The Montgomery Advertiser from Montgomery, Alabama • 17

Have a story idea or a complaint about the sports section? Call sports editor Jim Johnston at 261-1522 MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Ik LTD Jim I Johnston erto Alomar singled and Jor Carter flied out. That brought up Winfield, who was 16 for 53 (.302) with four home runs lifetime against Leibrandt. In the bullpen, Jeff Reardon, who had given up one hit in 13 lifetime matchups with Winfield, was ready. But Reardon had allowed two game-winning hits already in this Series, so the Braves stuck with Leibrandt. With the runners going on a 3-2 pitch, Winfield grounded a double between third baseman Terry Pendleton and the bag to score both runs, his first extra base hit in 44 Series at-bats.

Leibrandt took the loss in his first Series appearance and Jimmy Key won in relief. Key allowed a run in the 11th on a single by JefT Blauser, an error by shortstop Alfredo Griffin and an RBI-grounder by pinch-hitter Brian Hunter. Otis Nixon bunted an 0-1 pitch to the right side oX the mound and reliever Mike Timlin made the play Please see JAYS, 90 Related stories. 11B by the Braves like their ninth-inning comeback against Pittsburgh in the playoffs. But this time it fell just short, tying the game but not winning it.

It all ended in the city where it began a few days ago with a flag flap. And, Toronto's big win resulted in an even bigger loss for the Blue Jays finally and forever, they've lost their label as big-game losers. The Braves, meanwhile, became the first team to lose consecutive World Series since the 1977-78 Los Angeles Dodgers, and for the second straight year lost despite outscoring their AL opponent. Atlanta lost 1-0 in Game 7 to Minnesota last year and, lost all four games in this Series by one run. The 11th inning came down to a battle for atonement between Winfield, still hounded by his l-for-22 performance in the 1981 World Series, against Charlie Leibrandt, who gave up Kirby Puckett's home run that won Game 6 for Minnesota last year.

Devon White was hit by a pitch with one out, Rob The Toronto Blue Jays took baseball's championship outside the United States for the first time ever, beating the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in 1 1 innings Saturday night in Game 6 By BEN WALKER Associated Press Writer ATLANTA There's a new flag flying over Canada the World Series pennant. The Toronto Blue Jays took baseball's championship outside the United States for the first time ever, beating the Atlanta Braves 4-3 in 11 innings Saturday night in Game 6. After surviving more ninth-inning magic from the Braves, the Blue Jays won it when Dave Winfield's first World Series extra base hit scored two runs with two out. Winfield's winner came after another frantic finish bite auft Isfcoir ,1 ssXyjP A1 A Alabama's Kevin Lee (37) attempts to wrestle free from pair of Ole Miss players Advertiser A Sports Editor Offensive revival I- has UA dreaming of national title TUSCALOOSA Two weeks ago, Derrick Oden didn't share the enthusiasm of Alabama fans who felt the Crimson Tide might have a chance to a national championship this season. i- The offense was struggling and his iteam had not beaten a quality opponent.

The senior linebacker even had his idoubts about how well the defensive unit would perform when it was put to ithe test. 'Jl. Now, Oden has changed his mind. I "The defense is continuing to play pretty good and now the offense is getting where it can move the football and score," Oden said. "I don't usually read the newspaper or watch television when the stories are about the polls or the national championship." now I might have to.

Things are getting interesting." Indeed. After Saturday's 31-10 thrashing of Qle Miss, Alabama is beginning to resemble a team with high aspirations on New Year's Day. With an 8-0 record and three suspect teams left on the schedule, the Crimson Tide already has reserved a sideline at Legion Field for Dec. 5. Now, it's beginning to appear hotel rooms will be needed for the Tide in New Orleans for the last week in December.

