Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 19

Monday, July 9, 1990 The Clarion-Ledger B5C BASEBALL JaxMets' Baez carries big stick in 10-2 win over Drillers Delli Carri had an RBI groundout in the fifth and finished with three hits and two RBIs. Called up for the second time from Port St. Lucie, where he was hitting under .200, the infielder is 14 for 34 (.412) with the Mets. Mets starter Toby Nivens, 5-5, was the recipient of the run surplus. He lost a string of 40 straight innings without an unintentional walk in the first and paid for it on Bill Haselman's two-out, run-scoring double.

Nivens, who walked four all told, rebounded with five hitless innings. The Drillers had two hits and a run in the seventh, after which Nivens left with a three-hitter. Doug Cin-nella pitched the eighth and ninth. "After walking those guys, Toby made the adjustments," Hurdle said. "He kept the ball low and hit the spots." The Mets have won 17 of their last 22 games.

"We have the chemistry, but three days off will help with some of our banged-up players," Hurdle said. "The Western trip will be a challenge. I expect us to return hungry." The All-Star game is Wednesday night in Tulsa. Thursday night at El Paso. The Mets trailed 1-0 going into their fourth.

Designated hitter Joe Delli Carri singled and stole second base. Angelo Cuevas, breaking out of a l-for-14 slump, doubled him home. Javier Gonzalez singled with Cuevas stopping at third. Baez, who had only four hits in his last 25 at-bats, singled just in front of Drillers right fielder Dan Peltier to score Cuevas. Jaime Ro-seboro singled, and Rudy Hernandez hit into a run-producing fielder's choice.

Chris Donnels doubled in Gonzalez to finish McCray, 4-4. Reliever Fidel Compres walked Terry McDaniel. Two runs scored when Alex Jimenez hit a grounder through the legs of second baseman Darrin Garner. Delli Carri, matching Baez with a two-hit inning, doubled home a run. Cuevas was intentionally walked, and Gonzalez bounced an RBI fielder's choice.

Baez singled home Delli Carri before Roseboro grounded out. Baez, known for his fielding, has a .236 batting average and 27 RBIs, fourth best on the team. "He's been very productive for a No. 8 or9 hitter," Hurdle said. "He's one of the few men we have over .300 with men in scoring position." a nine-run fourth inning, the Mets beat Tulsa 10-2 Sunday night at Smith-Wills Stadium.

It was their biggest inning of the season and featured eight of their 13 hits. They turned the tables on lefthander Eric McCray, who beat them 4-2 last Monday night. "We owed him one. We looked for his fastball and got it," Mets shortstop and No. 9 hitter Kevin Baez said.

The Mets, front-runners in the Texas League East second-half race, take a 2Va-game lead over Shreveport into the All-Star break. They begin a 10-game road trip Jackson carries a 2 Vi-game East lead into the TL All-Star break. By Jo Powell Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer "We're 13-5 going into the All- Star break. For us to be any better, crazy things would have hadtohap- pen," Jackson Mets manager Clint Hurdle said. "We've won some games in ways we didn't earlier in I the year." One of those ways was by techni- cal knockout.

With their No. 9 hitter collectingtwo run-scoring singles in mr fw viola, Mete burn raves NATIONAL J0 Pitching in 100-degree heat, left-hander picks up win No. 13. From Wire Service Reports It was 100 degrees at Atlanta County Stadium Sunday, except where Frank Viola was standing. It was even hotter there.

Viola became the first pitcher in the National League and the second in the majors to win 13 games as the New York Mets edged the Atlanta Braves 2-1. Viola, 13-3, allowed seven hits in ,7 23 innings. He struck out three and walked three as he won his fourth straight start and tied Oakland's Bob Welch for most victories in the majors. "It was so hot. All you can do was throw as hard as you can for as long as you can," Viola said.

It was the Mets' sixth win in seven games, their 17th in 19 and their 26th in 31. It also gave the Mets their 10th straight series victory, 3-1. John Franco pitched 113 innings for his 17th save. He did not allow a hit but walked two. "I was tired," Viola said.

"I was hoping that I'd have a nice, quick inning and let John pitch the ninth. But I was exhausted. You have to be honest." Darryl Strawberry had an RBI double in the first for New York, and Kevin Elster drove in the Mets' other run with a groundout. Pirates 7, Dodgers 2: Barry Bonds and Jeff King drove in three runs apiece, and Doug Drabek won his first game in a month as Pittsburgh won at Los Angeles and held onto first place in the NL East by xh game over the Mets. The victory snapped a five-game winless streak for Drabek, 9-4, who allowed six hits in seven innings.

Dodgers rookie Terry Wells allowed seven runs on eight hits in four-plus innings, although he struck out seven. Mike Scioscia drove in both Los Angeles runs with a double. Phillies 4, Reds 3: John Kruk drove in two runs as host Philadel- phia rallied to beat Cincinnati, which nonetheless ended the first half of the season with the best record in the major leagues, 50-29. Kruk tied the score in the fifth with a single, then lined a two-out single in the seventh, scoring Randy Ready from third with the deciding run. Ready had doubled and gone to third on a wild pitch.

