 miles per hour down the chute, and Lee took it. Stephenson tried another, but this time wasn't so lucky Lee smote it deep to left for his first home run and first hit of 1998, a grand slam. That brought Francona from the dugout, and Wayne Gomes from the bullpen. Gomes quickly gave up a home run to Marlins catcher Charles Johnson that made it 8-4.

The Phillies got one back in the sixth, but it wasn't nearly enough. Singles by Abreu and Arias and a walk to pinch-hitter Ruben Amaro loaded the bases with nobody out. Glanville grounded to third, and the force out scored one. Gregg Jefferies walked to re-load the bases. But Rolen struck out and Lieberthal grounded out to end the inning and the rally.

While Darrin Winston, Jerry Spradlin and Bottalico held the Marlins in check, Lewis homered in the seventh and Rolen homered with one out in the eighth. Rico Brogna's single brought Marlins closer Jay Powell out to protect an 8-7 lead. But Lewis walked and Bobby Abreu dribbled an infield single past the mound, just barely beating Powell to the bag. A walk to Arias tied it at 8-8. Huskey taunted by fans CHICAGO New York outfielder Butch Huskey said he had to listen to a barrage of verbal insults from bleacher fans during the Mets' 3-2 win Tuesday over the Chicago Cubs.

He also had to endure a barrage of verbal insults from the bleacher fans. 22 23 24 with Rocky Petrone went 3-for-4, doubled home two runs and Shields, in accounting for two of his three RBIs, homered over the right-field fence to tie the game. "It was the first home run in my life. Well, at least since Little League," Shields said. "It was a hanging pitch.

I got all of it. "The other hit (the ball seemingly lost in the glaring sky) was just part of the game. I was real fortunate. Then the two wild pitches got us another run." Petrone, Moorestown's sharp-fielding first baseman, made a couple of eye-catching plays, once making a diving stop of a ball hit in the hole and throwing to second on his knees for a force out. "That was the only play Rocky had, and he made it," Donohue said." JUNE "Fields is only a sophomore but he stepped up and made the most of his opportunity," Moorestown coach Bill Donohue said.

"He's penciled in as a shortstoppitcher and happens to be our No. 4 pitcher. "Kevin needs to build his confidence. He might have just done that today." Cinnaminson built a 4-0 lead on Moorestown starter Mike Rhoads, scoring twice in each the first and third innings. Ryan Scarduzio's two-run double accounted for the first inning runs and Mark Kusen's RBI single and an error plated the two in the third.

Moorestown, 3-1 and ranked No. 12 in the Courier-Post Top 20 Poll, batted around and tied the score in the bottom of the third. Bryan Fitzgerald, who along of relief on Monday. I was a little worried, though, when I walked the first batter leading off the seventh inning. "But I was able to settle down and my teammates helped me out." A fielder's choice at second base, a strikeout and a fly ball to left fielder Matt Pedrick ended the game.

:45 6 i (1 1 2 ,,3. 4 "5 ,6 7 ,9 i 13 16 17 18 Reading Reading Reading at New Haven at New Haven at New Haven at New Haven Bowie Bowie Bowie at Reading at Reading at Reading at Harnsburg at Harnsburg at Harrisburg New Britain New Bntam New Britain New Britain at Akron at Akron at Bowte at Bowie at Bowie at Bowie Portland Portland 19 I Trump, Donaghy help Delran beat Pemberton 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 A rr JULY 1 4 If i V'i-jr AnastasiaNew area for Arias ii Portland Akron Akron Akron Norwich Norwich AA Ail-Star Game at New Haven New Haven New Haven New Haven New Haven at Harrisburg at Harrisburg at Harrisburg Harnsburg Harrisburg Harrisburg Harrisburg at Portland at Portland JO, 11 12 43 14 t5 16 17 18 19 20 21 3 2: 2 25 at Portland at Portland "at New Haven at New Haven at New Haven Reading Reading Reading Bowie Ted Trump and Ben Donaghy each collected three hits and Delran High School defeated Pemberton 9-5 in a Burlington County Liberty Division baseball game on Tuesday. Trump had two doubles and a triple and Donaghy had a double and two singles. Jeff Olivo (1-1) got the win. Nick DiCarlo stroked a three-run home run in a six-run fourth inning to spark Riverside, 4-0 and ranked No.

9 in the Courier-Post Top 20 Poll, to a 20-9 win over Burlington City in a Freedom Division game. Matt Janulis and Jasper Sor-rentino each drove in four runs for the Rams. Greg Mickles, Tony Leone and Frank Biskup all hit doubles as No. 6 Maple Shade (4-0) rolled past Florence 13-1 in another Freedom Division game. Brian Hegen scattered five hits and Rob Brock contributed a double and a two-run homer when Burlington Township pounded Palmyra (13-3) in a Freedom game.

