The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 41

CENTRAL FLORIDA C-4 The Orlando Sentinel, Tuesday, April 18, 2000 HEADLINERS On thia date I In 1 Ocn 8lt31, Place la -4o, jn. rBMj I IJ I dv I star. ana I uuguM, hoof u- burgh Pirates 4.8 0latM- Bra-1 In 6-5 their I ith 'Tiry won 0 I In 1 oor witr.rr.fc"aomrun Wrigley Field friendly for singles In a park better known for tape-measure shots, the Marlins and Cubs combined for 12 hits in their game and all but 1 were singles. Valentine remarks turn out to be hoax Even though a college student admitted fabricating quotes by Mets Manager Bobby Valentine, GM Steve Phillips is still glad he talked with Valentine right away. Rain reigns supreme again The Expos-Phillies and Astros-Dodgers games were both postponed because of rain.

They'll try playing the games again in September and June, respectively. to, ninth a-fieatoan EAST PCT GB L10 STK HOME AWAY INT Florida 8 6 .571 6-4 W-2 4-3 4-3 0-0 Atlanta 6 6 .500 1 5-5 W-1 4-2 2-4 0-0 Montreal 6 6 .500 1 6-4 L-1 4-3 2-3 0-0 New York 6 7 .462 VA 4-6 W-1 2-4 4-3 0-0 Philadelphia 5 6 .455 VA 5-5 W-1 3-2 2-4 0-0 CENTRAL PCT GB L10 STK HOME AWAY INT St. Louis 8 5 .615 5-5 L-1 5-1 3-4 0-0 Cincinnati 6 6 .500 VA 6-4 W-2 3-3 3-3 0-0 Milwaukee 6 6 .500 VA 4-6 L-1 3-3 3-3 0-0 Houston 5 7 .417 VA 3-7 L-2 2-4 3-3 0-0 Pittsburgh 5 7 .417 VA 5-5 L-1 4-5 1-2 0-0 Chicago 6 9 .400 3 5-5 L-2 4-4 2-5 0-0 WEST PCT GB L10 STK HOME AWAY INT Arizona 9 3 .750 7-3 W-3 5-1 4-2 0-0 Los Angeles 7 5 .583 2 5-5 L-2 1-2 6-3 0-0 Colorado 7 6 .538 VA 6-4 W-1 5-2 2-4 0-0 San Diego 7 6 .538 VA 5-5 W-2 4-3 3-3 0-0 San Francisco 3' 9 .250 6 2-8 L-7 0-5 3-4 0-0 ASSOCIATED PRESS Taking over. Figure skater Nicole Bobek, from Rochester, sings Take Me Out To the Ballgame' at Wrigley Field. Rocker returns John Rocker has served his time.

The Atlanta Braves' reliever, suspended the first two weeks of the season, rejoins the roster tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies. Rocker drew mostly cheers when he pitched at Turner Field in an exhibition game April 1 two days before Opening Day. No organized protests were scheduled in conjunction with his return, although a civil rights official once again called on the Braves to trade Rocker. TODAY'S GAMES AND PITCHING COMPARISONS Quote of the day Stat of the day The Colorado Rockies' victory over St. Louis in Denver on Sunday night was the 2nd-long-est 9-inning game in NL history (4 hours, 19 minutes).

The Rockies-Dodgers game in Denver on June 30, 1996, was 1 minute longer. 'When people call us a Triple-A team, that's the biggest insult. If we are, we're the best ever assembled. We want so bad to be loved by the people of South Florida. We haven't been accepted since Marlins Manager John Boles PROBABLE 2000 99 VS OPP.

