Quad-City Times from Davenport, Iowa • 13

mem C3? (ate QK3afe "rap I I 1 Do what 25.000 other sports addicts did last month. Call: 322-7000 For the most up-to-date sports scores and Information In the Quad-CltJes. QUAD-CITY TIMES Wednesday, April 10, 1985 1 3 DODO'u'IjD SOD'u'G BKteff OX bop Brewers Don Doxsie Sports editor -CHICAGO (AP) Rick Sutcliffe, the Cy Young winner who signed a five-year contract for $9.5 million, has the facts at his fingertips. "The Chicago Cubs are paying me a lot of money to win ball games," said Sutcliffe Tuesday after he pitched a 2-1 opening day victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. To be sure, he had help from reliever Lee Smith who turned back Pittsburgh's big threat in the eighth inning and from outfielder Keith Moreland who knocked in both runs with a run-scoring single in the first inning and a solo homer in the fourth.

But Sutcliffe was the key. He had a four-hit shutout working until the eighth when the Pirates finally scored a run and he threw 128 pitches before leaving the game. "When everyone reads the papers tomorrow they'll see that I got a win but if Smitty doesn't come in and do the job, it could easily have been a loss." It has been a long time since Sutcliffe has had a loss in regular season competition, not since he lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers last June 29. He has since won 15 straight 14 last season, to set a Cub record. Ed Reulbach won 14 straight in 1909 for the Cubs.

Sutcliffe, who was 16-1 last season, wasnt completely happy with his performance because "I didn't have a good slider but you're always satisfied when you win. I was lucky today. There were some good plays be 5 jf1 1 ox-fa. 47jhjihjjui mi. ittnti i rwlt -m jifeii Ks wipe out bullpen worry CHICAGO OK, everybody knows the Chicago Cubs are going to score some runs this season.

And with a Dair of Gold Glove recipients MILWAUKEE (AP) While Tom Seaver was happy to earn a record 15th opening-day start, his main objective, was to get the Chicago White Sox off to a fast start. Seaver, who allowed only five hits oyer 6 innings, led the White Sox to a season-opening 4-2 victory over the error-prone Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday afternoon. thing about being starting pitcher in the season opener is to get the club off on the right foot," said Seaver, now in his 19th season. "That's the way I've always felt, to keep it close so our club can possibly win it" But Seaver didn't overlook the record he had shared with the legendary Walter Johnson, "I'm very' proud of it," he said. "It's terrific when you talk about doing something that no other pitcher in the history of the game has done.

I "If we had been here now as a losing ballclub, I wouldn't feel that way J. ft Jfrjfi 1 $ljf jtj f) in the lineup, the defense should be adequate. With Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Trout and Dennis Eckersley back in harness, the starting pitching is solid. That left only two question marks for the defending National League Eastern Division champions as they began the 1985 season Tuesday: Shortstop and relief pitching. In the Cubs' season-opening 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, at least one of those questions took a step to TV I JO hind me.

But I've been lucky ever since I came over here." Sutcliffe came to the Cubs last June in a trade that sent outfielders Mel Hall and Joe Carter to the Cleveland Indians. That trade also turned Moreland from a platoon player into a regular, "I feel like I'm part of the ball club," Moreland said. "Last year I didn't get to start and now I'm happy as a lark. "It's nice to get a base hit your first time up and put your Lee Smith THE BREWERS made five er Keith Moreland Gary Carter celebrates his game-winner. (AP photo) Carter lifts Mets rors in the game, with two by second baseman-Jim Gantner resulting in runs.

The game was played in sunny, 41-degree weather. "Is that a record?" said Milwaukee Manager George Bamberger of the? errors. "That's not good. But you're going to make errors just as long as they aren't mental mistakes." Gantner. said the natural turf "was good.

That had nothing to do with me missing the ground balls. "I know I didnt take my eye off it It just hit in the heel and didn't stick." The two Gantner errors allowed the White Sox to score twice in the first inning. Rudy Law reached first when Gantner dropped a pop fly near the right-field line. Starter pitcher Moose Haas, who took the loss, then walked Harold Baines and Greg i Walker lined a single to center to drive in Law and advance Baines to third. ward being answered.

