Quad-City Times from Davenport, Iowa • 60

Sunday, May 17, 1992 MIDWEST LEAGUE oRIEF "3 QUAD-CITY TIMES 1111 The Winston sends Allison, crowd spinning QUAD-CITY TIMES WIRES CONCORD, N.C. (AP) Davey Allison captured NASCAR's all-star race for the second straight year Saturday night, edging Kyle Petty at the finish line of The Winston before crashing into the wall in front of a night-time crowd of more than 1 33,000. Allison had to be cut from his car by rescue workers at the Charlotte Motor Speedway after his Ford spun several times and came to rest on the infield grass. Allison was taken to the infield hospital on a stretcher and then was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for tests. Track officials said he was conscious and in stable condition.

Wanke kept the Chiefs at bay by mixing just two pitches using his fastball and curveball exclusively. "I had decent location and the ball was moving a bit," Wanke said. "I had a little help, too. Our defense did the job and was able to turn a couple of double plays that didn't hurt. It feels pretty good right now." He felt in control on the mound throughout Thursday's game and although the average speed of his pitches was down a little around 84 miles per hour the location of his pitches frustrated Peoria all night and he only had to work from behind on a couple of occasions.

Wanke first noticed that the Chiefs were hitless midway through the fifth inning when he looked up at the scoreboard. But instead of succumbing to nerves, Wanke went to work. "I tried to concentrate a little more with each batter I knew the possibility was there and after the seventh inning, I fell into a groove and everything worked out," Wanke said. Peoria scored its run in the seventh inning when Ricardo Medina reached on a catcher's interference call and advanced on a wild pitch. He then scored from second when D.J.

Thielen over- have double play in '93 The victory in the first night running of The Winston was worth $300,000 to the points leader in the Winston Cup standings. Allison started from the pole and ran away with the first 30-lap segment of the 1.1 million event for past winners. The field was inverted for the second 30-lap segment, with Allison starting at the rear of the field. He worked his way up to sixth for the final 10-lap dash. Petty, in a Pontiac, led by up to four seconds in the second segment to start on the pole for the final sprint, but two-time winner Dale Earnhardt in a Chevrolet took the lead from Petty after three laps.

Petty and Allison continued to chase Earnhardt for five laps and both closed to within a car-length on the final lap. As the trio made the final turn, Petty tipped Earnhardt's bumper and sent him spinning, setting up the final quarter-mile dash. Allison took the inside route and won by half a car length. As the two crossed the finish line, it appeared that Allison's car slid in front of Petty's and was sent into the wall. Ken Schrader in a Chevrolet was third, followed by Ricky Rudd in a Chevrolet and Bill Elliott in a Ford.

Track and field ANOTHER LONG JUMP: Mike Powell came within two inches of his world long jump record Saturday, soaring 29 feet 2lh inches at the Modesto Invitational, his first outdoor competition this year. The wind-aided jump matched Bob Beamon's 23-year-old mark, eclipsed by Powell's leap of 29-AVi last August at the world championships in Tokyo. "We're at a new level in the 3 long jump," Powell said. "I'm looking forward to going 30 feet and beyond." Pro football RYPIEN LOOKS NORTH: The Toronto Argonauts, who signed Raghib "Rocket" Ismail last year to catch the ball, are interested in getting Mark Rypien to throw it to him. Mike McCarthy, the general manager for the Canadian Football League team, said he talked with Ken Staninger, Rypien's agent, and added: "Last fF year, we got the cake.

This would give us the icing." Staninger con- firmed he had talks with McCarthy and Charley Casserly, the general manager of the Washington Redskins, and said Rypien would keep his options open. Reports in Toronto are that Rypien is asking the Redskins for $4 million a year and that the Redskins have countered with a $2.25 million offer. Auto racing NASCAR DRIVER DIES: A NASCAR driver burned over 80 percent of his body in a crash in his first races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, died Saturday. Gary Batson, 40, of Travelers Rest, S.C., was injured during qualifying Friday for the Winston Sportsman 1 50. He had third-degree burns over 25 percent of his body.

Bat-' son's car tangled with a car driven by Neal Connell of Tallahassee, coming out of the third turn at the l'z-mile track. Batson's car was pinned against the outside wall and was dragged down the front straightaway before bursting into flames. Connell was not injured. Boxing NEW WBO CHAMP: Britain's Colin McMillan won the world WBO featherweight title in a majority decision over defending champion Maurizio Stecca of Italy on Saturday. Clinton pitcher comes off no-hitter By Steve Batterson QUAD-CITY TIMES If only they could all be that easy.