Lasts GAME EDT PITCHER(H) WL ERA WL ERA WL ERA SAN FRANCISCO Nathan (R) 0-0 2.77 0-0 2.77 AT CINCINNATI 7:05 Villone (L) 2-0 2.13 0-1 10.50 2-0 2.13 CHICAGO Tapani (R) 0-1 5.19 0-2 5.54 0-1 5.19 AT MONTREAL 7:05 Pavano (R) 1-0 2.08 1-0 2.08 PITTSBURGH Cordova (R) 1-0 2.70 1-0 1.00 1-0 2.70 AT FLORIDA 7:05 Penny (R) 1-1 3.46 1-1 3.46 MILWAUKEE Navarro (R) 0-2 6.23 0-2 6.23 AT NEW YORK 7:10 Hampton (L) 0-3 6.59 0-0 2.77 0-3 6.59 PHILADELPHIA Person (R) 1-0 3.00 0-1 9.82 1-0 3.00 AT ATLANTA 7:40 Maddux (R) 2-0 2.49 2-0 3.46 2-0 2.49 SAN DIEGO Meadows (R) 2-0 4.38 0-2 8.10 2-0 4.38 AT ST. LOUIS 8:10 An.Benes (R) 0-1 5.40 2-0 4.50 0-1 5.40 COLORADO Karl (L) 0-0 7.00 2-0 4.42 0-0 7.00 AT ARIZONA 9:35 Revnoso (R) 0-2 4.05 0-1 4.50 0-2 4.05 HOUSTON Dotel (R) 0-1 5.25 1-0 1.29 0-1 5.25 AT LA. 10:10 Dreifort (R) 0-1 2.70 0-1 2.35 0-1 2.70 MONDAY'S RESULTS Lowell: 3-4, 2 RBI Florida 6, Chicago Cubs 5 Rockies win finally DENVER Jeff Manto hit a go-ahead double during an eight-run sixth inning that propelled the Rockies to a 14-13 victory over the Cardinals in the second game of a day-night doubleheader. CARDINALS UPDATE: With home runs from Placido Polanco and Thomas Howard in Game 1 and Jim Edmonds in Game 2, St. Louis has homered in nine straight games.

ROCKIES UPDATE: Reliever Jerry Di-poto, who missed the first 1 1 games because of a bulging disk below his neck, returned to action in Game 1. Rockies 14, Cardinals 13 Second game Marlins dink Cubs CHICAGO Bloop singles aren't nearly as exciting or dramatic as, say, home runs or no-hitters. The Florida Marlins, however, will take them. Mike Lowell and Derrek Lee drove in two runs apiece on bloopers as Florida beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5. The Marlins scored all of their runs on singles.

MARLINS UPDATE: The Marlins' bullpen did not allow a run during Florida's seven-game road trip. 2B Luis Castillo, who has missed the last two games with back pain, will have a bone scan today after a magnetic resonance imaging was inconclusive. CUBS UPDATE: The Cubs start a nine-game road trip today. When they finish, they'll have played 17 of their first 24 games on the road. The trip begins in Montreal, and the Cubs will be playing in their third country.

Shane Andrews and Mark Grace will be looking to homer in three different countries. Colorado at Arizona night rain Houston at Los Angeles rain Montreal at Philadelphia ab bi COLORADO ab bi ST. LOUIS WEDNESDAY'S GAMES Chicago Cubs at Montreal, 7:05 p.m. Pittsburgh at Florida, 7:05 p.m. San Fran, at Cincinnati, 7:05 p.m.

Milwaukee at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m. Philadelphia at Atlanta, 7:40 p.m. San Diego at St. Louis, 8:10 p.m.

Colorado at Arizona, 9:35 p.m. Houston at Los Angeles, 10:05 p.m. mmmmmmkJmiimimm uu Ill.miU- J-llli. n.m minimum i 7 1 hi M- SUNDAY'S RESULTS Philadelphia 5, Montreal 4 Atlanta 2, Milwaukee 1 N.Y Mets 12, Pittsburgh 9 Florida 6, Chicago Cubs 5, 10 Inn. St.