Rookie Shawon Dunston kept the shortstop question alive by collecting both his first major league hit and his first major league error. But veteran relief pitcher Lee Smith drew raves after collecting his first save of the season. Smith, after what in some respects was a so-so season and an equally so-so spring, retired all four of the hitters he faced Tuesday. Three of the four outs came on strikeouts, one of which squelched a full-fledged jam. After seven innings of shutout pitching, Cub starter Rick Sutcliffe weakened in the eighth inning and when he handed the reins over to Smith, the Cub lead was down to 2-1, there were runners at first and third and ever-dangerous George Hendrick was at the plate with two outs.

Smith, stifling a yawn, worked the count to 2-2, then blazed a fastball over the inside corner. Hendrick waved at it in feeble fashion and strolled back to the bench. SMITH WHIFFED Tony Pena and Tim Foli in the ninth, and got Doug Frobel to ground out to Dunston. Cub catcher Jody Davis said the third strike on Hendrick was the hardest fastball Smith has ever thrown him. In view of Smith's reputation as one of the hardest throwers in the National League, that's saying something.

"That's probably kind of hard for Jody to judge since he didn't really catch me all spring," smiled the -SMITH Please torn to Page 14 team in the lead. We scored just enough to win." What proved to be the winning run was Moreland's homer which came on a 3-1 count off loser Rick Rho-den. "I didn't think it was going out against that wind," Moreland said. "But I knew I'd get a fast ball when Rick (Rhoden) fell behind on the count." The wind was blowing in at 13 miles an hour and it was cold, 35 degrees when the game started. That was one reason Sutcliffe didnt get tired from throwing so many pitches.

ou don't get tired on a day like this," said Sutcliffe, "but you do get stiff and you have to throw a couple of pitches to the first batter each inning to loosen up." Sutcliffe got away with it and had a four-hit shutout working until the eighth when Lee Mazzilli led off with a pinch double. One out later, Johnny Ray drew Sutclif-fe's second walk. Bill Madlock flied out but Jason Thompson spoiled the shutout with a run-scoring single. Smith replaced Sutcliffe and struck out George Hendrick with the tying run on third to end the inning. He also struck out two of the three batters he faced in a one-two-three ninth.

"I had good control and I had good pop," said Smith, who lost 12 pounds this year to ease the strain on his troublesome left knee. "I've never seen him throw harder," said catcher Jody Davis. After the homer, a line shot on an 0-1 pitch from Cardinal reliever Neil Allen, what was left of the capacity crowd on this cold, windy day chanted, "Gary, Gary Gary," and gave Carter a standing ovation. "There's not enough words to describe what it feels like," Carter said. "Ill certainly remember this the rest of my life.

I don't have enough adjectives to describe it the feeling of warmth, of acceptance." The victory went to left-handed reliever Tom Gorman, who worked a scoreless 10th inning for the Mets. -Mets Manager Dave Johnson said Gorman told him "before the game that he would be the winner in the 11th inning, and the score would be 6-5. You figure that one out" NEW YORK (AP) In his first game as a New York Met catcher Gary Carter was twice hit by pitches, and he also got hit by a foul tip. His passed ball gave St Louis a run, he allowed opposing pitcher Joaquin Andujar to steal a base against him, and he took a called third strike. It was not a very auspicious start that is, unto the 10th inning, when his one-out solo home run gave the Mets a season-opening 6-5 victory over the St.

Louis Cardinals on Tues: day. "What a way to start," said Carter, who was traded from Montreal last December. "Hit by a pitch, strike out looking, a stolen base, a passed ball and then the home run. The feeling is hard to describe." RON KITTLE'S grounder forced Walker at second, but Baines scored when Gantner's hurried throw to first pulled Cecil Cooper off the bag. )ptimii1tii(e Tulane player pleads guilty NEW ORLEANS (AP) Two Tulane students, one a member of the basketball team, pleaded pilty Tuesday in connection with the Green Wave basketball point-shaving scandal District Judge AlvinOsersaid.