Junior Shaun Parker pitched a five-inning no-hitter and Steve Wagner clouted a three-run homer in a 10-run first inning as No. 10 Rancocas Valley blanked Willingboro 16-0 in a Liberty game. 28 281- 29 AUQUST Olympic Conference No. 1 Bishop Eustace (4-0) pounded out 16 hits and received home runs from Nick Italiano, Eric Voelker and Marc Sauer in a 19- 0 whitewashing of Woodrow Wilson in the Patriot Division. Sophomore left-hander Scott Barr made his varsity debut a winner on a two-hitter.

He struck out two. Tri-County Conference John Belinsky pitched a three-hitter and Jason Cullen and Adam Powell had three hits apiece when Schalick scored its first win of the season, a 13-3 decision over St. James in a Classic Division game. Bob Ma-gourik homered for the Cougars. Cape-Atlantic League Matt Szuskowitz spaced out four hits and Bill Kenney went 3-for-5 with three RBIs in leading St.

Joseph over Lower Cape May in an interdivision game. The Wildcats broke open the game with six runs in the fourth inning. Sacred Heart improved to 4-0 when Kevin Konschak pitched and batted his teammates to a 12-2 decision over Bridgeton in an interdivision game. Konschak allowed three hits and hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning. He finished with four RBIs.

Steve Stanewich also homered for the winners. Non-league Triton improved to 3-0 with a 16-8 victory over Sterling. Tom McLaughlin and Jeff Moore had three hits apiece in the Mustangs' 20- hit attack. Moore had two singles and a triple with three RBIs. Bowie Bowie at Reading at Reading at Reading at Binghamton at Binghamton at Binghamton at Binghamton Harrisbura Later, the Phillies made Marone available to the media to talk about left-handed reliever Billy Brewer, who appears destined to join Portugal on the DL following that MRI of his sore elbow.

The Phillies swear this season is going to be different new team, younger, healthier players, fewer of those bad vibes from the past. It's just one game, but Tuesday night was a great start. Down 8-4, the Phillies fought back, and back, and back, pulling even at 8-8 when Arias who was only in the lineup because starting shortstop Desi Relaford was out with a hamstring injury walked with the bases loaded. Arias singled in the middle of a rally in the third, walked in the middle of the rally in the fourth, singled in the middle of a rally in the sixth you get the idea. Three singles, three walks, a flawless game in the field not bad for a guy whose name was misspelled on his jersey and who was in the lineup only because of an injury to another player.

"We don't have the best team in baseball but we've got a bunch of guys who won't quit," Arias said. Phil Anastasia is the sports columnist for the Couriar-Pnct Ha can ha Continued from Page 1D game is still the game." With the Phillies, though, the ceremonies don't just include the color and pageantry of your typical opening night which this time featured the improbable Luke Perry throwing out the first pitch. Oh, yeah, there also was the sight of the Phanatic rappelling down a zip line from the top of the stadium to deliver the first ball, and the surrealistic scene of Arias who would later play one of the best games of his career receiving his World Series ring from Florida Marlins general manager Dave Dombrowski while standing next to a garden hose during batting practice. "It meant a lot to me to get it from him and not in the mail," Arias said. "It was very classy.

That's a first-class organization." Around here, early April baseball always seems to include media sessions with team doctor Phillip Marone and roster maneuvering prompted by another trip by a starter to the disabled list. This time, Francona announced that starting righthander Mark Portugal had undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and would be out for 4-to-6 weeks the manager added. Harrisburg namsourg New Britain New Britain New Britain Binghamton Binghamton Binghamton By Paris L. Gray, Courier-Post Take that: Moorestown's Marc Hill returns a shot. JEast tops No.

1 Moorestown In a matchup of returning All-South Jersey players, Jason Geller of Cherry Hill East defeated Moorestown's Marc Hill in straight sets to lead the Cougars, ranked No. 2 in the Courier-Post Top 20 Poll, past the top-ranked Quakers 3-2 in scholastic tennis Tuesday. Geller rebounded from Monday's loss to Shawnee's Tim Daugherty to beat Hill, 6-3, 6-2. Cherry Hill East also received wins from Josh Latourette who beat Kevin Patrick, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and No. 2 doubles Michael Nagel-berg and David Furhman who won in straight sets over Henry Ho and Gary Wenk.

For Moorestown, Wes Kller won at third singles and the No. 1 doubles team of Mike Summers-gill and Ryan Frost beat Ben Kim and Justin Brown, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Binghamton at New Britain at New Britain at New Britain at New Britain at Norwich at Norwich at Norwich Akron Akron Akron Reading 25 26 27 Camps 28 29 30 31 SEPTEMBER 1 HADDON HTS The HHSBL is in 14th year ol summer basketball camps for boys and girts Grades 1-4. 5-8 and 9-12 included Eight weeks to choose from. Call Kenny Hamburger.

547-5180, lor brochure. Eight weeks ot Mike Gatley basketball camps for boysgirls ages 5-18 starting July 6 at various locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Call 585-0248 for brochure. RICHLAND Atlantic Cape Basketball Camps open house ct boys and girts ot all ages on Saturdays from April 1May 9 Call 629-8243. 2 4 5 Reading Reading at Akron at Akron at Akron at Akron 6 'iw wuii reached at 486-2424 or by fax at 663-2831.

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