Louis 9, Colorado 3, 1 st game Colorado 14, St. Louis 13, 2nd game San Diego 13, Houston 3 Cincinnati 5, Los Angeles 3 Arizona at San Francisco, rain 1 1 1 Vina 2b Renteria ss Talis 3b EOavis rt Edmonds cl Dunston If Lanklord If PaqueltB 1b Wainhouse THowaid ph Veres Matheny ph Marrero Stephenson Polanco lb 0 BLHunler cf 1 Shumpert 2b 2 LWalker rf 1 Helton 1b 4 Bragg II 0 Manto ph 0 Belinda 0 MMyers 0 Tavarez 0 Ledesma 3b 0 Goodwin cf 1 NPerez ss 3 Servais 0 Bohanon 0 Croushore Cirillo 3b 0 0 5 2 Marlins 6, Cubs 5 FLORIDA ab bi CHICAGO ab bi Kotsay rf 5 12 0 EWYoung 2b 3 12 0 AGonzalez ss 5 2 2 0 Gutierrez ss 3 112 Floyd If 3 111 SSosa rt 4 0 0 0 Alfonseca 0 0 0 0 Grace 1b 2 111 PWilson cf 5 10 0 GHill If 4 0 10 Lowell 3b 4 13 2 Andrews 3b 4 112 DLLee 1b 4 0 2 2 Buford cf 4 0 0 0 Bako 3 0 2 1 Girardi 3 10 0 MSmilh ph 1 0 0 0 Farnsworth 3 0 0 0 Redmond 0 0 0 0 Guthrie 0 0 0 0 Clapinski 2b 4 0 0 0 Heredia 0 0 0 0 JSanchez 3 0 0 0 Reed ph 10 0 0 Looper 10 0 0 BautiBa If 0 0 0 0 Totals 38 6 12 Totall 31 Florida 004 000 200 6 Chicago 003 802 000 5 37 14 15 12 42 13 17 12 Totall Totals GAME OF THE DAY 321 300 102 208 004 011 SI. Louil Colorado Tabs (2). OP St. Louis 1.

LOB St. Louis 14, Colorado 10. 2B Vina (3. Renteria (3). Paquette (3).

Marrero (2), Manto (2). Ledesma (1), NPerez 2 (2). Cirillo (8). HR Edmonds (6). Marrero (1).

SB Renteria (3). BLHunler (4). CS Renteria (1 BLHunter. Croushore. SF Edmonds.

IP ER BB SO St. Louis Floyd (1), JSanchez (2). GHill (1). OP Florida 1. LOB Florida 7, Chicago 6.

2B AGonzalez (1). Gutierrez (4), Grace (3). HR Andrews (6). SB EWYoung (4). CS Kotsay (2), GHill (1).

Gutierrez. 5 VS Yi 1VS 1 Stephenson Wainhouse Mohler L.0-1 James Veres Philadelphia at Atlanta, 7:40 p.m. If you're expecting a home-run test, look elsewhere. This game's all about pitching. Though the John Rocker circus will draw plenty of attention, this should be entertaining for other reasons.

Atlanta, despite ending a 2-4 road trip, and Philadelphia, despite being 5-6, both enter tonight within VA games of the division lead. You'll see a quality pitching matchup, with the Phillies' Robert Person (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. the Braves' Greg Maddux (2-0, 2.49). Add to that the fact that both teams are 1-2 in the NL for fewest runs scored and both are near the cellar in home runs, and this 1 will put a premium on scoring. On TV today Philadelphia at Atlanta, 7:35 p.m.

IP ER BB SO Colorado Florida IP ER BB SO JSanchez W.2-0 6 6 5 3 4 9 Looper 2 0 0 0 2 1 Alfonseca 1 0 0 0 0 0 Chicago IP ER BB SO Farnsworth -2 654 11 6 6 2 4 Guthrie 1VS 1 0 0 0 1 Heredia 1 0 0 0 0 1 Bohanon Croushore JJimenez W.3-0 Belinda MMyers Tavarez 3 1 Vi A ASSOCIATED PRESS GWhite S.1 JSanchez pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. Umpires Home, Bell; First, O'Nora; Second, lassogna; Third. Lamplugh. 2:51. A 17.572 HBP by GWhite (Marrerol, by Stephenson (Servais).

The single guy. Florida's Mike Lowell rips 1 of his 3 singles during his team's 6-5 win over Chicago. Lowell drove in 2 runs in the game. TBS WP Croushore. Balk Stephenson.

4:19. A 36,225 Wood's rehab trail continues BY THE NUMBERS FOB "I TIMES" 23i (407) 322-2531 bet 8am aft 3pm: Lighted Night Range Best CHAMPIONSHIP Boll Course Value in the Orlando km GLEN ABBEY I HWY 17-92 DeBARY 1 407-66B-4Z09 I I wcoupon exp 42100 WEEKDAYS ANYTIME WEEKENDS HOIIDMS AFTER 11 A M. EXP O4280O Who's Hot 5 AUTO SPORTS NJUR WUHKhHS UOMHJT. In his return from elbow surgery, the Cubs' Kerry Wood makes his second start for Class A Daytona tonight. By Jumoke R.