The chief reason is the performance of the Alabama offense. Defense nation's best The Crimson Tide defense has been praised as the nation's best and has been credited with elevating Alabama to its current No. 4 spot in the polls. It made its presence felt again Saturday, belting the Rebels senseless every time it looked as though Ole Miss was ready to pick itself off the grass at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It was Alabama's eighth straight suffocating defensive performance this season.

But up until last week's visit to Tennessee and Saturday's conquest of Ole Miss, the Alabama offense had been a problem. Quarterback Jay Barker had not thrown the football with authority and it was just a matter of time before a good defense put nine men on the line and challenged the Tide to throw it. The Vols didn't do it a week ago and were beaten 17-10 via the ground game. The Rebels did Saturday, and Barker answered with his best performance as an Alabama quarterback. Beginning with his first start against Louisiana State a year ago, the Trussville sophomore has won 12 straight games as the Tide's starting quarterback, but he has never delivered the numbers he did against Ole Miss.

Career day for Barker Barker completed 25 of 39 passes for 285 yards all career bests. Alabama head coach Gene Stallings was reserved about Barker's performance and the overall offensive execution. Ever since Alabama's Blockbuster Bowl victory last December, Stallings has been harping on his team's need to gain 175 to 200 yards a game passing. On Saturday, Barker eclipsed the goal by 100 yards and Stallings still wasn't happy because the Tide ran for only 83. "You know, I've seen teams that threw for 450 yards lose the game," Stallings said.

"I want both." It's part of Stallings' job description as a coach to be skeptical and dissatisfied. Oden doesn't have to be a critic. "I want to be in New Orleans with a shot at a national championship against Miami," Oden said. "You know, we had that chance back in '89, but we blew it when we lost to Auburn (30-20) and Miami (33-25). "I want another chance against Miami.

I want to play for a national championship." Oden can stop dreaming. Based on Alabama's destruction of Ole Miss on Saturday, his scenario is close to becoming reality. Quarterback Blake Williamson came off the bench lor the Injured Steve Taneyhlll and scored on a 6-yard run with 7:18 left to give South Carolina a 21-17 victory over Vanderbilt. It was the second straight victory for South Carolina after starling out the season 0-5. Story, 8B.

Fifteenth-ranked Southern California handed No. 13 Washington State Its first loss, whipping the Cougars 31-21. Story, 10B. i lEelb The Alabama quarterback completes 25 of 39 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown in leading the Tide to a 31-10 victory over Ole Miss By TOMMY SIMS Staff Writer 'i TUSCALOOSA Ole Miss came to Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday looking to shut out the Crimson Tide's running attack. However, the Rebels seemed to forget the Tide's passing game and Alabama's Jay Barker made the visitors pay.

The Alabama quarterback completed 25 of 39 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown to lead Alabama to a 31-10 Southeastern Conference win before a capacity crowd of 70,123. The win, Alabama's 18th straight, improved the No. 4 Tide's record to 8-0, 5-0 in SEC action. Ole Miss dropped fb 4-3, 3-3 in the SEC. The game plan seemed to work well for the Rebels in the first period as the Alabama offense was held to 19 yards offensively and one first down.

In fact, it was the Rebels who posed the only scoring threat in the opening period when Brian Lee missed a 51-yard field goal attempt. Alabama quarterback coach Mai Moore said the Rebels' blitzing defense wasn't what the Tide expected early. "Ole Miss had a good game plan for Please see BARKER, 9B Related stories. 4-5B InJocinets i SUtii ETD Alabama State uses three scoring plays of 40 yards or 'y more for its second win By KELVIN SIMS Staff Writer The game that almost wasn't a game wasn't much of a game. Coming off a tumultuous week where the Alabama State players missed practice and threatened to boycott Saturday's game with Prairie View the Hornets went out and raised questions about why teams practice anyway.