Darrel Akerfelds, 3-0, held the Reds scoreless on one hit and a walk through the final three innings for the victory. The Phillies rallied from a 3-0 deficit with three in the fifth off Tom Browning. Astros 5, Expos 3: Pinch hitter Terry Puhl doubled home two runs in a three-run seventh inning, and Houston snapped a seven-game losing streak at Montreal. Starter Dennis Martinez, 6-7, shut the Astros down on four hits through six innings, and it looked like he might work out of his only serious jam of the day when Puhl hit his two-out double. Mark Portugal, 3-8, entered the contest 0-6 with a 6.56 ERA in nine starts on the road for Houston.

He pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out five and walking four. Dave Smith pitched the last two innings for his 16th save. The victory was Houston's second on a 10-game road trip. Cardinals 4, Padres 1: Bob Tewksbury allowed three hits over 8 13 innings, and Willie McGee hit a two-run double as St. Louis won at San Diego.

Tewksbury, 4-1, making his fifth start since he was recalled June 12, limited the Padres to one runner in scoring position. The Padres lost for the 10th time in 12 games. Lee Smith worked the final two-thirds of an inning for St. Louis, allowing two hits. St.

Louis scored its only run when Garry Templeton hit an RBI single with two out in the ninth off Smith. Tewksbury, who struck out four "'f Jf If -i The Associated Press Cincinnati manager Lou Piniella argues long and loud called a Reds runner out in the fifth inning of a 4-3 loss with home-plate umpire Ed Rapuano after Rapuano to Philadelphia. AMERICAN Costly reliever is rocked in start Royals' $13 million man, Mark Davis, loses in first start since 1987. From Wire Service Reports Mark Davis' first start in three years didn't start to get things going for the slumping left-hander. Davis, 1-5 in 35 games as a reliever with five saves and a 5.40 ERA, was knocked out in the fourth inning Sunday as the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 10-4 at Detroit.

Davis, who won the National League Cy Young Award with San Diego last season and then signed with Kansas City for $13 million over four years, allowed four runs and three hits and walked six in 3 1 3 innings. John Shelby, Mike Heath and Travis Fryman homered for the Tigers. Fryman's three-run homer off Jeff Montgomery in the seventh was his first major-league hit. Brewers 20, Angels 7: Host Milwaukee trailed 7-0 in the third inning before scoring a club-record 20 consecutive runs against California. Milwaukee scored one run in the third, six in the fourth and 13 in the fifth, a club record for runs in an inning.

The Brewers sent 18 batters to the plate against Greg Minton, 1-1, Mike Fetters and Mark Eichhorn. Darryl Hamilton drove in six runs, four with his first grand slam. Jim Gantner drove in five. Rangers 4, Red Sox 3: Shortstop Luis Rivera's throwing error with two outs and the bases loaded in the 11th inning allowed the win-, ning run to score as Texas swept Boston in a three-game series at Arlington, Texas. Jack Daugherty's second home run of the game tied the score in the ninth off Boston's Jeff Reardon.

Mariners 6, Blue Jays 3: Matt Young pitched a three-hitter and Henry Cotto hit a two-run homer as host Seattle ended Toronto's five-game winning streak. Young, 3-9, struck out seven and walked The Mariners stopped a two-game losing streak and won for the eighth time in 11 games. Toronto starter Todd Stottlemyre, 9-8, lasted just three innings, allowing six runs and eight hits. Twins 6, Yankees 3: Greg Gagne homered and drove in two runs as Minnesota sent host New York to its 50th loss. Tim Leary, 3-12, lost his eighth consecutive decision since May 23, one short of the Yankees club record.

He gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 23 innings. David West, 4-6, allowed five hits and three runs in six innings. He struck out six and walked four. Orioles 8, White Sox 6: Mike Devereaux hit a two-run, two-out double in the 11th inning as Baltimore rallied at Chicago and beat former Mississippi State player Bobby Thigpen. Thigpen, 4-3, walked Steve Finley to open the 11th.

Craig Worthington bunted and both runners were safe when Thigpen's throw to second was late. Billy Ripken bunted into a forceout and Brad Komminsk singled, but pinch runner Rene Gonzales was thrown out at the plate by right fielder Sammy Sosa. Devereaux followed with his double. Mark Williamson, 5-1, pitched three innings of one-hit relief and Gregg Olson pitched a perfect 11th for his 17th save. Athletics 8, Indians 3: Jose Canseco ended a 3-for-33 skid by hitting a 460-foot home run, a triple and a single as visiting Oakland reclaimed first place in the AL West.