Gamble OF THE SENTINEL STAFF Wrigley Field. But in spirit and accessibility, he is right around the corner. "The arm feels great," he said after a light workout at Jackie Robinson Park. "I've I'i Alternative Health uare we can neip nil i i-i. i Orlando Altamonte South Daytona unouiuu midiiiumo ouum uayiuna nOU inSlllUie i u.jn.;.(M:.i.

Ani one innc a can cncc nna 7cn v. Hff rt wi.i.i mil ijiii isl i mn ii i i i uihi.ii-il.iiii sliuij i it i i i i ivi VW www ww i ii ill WE SELL DIAMONS5HI UP Wood Watches and I stale Jewelry-Mighcst rriccs raia Buy Sell Trade MADISON'S JEWELERS elbow. He wore a cast for two weeks, then a brace for six weeks. Once the brace came off, he stretched his "new" ligament by placing a sandbag on his arm until he could straighten it out. He didn't start tossing a ball until four months later.

"Those were the most boring four months of my life," he said. Wood didn't face a live hitter until this spring. He arrived at the Cubs' complex in Arizona one month before the rest of the team and worked with pitching coach Oscar Acosta by throwing fastballs and changeups no curves. When it was time to throw his first curveball, Wood had a flashback to the day he blew out his arm. "It was still in the back of my head at that point because the curveball is always the pitch that you can get hurt with," he said.

"When I finally threw some with no problem, I knew I was going to come back." Monday, Wood sat in the locker room watching the Chicago Cubs lose to the Florida Marlins on television. He has become more appreciative of the opportunity to play major-league baseball. "I'm not going to take it for granted anymore," said Wood, who believes the entire process has matured him. "I had everything taken away from me. I was the type of guy to show up at the park, throw a few pitches and be ready to go.

It caught up to me. "Being a young player, you think you're invincible. I know better now." Who's Not In Plant Cleaning Bleeders, Persians, Chinese, Silk, Antiques, Etc. Cleaned SAFELY in our Patented Chaisson Rug Washing System by complete submersion. Dry Cleaning of Rugs also available.

Fabriclean 658-5801 in Conway Plaza, Curry Ford Rd. Conway Orl. got my velocity back. I've thrown all my breaking stuff at game speed, and I haven't had any soreness in over a month. I'm about ready to go." Daytona pitching coordinator Lester Strode concurs.

"He has everything down as far as his pitching mechanics and his delivery," Strode said. Cubs General Manager Ed Lynch will be the ultimate judge. He will be in attendance tonight, assessing Wood's performance against the Sarasota Red Sox. The organization and the city, for that matter had high expectations for the Cubs in 1999 until that spring training game against Anaheim. Wood pitched the first inning before realizing the pain in his arm was more serious than the sore elbow that had plagued him since his days as a high school pitcher in Irving, Texas.

"My first pitch of the second inning landed 10 feet above the catcher, and I knew something was wrong," he said. Wood had reconstructive surgery in which a graft from his right forearm was implanted in his DAYTONA BEACH Kerry Wood sat in the Daytona Cubs' dugout Monday, miles away from Chicago, where he captivated fans during a spectacular 1998 major-league rookie season. Wood won rookie-of-the-year honors for. the Chicago Cubs that season, going 13-6 with a 3.40 ERA and 233 strikeouts. He tied a major-league record with 20 strikeouts in a game.

But his 1999 season ended in the first spring training game, when he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He had surgery April 8 and began a long rehab process. That rehab continues tonight at 7 p.m., when he'll make his second stall for Daytona, the Chicago Cubs' Class A affiliate. If he pitches as he did in his previous start April 13, he should be blowing away batters in the Windy City by the end of the month. Wood shook off a shaky first inning in that outing to finish with a one-hit, nine-strikeout effort in five innings against the Tampa Bay Yankees.

He was clocked as high as 97 mph on the radar gun. Wood, 22, is a long way from Colorado worse. 61 -4s Closets by Custom Closets Expert Design A Company You Know Trust Call for a FREE In-Home Estimate I MURPHY BED CENTER Altamonte Spgs. South Orlando (407) 339-5077 (407) 850-9295.