Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 27

INDEX Minnesota scene Page C2 Baseball Pages C4-5 Scoreboard Page C6 Outdoors Page C8 Wednesday MAY 22, 1996 SECTION 1 StaiflXIB najsjja Inside DTDil Recap: The Twins ended a four-game losing streak when Chuck Knoblauch's double tied it and Rich Becker's sacrifice fly won it in the ninth, giving reliever Mie JI Milchin, Knoblauch come back as Twins end skid Metrodome. Perhaps it was no coincidence that his first big-league victory was the result of a dramatic comeback. The Twins' two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth prevented their fifth straight loss and gave Milchin a 4-3 victory before 12,232 at the Dome. That rally was as hard-earned as Milchin's post-surgery career. Butler's return possible next yesr Brett Butler A surgeon is not ruling out the possibility of out- fielder Brett Butler playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers next season if he recovers from his operation for throat cancer.

Turn to C5. Stillwater's girls climb to 21-0 Stillwater (21-0), rated No. 1 in Class AA Softball, 't m.im.3 scored six runs in the sixth oiati. inning to rout Spring Lake Park 9-0 Tuesday in a sec- ieys ond-round Section 4AA game at North St. Paul.

Sen ior pitcher Karissa Hoehn threw a five-hitter with 14 strikeouts for Stillwater. Junior right fielder Sarah Berg went 4-for-4 with 2 RBI for the Ponies. Turn to C7. "lilt In s.u nr.r.ir" in.e Milchin his firstmajor league victory. Becker's sacrifice scored Jeff Reboulet who slid in under the tag of catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

Today: The Twins' Jose Parra (1-2, 6.04 ERA) vs. Texas' Roger Pavlik, 1215 pjn, Metrodome, WCCO-AM (830). Magic can't hold big lead CKISftSO 93, ORLANDO 83 Associated Press CHICAGO Playing poorly and looking lethargic, the Chicago Bulls seemed ready to fall. Michael Jordan wouldn't let them lose, however, and their defense lifted them to victory. Jordan scored 25 of his 35 points in the second half, when Chicago rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Orlando Magic 93-88 Tuesday night and take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference finals.

"I'm the leader of this ball-club," Jordan said. "I've got to do something if things are stagnant." The best-of-seven series shifts to Orlando for Game 3 Saturday and Game 4 Monday. Only seven teams in NBA history have rallied from a 2-0 deficit Orlando, humiliated by 38 points in Game 1, played much better Tuesday even without injured forward Horace Grant. But the Magic scored only 35 second-half points against the Bulls' full-court pressing and half-court trapping defense. "Everybody started believing and working harder," Jordan said.

Shaquille O'Neal, who had 36 points and 16 rebounds, bulled his way past Luc Longley for a short hook shot to give the Magic a 64-46 lead with 6:17 left in the third quarter. But unable to solve the Bulls' defense, Orlando missed 11 of 12 shots and committed five turnovers during the next 10 minutes as Chicago used a 26-5 run to take a 72-69 lead early in the fourth quarter. Jordan had nine points during the surge. Orlando came back to take an 81-79 lead on O'Neal's layup with 4 minutes left. Turn to BULLS on C6 back By Jim Souhan Star Tribune Staff Writer Twins reliever Mike Milchin underwent reconstructive surgery on his left elbow on April 1, 1994.

After rehabilitating for a year, he rebuilt his once-promising career to the point where he was called upon in the ninth inning of a one-run game, on Tuesday at the The Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan blocks the Bulls rallied for a 93-88 victory and a U.S. 500 drivers feel a bit empty The drivers in Sunday's U.S. 500 at Michigan Inter national Sneedwav admit to' a bit of an empty feeling as giS they prepare to race in op- II Jf I r- I irJKiiiiitiiiffi'iii1 'tiH-MiftfriiinfciBanfai uaiiiiitfiiiHunMgfuiih iwrenirbiii ill TuiWHihMJiriit nin ajMtirf BiBftfeifMfaiiTMiriiwftitiiyi- ud.trc. 500. Turn to C7.

PGA Seniors strike It rich Golfers such as Dave Stockton are making more money in one season on the PGA Senior Tour than they did in their entire careers i on the PGA Tour. Turn to hw. C2. they blew a 2-0 seventh-inning lead that cost starter Brad Radke a well-deserved victory. The key play in the Rangers' three-run rally came when All-Star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch misplayed a double play grounder, leading to the tying and go-ahead runs.

Turn to TWINS on C5 Dan Barreiro Magic pulls one from its gag of tricks CHICAGO Put a hold on the suggestion that Shaquille O'Neal and the Orlando Magic need a heart transplant. As it turns out, the Magic first will need a tracheotomy. At the current rate the Chicago Bulls are exposing the medical frailties of the Magic, the Eastern Conference finals are sure to draw the interest of the New England Journal of Medicine. "This is a very difficult basketball game for us to lose," said Magic coach Brian Hill, who saw his zombie-like team lose by 38 in Game 1. "I thought we won some respect back from the way we played in Game 1 but we couldn't maintain our offense." Hill might not want to go too far with this respect thing.