Dave Stewart, 11-7, allowed five hits- 4 ,4 and walked one, has allowed only one earned run in his last three starts spanning 23 23 innings. Giants 5-10, Cubs 3-4: Kevin Mitchell homered twice and added a two-run double for five RBIs as host San Francisco swept a double-header from Chicago. Mitchell broke a 5-for-33 slump with a two-run homer in the first inning of the opener and finished with five hits in eight at-bats for the day. That gave him 21 homers, 50 RBIs and a .312 average at the All-Star break. Gary Carter also continued his batting binge for the Giants.

After sitting out the first game, Carter hit a run-scoring single in the second inning of the second game and added a three-run homer in the third for a string of seven straight hits over two games. The Giants sent nine batters to the plate for four hits and four runs in the opening inning against Jeff Pico. Left-hander Trevor Wilson, 6-0, remained unbeaten by going 5 23 innings in the first game. Former Mississippi State pitcher Jeff Brantley worked two perfect innings which included four consecutive strikeouts for his 13th save. Right-hander John Burkett, the winningest rookie pitcher in the NL at 9-2, went seven innings to win the second game.

Tuesday's game could bring many surprises All-Star Game The season's first half has seen no-hitters, home runs, injuries, firings and fisticuffs. From Wire Service Reports What: Major League All-Star Game Who: American League vs. National League When: Tuesday, 7 p.m. Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago TV: CBS, Channel 12 in Jackson mm mm mmmC The Associated Press The All-Star Game logo was painted on the Wrigley Field turf in preparation for Tuesday. So if the first half of the season is any indication, what will the All-Star Game bring? Maybe a no-hitter, for starters.

Randy Johnson, who pitched one of six no-nos in the majors this year, will be at Chicago's Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. But the fewest hits a team has ever gotten in All-Star play is three, last done in 1968 when Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver, Ron Reed and Jerry Koosman held the Americans in check. Maybe a lot of home runs. Home runs are up in both leagues, especially the National. Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs each have a chance to become the first players to homer in their own park at an All-Star Game since 1972 when Hank Aaron did it in Atlanta.

Perhaps a fight, instigated by a brush-back pitch. There have been a lot of those this year, but there hasn't ever been a basebjawl at the All-Star Game although Rickey Henderson did stare at Nolan Ryan after getting knocked down in 1985. There's always a chance for an injury. Orel Hershiser, Rick Reuschel and Glenn Davis are among several All-Stars last year who have been hurt this season, and Ted Williams, Dizzy Dean and Harmon Killebrew are among the Hall of Famers who have been injured in All-Star Games. How about something surprising? On opening day, few would' ve thought the Chicago White Sox or Ceyl Fielder would'vejbeen doing so well.

Baltimore reliever Gregg Olson was a good bet to do well, but not Atlanta rookie catcher Greg Olson. Some New York-style commotion might fit in nicely. Managers Davey Johnson of the Mets and Bucky Dent of the Yankees have been fired, and Yankees owner George Stein-brenner's meetings with commissioner Fay Vincent have been big news. "That is not baseball," Vincent said, trying to keep the focus on the field. And that's where it will be when the Americans, hoping for their first three-game winning streak since 1946-49, attempt to dent the Nationals' 37-22 edge.

Canseco the best: Oakland's Jose Canseco is the overwhelming choice among major league players as the best in baseball. In the sixth USA TODAY poll of players from all 26 teams, Canseco received 122 votes. Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg was second with 51, followed by Giants first baseman Will Clark, a former Mississippi State standout, with 44. "That's probably the greatest award," Canseco said. "I'm not being judged by fans, but by players themselves, people who know what it takes to be a ballplayer." When told Clark finished third in the bal- Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda and general manager Fred Claire in Lasorda's office turned into a shouting match that could be heard throughout the clubhouse.

None of the principals would comment on the incident, which occurred about 90 minutes before the Dodgers played the Pirates'. Mattingly's misery: New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly missed his seventh straight game Sunday and reached the All-Star break with his worst ever midseason batting average. Mattingly, bothered by back spasms, is hitting .253 with five homers and 33 RBIs. He has not homered since May 20 and his average has been below .300 since May 21. Mattingly was not picked for the All-Star game for the first time since 1983, his rookie season.

loting, Canseco said: "I heard someone say he was the best player in baseball. I almost threw up. Spare me the grief." Armstrong to start: Cincinnati's Jack Armstrong will be the NL All-Star starter, manager Roger Craig said. Armstrong, a 25-year-old right-hander, is 11-3 with a 2.28 earned-run average. Jacoby added: Cleveland infielder Brook Jacoby was added to the AL All-Star team to replace injured Boston outfielder Ellis Burks.

Oakland manager Tony La Russa said other candidates to replace Burks included former Mississippi State star Rafael Palmeiro of Texas, Jody Reed of Boston, Dave Henderson of Oakland and Bo Jackson of Kansas City. Dodgers A closed-door meeting Sunday between injury-plagued Kirk Gibson,.