The Hornets used three scoring plays of 40 yards or more to substitute for the consistency that comes with practice ami blow out an outmanned Panther team 44-6 before 6,782 fans at Cramton Bovjl on Saturday night. The Hornets snapped a five-game losing streak in running their record to 2-iJ. It was the first Hornet win since a 30-10 victory over Southern in the seasoji opener. The Panthers dropped to 0-? and lost their 20th straight game dating back to the 1989 season. Markham was jovial after the gam, far from the worried demeanor he exhibited earlier this week when about 80 Please see HORNETS, 9J9 Tim The Washington Redskins visit the Minnesota Vikings today at noon on CBS.

The Redskins, 4-2, trail Dallas by one game In the NFC East Division. The Vikings lead the NFC Central Division with a 5-1 record. The Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Kansas Chiefs on TNT at 6:30 p.m. Listings, 2B. eDsi I fnM-Hriiiiipm I ft term By LLOYD GALLMANStaff The Cincinnati Reds have Interviewed their sixth candidate tor the manager's ob.

Marc Bombard, a former minor-league manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bombard, 42, was a pitcher, coach and a manager in the Reds minor league organization from 1971 to 1988. Former New York Mets manager Davey Johnson was the fifth candidate, Interviewed Friday. The Reds have Interviewed three candidates in the past two days and five overall since Bowden was named general manager a week ago: Johnson, lormer Texas manager Bobby Valentine, minor-league manager Dave Miley, minor-league Instructor Ron Oester and batting coach Tony Perez. One other candidate is expected to be Interviewed: lormer Reds player Ken Griffey Sr.

fthetridge bails iat 5-24 The Tigers' placekicker boots four field goals against Southwestern Louisiana, including the game-winner with 14 seconds left By RAGAN INGRAM Executive Sports Editor AUBURN It wasn't the situation Scott Etheridge expected to be in. This was a day he was supposed to kick several extra points and maybe a field goal or two. It was supposed to be a Gatorade-sipping day Etheridge while he watched his Auburn teammates thrash Southwestern Louisiana. It didn't happen that way. Etheridge bailed out the Tigers with a 30-yard field goal with 14 seconds left to lift Auburn to a 25-24 victory over the Ragin Cajuns before 74,327 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

"To be honest," Etheridge said, "I couldn't have imagined this. Then I realized at halftime that I was going to have to kick a game-winner." Etheridge's second game-winning Please see ETHERIDGE, 9B Related stories, 6-7B AP Top 25 Scores (1) Miami 43 Virginia Tech 23 (2) Washington 31 Paclllc7 (3) Michigan 63 Minnesota 13 (4) Alabama 31 Ole Miss 10 (5) Texas ASM 19 Baylor 13 (7) Georgia 40 Kentucky 7 (8) Nebraska 34 Missouri 24 (9) Colorado 54 Kansas State 7 (10) Notre Dame 42 BYU 16 (11) Boston College 17 Tulane 13 (12) Syracuse 38 Temple 7 (15) USC 31 (13) Washington State 21 (14) Penn State 40 West Virginia 26 (16) Stanford 27 Oregon State 21 (23) N.C. State 20 (18) Clemson 6 By JAMIE STURTEVANTStaff Auburn placekicker Scott Etheridge (43) is congratulated by teammates Todd Boland (52), Clay Helton (9) and Brian Brinsfield after drilling game-winning, 30-yard field goal against Southwestern Louisiana on Saturday AP Top 29 Scores Continued North Carolina 26 (19) Georgia Tech 14 (20) Florida 31 Louisville 17 (21) Arizona 24 California 17 (22) Kansas 27 Oklahoma 10 (24) Virginia 33 A Mary 7 (25) Mississippi State 56 Arkansas Stale 6 Other Score Of Interest Auburn 25 Southwestern Louisiana 24 South Carolina 21 Vanderbilt 17 Alabama State 44 Prairie View 6 Troy State 24 North Alabama 10 Tuskegee 41 Hampton 28 Texas 45 Houston 38 Northwestern 27 Illinois 26 Air Force 20 San Diego State 17 Wake Forest 23 Army 7.