Clinton's Chuck Wanke improved his career pitching record to 2-5 Thursday night with a game he'll never forget. The Giants' left-hander treated the crowd at River view Stadium to the 11th no-hitter in the Clinton franchise's history, silencing Peoria's bats for a 5-1 Midwest League Wanke win. The 6-foot-5 native of Beaverton, struck out nine batters, walked four and hit three on his way to the gem. "The last couple of innings were the worst," Wanke said. "I tried to take a break between batters to calm myself down, but the adrenalin was flowing.

They told me the last pitch of the game was the hardest pitch I threw all night." Cubs will Chicago will stock Rockford, Peoria Beginning next season, Chicago Cubs affiliates will have twice the opportunity to claim an elusive Midwest League championship. No Cubs affiliate in the league has won a championship since Jim Napier's 1979 Quad-City Cubs beat Waterloo for the league title, but beginning in 1993, its likely the Cubs will have at least two chances. When Midwest League directors approved the sale of the Rockford franchise to the Tribune the parent corporation of the Cubs, it all but assured the league of two Cubs affiliates for the next two seasons. In order to help passage, the Cubs agreed to honor their existing contract with Peoria, which expires following the 1994 season. Only one other organization currently has two affiliates in the same league.

Oakland currently staffs both the Modesto and Reno franchises in the California League. The sale has met with mixed reaction around the league. "There are both advantages and disadvantages to it," Quad-City River Bandits' General Manager Mike Tatoian said. "Usually, having two teams in one league weakens both clubs and the league. That's my main concern, although the Tribune Co.

should help the financial stability of the Rockford franchise. SATURDAY'S GAMES Jerry Stovall, 2-0 vs. Wausau, June 4, 1 980 (7 innings) Gregory Bangert, 4-1 vs. Burlington, April 20, 1981 (7 innings) Mark Grant, 9-0 vs. Danville, August 12, 1982 Ramon Bautista, 2-0 vs.

Appleton, May 9, 1983 (7 innings) Chris Hancock and Chris Fye, 11-0 vs. Burlington, June 6, 1989 Chuck Wanke, 5-1 vs. Peoria, May 14, 1992 with an ERA of 4.59. "I went into spring training after a great off-season. I had worked hard and I felt ready to go," Wanke said.

He saw early results at San Francisco's Scottsdale training camp and saw his role change from a reliever to a starting pitcher. Wanke struggled through his final two spring training outings and his first starts in Clinton, but feels himself settling down as the weather has warmed. "After my first two starts here, I've thrown the ball better," Wanke said. "It took me awhile to get adjusted to the climate but I'm liking it better all the time." Thursday, it felt great. Giants DARE fans Students from 1 5 Gateway-area communities and 25 schools and their families have been invited to participate in DARE Night Monday at Clinton's Riverview Stadium.

1 Clinton assistant general manager Gary Mayse said the night is an offshoot of the Just Say No Day promotion the Giants have used the past two seasons. "The message will be the same that drugs and alcohol are harmful but we've coordinated through the DARE programs in the area," Mayse said. "We're looking to have good family participation in the event." Astros seek break Burlington's team batting average has climbed nearly 40 points in the last week, but Astros Manager Steve Curry still wonders about his team's slow offensive start. "For the first month of the season, we couldn't hit a thing and when you're not hitting you have to do a lot of things right to win," Curry said. That didn't happen for the Astros, who won just seven of their first 25 games this season.

I "We seem to be hitting the ball a little better and we're making a little better contact, but we still have a ways to go," said Curry, whose team's batting average is approaching the .200 mark. RIVER BANDITS THIS WEEK Today Quad-Cities at Madison, 6 p.m. The River Bandits' eight-day road trip continues with a four-day series at Madison, the Quad-Cities' first meeting of the season against the Oakland Athletics' affiliate. Madison is among a group of four Northern Division teams that has hovered near the .500 mark most of the season. Monday Quad-Cities at Madison, 7 p.m.

The Muskies' Scott Sheldon, the team's shortstop, rates as one of the top hitters in Oakland's minor league system. Sheldon is hitting at a .327 pace. Tuesday Quad-Cities at Madison, 7 p.m. All River Bandits games can be listened to on KSTT (1170 AM), with David Fisher calling the action. Wednesday Quad-Cities at Madison, 7 p.m.

This game is the final meeting between the two teams until July 27 and final game in an eight-day road trip for the Quad-Cities. The road has been good to the River Bandits during the first month of the season. The Quad-Cities is 8-3 away from John O'Donnell Stadium. Thursday Burlington at Quad-Cities, 7 p.m. In their first two meetings this year, the Astros and River Bandjts have split two games.

Burlington is the weakest hitting team in the league, although the Astros have raised their average nearly 40 points in the last two weeks to a season high .191 mark. Friday Burlington at Quad-Cities, 7:30 p.m. The quick homestand ends with another game against the Astros. Tonight's game is Pepsi-WHBF Seat Cushion Wight. The first fans through the gate will receive a River Bandits seat cushion.