David Rothenberg, 22, a student from Wilton, and Bobby Thompson, 21, a little-used guard, entered the pleas in a surprise court appearance and face sentencing on July I after an investigation by the state's Department of Corrections, Oser said. Thompson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sports bribery, Rothenberg to two counts of conspiracy and one count of possession of cocaine, Oser said The conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of Vfa years In prison and a fine of $2,508. The possession count carries a maximum penalty of five years In prison and a fine of $5,000, Rothenberg's lawyer, Ralph Capltelll, said his client would "testify to the truth" if called as a witness against others in the case. S. Illinois coach quits under fire CARBONDALE, 111.

(AP) Southern Illinois University basketball Coach Allen Van Winkle resigned Tuesday after disclosure that one of his assistants was aware of under-the-table payments to the SaraUs' star center. "Van Winkle cited personal reasons for his resignation, which Is effective today," Dean Stuck, special assistant In charge of Intercollegiate athletics at the school, said at a news conference. The action came four days after Stuck announced the resignation of Stafford Stephenson, an assistant coach who admitted he knew about weekly $200 payments being made to 6-foot ll center Kenny Perry. V- good speed and some strong-armed pitchers. "We certainly won't be relying on power because we don't have that much.

In this park (Riverview's distances down the line are 335 feet and are some of longest in the league) nobody is going to hit too many home runs." There won't be many, familar faces for Clinton fans when'they get their first look at the team Saturday night in the home opener. Only four squad members were here a year ago, plus one player who was with the Giants several years ago. THE RETURNEES are in-fielder Jim Spring, catcher Jose Pena and pitchers Mike Villa, Ken Dressier and Eric Erickson. Spring was a second baseman last year, but is being converted to a third baseman. Erickson was in Clinton as an outfielder, but is also making the switch.

Villa actually isn't with the team yet; he was left in Arizona with an arm injury and will be joining the club soon. "Most of our players were with our rookie league team at Everett, Blackwell said. "They finished third, but some of them showed some promise." hooked on with the California Angels' organization. Before the "83 season, he was went to Edmonton of the AAA Pacific Coast League where he spent the entire year. Then came a call last spring from the San Francisco Giants, not to play but to go to work as a catching instructor and coach at the Giants' AAA Phoenix team.

The Cali-fornian, who has been in baseball since being drafted in the 13th round by the Boston Red Sox in 1970, jumped at the chance. "I ENJOYED my work at Phoenix, and after the season was over, I told the organization I would like to try managing. So here I am," the 32-year-old Blackwell said. Blackwell would be the first to tell you his big league statistics with four teams over a period of nine years will never get him a spot in Cooperstown. His .228 batting average was not glossy, but nobody ever questioned his defensive abilities behind the plate, and some of that may rub of on the Clinton team.

"Down at spring training, the players and I spent part of the time getting to know each other," he said. "Right now, we look like we may be tough have some fairly By Dearrel Bates QUAD-CITY TIMES CLINTON, Iowa Tim Black-well leaned back on the chain link fence. He lazily surveyed Riverview Stadium, plus used the opportunity to soak up the warm sunshine on the chilly afternoon. Blackwell's Clinton Giants' Midwest League baseball team was going through a set of exercises Tuesday, primarily to help work out the kinks of a 34-hour bus ride from Scottsdale, Arizona. The players have a couple of days to unlimber before the season-opener Friday night atBeloit.

Most of Tuesday had been spent looking for a place to live for the next 4 months. For the players, it had been a relatively easy task; for BlackwelL it had turned into a chore because his wife Jane and four children had accompanied him to his first managing job. It was but a scant four years ago Blackwell was leaning against the bricks at Chicago's Wrigley Field waiting for the opening day ceremonies to begin. In fact even as late as 1982 the former catcher was involved in major league competition with the Montreal Expos. "I'LL BE the first to admit I Tim Blackwell don't know everything about the game of baseball," said the walrus-mustached Blackwell as he popped another handful of sunflower seeds into his mouth.

"But I feel I have plenty of experiences, both in the minor and major leagues, that I can pass on to these young guys. As my career was winding down even though a guy always thinks he has a few more years left I always felt I would like to give managing a shot" After Blackwell was let go by Montreal following the '82 season, he 7.