Spitting up an 18-point lead in the third quarter of Game 2 of the playoff series the world has been waiting for when you've already lost Game 1 isn't exacdy going to convince Aretha Franklin to stop by your house and belt out the song. "We came out and gave a gallant effort," said O'Neal. So did Greg Norman for 54 holes at Augusta National. Orlando, which lost 93-88, did play with a few distinct disadvantages. The first is that it played the final 21 minutes of Game 2 with both hands epoxied to its throats in a Normanesque manner.

Suddenly the Magic players could not perform the most elementary basketball skills. They couldn't complete a simple entry pass to O'Neal. Or spread the floor to render useless the Bulls' bunched-up pressing defense. Or get the ball into the hands of the ball-handlers and over the 10-second line without Turn to BARREIRO on C6 Opening weekend Live racing: Saturday, 630 p.m; Sunday and Monday, 2 pn; 10 thoroughbred races each day. Highlights: One stakes race each day, including Saturday's $25,000 10,000 Lakes Stakes; Sunday's $25300 Lady Sl'pper Stakes and Monday's $25,000 Renville County Handicap.

Admission: General admission is clubhouse seating is an additional $3. General parking is free; valet parking is $3. Location: Hwy. 83 in Shakopee, a half-mile south of Hwys.13 and 101. Simulcasting: Eight to 12 tracks each day, beginning at 11:45 am.

on Saturday and Monday and noon on Sunday. More information: 445-7221 Ticket office, 445-7224. Group rates, i- i "I had surgery on April Fool's Day, '94," Milchin said long after Jeff Reboulet had slid home with the winning run. "I was hoping Dr. Frank Jobe wouldn't sew my feet together." In May, the Twins have played as if someone sewed their thumbs together.

They had lost 12 of 16 before Tuesday, when their untimely play continued as track to keep uncashed tickets. Under previous law, Canterbury paid taxes on its entire takeout at a 6 percent rate and turned over uncashed tickets to the state. The tax savings will be about $720,000 per year, and the uncashed tickets will total about $250,000 per year. Approximately 25 percent of the total benefit will go into Canterbury's purse fund. Because the law will not take effect until July, Canterbury will realize a smaller benefit about $400,000 in 1996.

Still, that will go a long way toward improving the immediate financial future of the track, which lost $889,100 last year. Turn to CANTERBURY on CS Morel mushrooms are popping up The secret is out: Morel mushrooms have been pop ping up in Minnesota re- cently. Now, all the mushroom hunters have to do is find their elusive and 'JA3 closely guarded hiding spots. Turn to C8. American League SEATTLE 13 BOSTON 7 NEW YORK 7 OAKLAND 3 K.C.

7 DETROIT 1 CLEVELAND 6 MLWAUKEE 5 CHICAGO 2 TORONTO 1 CALIF. BALT. National League Associated Press a shot by the Orlando Magic's Nick Anderson. Jordan scored 35 points as 2 0 lead In the Eastern Conference finals. Roy, Avalcncho blank Wings FLORIDA 3 CINCINNATI 2 CHICAGO 4 ATLANTA 2 COLORADO 10 PITT.

7 LA. 6 NEW YORK 4 Turn to CA. NBA CHICAGO 93 ORLANDO 88 NHL COLO. 3 DETROIT 0 A new tax break for Canterbury Park could help put the money-losing track in the black for years to come. Tax relief bright ens Canterbury's future SAN FRAN.

8 MONTREAL 5 'di ST. LOUIS 8 r.v, HOUSTON 2 PKILADEL 5 SANDEG0 4 7'H Turn to C3. TV highlights Baseball: Cubs at Atlanta, noon, WGNTBS; California, at Baltimore, 6:30 p.m., .1 ESPN; Mets at Los Angeles, -u 9:30 p.m., ESPN. tlr Soccen UEFA Champions League final, AFC Ajax vs. i FC Juventus, 1:25 p.m., ESPN.

Auto racing: ARCA 400, 7 p.m.,MSC. 1 1 1 1 tt nsr t. A i' i I By Rachel Blount Star Tribune Staff Writer Randy Sampson went to the Legislature last winter seeking approval to run a card club at Canterbury Park. Instead, the track president got a tax-relief measure that will provide nearly million per year in benefits to the Shakopee track through 1999 an unexpected windfall that Sampson said will boost Canterbury toward profitability and ensure the continuation of live horse racing for at least three years. The measure exempts Canterbury from paying state pari-mutuel taxes on its first $12 million of takeout the percentage of betting handle that goes to the track and allows the Associated Press Colorado Avalanche goaOe Patrick Roy stops a shot by the Detroit Red Wings' Dino Ctccareil during Came 2 of the NHL's Western Conference finals Monday night In Detroit Roy shut down the Wings as the Avalanche won 3-0 to take a 2-0 series tead Turn to page C3..