No-hitters recorded by Clinton pitchers In the Midwest League: Thomas Fisher, 1-0 vs. Paris, June 2, 1959 John Conzatti, 2-0 vs. Quad-Cities, Aug. 7, 1970 (6 innings) Lawarence Bracco, 0-1 (lost) vs. Waterloo, May 3, 1972 (7 Innings) Russell McDonald, 1-0 vs.

Wausau, May 15, 1978 (7 innings) James Nobles, 7-1 vs. Wisconsin Rapids, July 16, 1978 (7 innings) threw first on a grounder by Ed Larregui. Wanke used some advice from Clinton pitching coach Gary Lucas to help him get through the final six outs. "All spring, he's talked to us about the importance of working one pitch and one batter at a time," Wanke said. "I thought about that a lot as the game went on and it really helped.

I just wanted to make the next pitch and then go from there. That forced me to concentrate." The no-hitter, the first in the league this season, has helped Wanke forget about a long first month of the season. It did more than help him raise his record in 1992 to 2-4 a one-point lead over Waterloo's Cole Hyson. Former Clinton pitcher Steve Reed currently leads the Texas League standings while former Quad-Cities pitcher Ken Eden-field ranks third in the California League. Earl's back After struggling with the Cubs' top Class A affiliate at Winston-Salem in the Carolina League, Earl Cunningham is back in Peoria.

Cunningham, the Cubs' first pick in the June 1989 free agent draft, had struck out 39 of his first 6 1 trips to plate at Winston-Salem before being sent down to Peoria for a third straight year. Through the gates Dismal April weather has hurt attendance throughout the league, although the River Bandits' numbers aren't that far off from the record-setting pace of 1 99 1 Through the first 16 home games, the Quad-Cities has attracted 30,219 fans compared to 32,965 in the same number of dates a year ago. "Even if the weather would have been better, I don't think we would have done much better than where we're at," Tatoian said. "My philosophy has always been that anybody you can get through the gates in April or May is a bonus." The River Bandits are fourth in the league in attendance. Giants drop home game CLINTON, Iowa South Bend scored three runs in the seventh inning Saturday to beat Clinton 4-1.

Kerry Valerie hit a solo home run while Harold Henry, who collected two hits, drove in a run for the White Sox. Andre Keene drove in the lone run in the loss for the Giants. South Bend 4, Clinton 1 South Bend 000 ooo 310 4 1 Clinton 000 100 000 17 1 Barry Johnson, Hank Taoel (0), Jeff Pierce (9) and Mike vooel. Lenny Ayres, Anael Ortiz (7), Alvaro Bona-vldes (7), Ken Grundt (9) and Derrick Dana. 3 or more hits South Bend, Essex Burton, Kerry Valerie, Harold Henry; Clinton, Ken Flest.

HR South Bend, Volerle. RBI Burton, Valerie, Voaet, Henry; Clinton, Andre Keene. Dodger is arrested TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Keith "Kiki" Jones, a promising pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization, was arrested on charges he falsely reported his car stolen and collected the insurance money, police said. Jones was picked up Friday aj his home in Vero Beach and charged with two felony counts.

i mmKm A Steve Batterson MIDWEST LEAGUE "I know the people in Peoria are upset and that the people with the Rockford franchise are happy and they should be. They'll have the advantages of being geographically close to their parent club, which is something Peoria has enjoyed," Tatoian said. Clinton General Manager Kevin Temperly agreed that the finances of the Tribune Co. should help Rockford, which is averaging just 474 fans per game this season. "I'm not sure that Rockford has shown it is willing to support professional baseball, and it might take more than Cubs jerseys to change that," Temperly said.

Heredia leads Quad-City River Bandits relief pitcher Julian Heredia leads the first Midwest League standings of the season for the Rolaids Relief Man of Year. Using a point system that counts, wins, saves and losses, Heredia currently has The game was called with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning with one Appleton runner on base. Quad Cities' Kevin Sweeney and Chris Pritchett collected three hits in a losing cause. One of Sweeney's hits was a two-run home run. Chris Turner also hit a two-run home run and had two hits.

Appleton's Ed Gerald offensively ripped apart the Bandits, going 3-for-3 on the day with two home runs and five RBI. Mark Johnson also had three hits for the Foxes. Ron Watson got the loss in relief of starter Shad Williams. Foxes 12, Bandits 10 QUAD-CITIES APPLETON onrhbi abrhbi Palmeiro cf 4 111 Johman2b 3 3 3 1 McCffryrf 5 110 Halterss 2 3 10 Boyklndh 3 111 Gonilzcf 3 113 Prtchtt lb 4 3 3 0 Hlnton lb 1111 Turnerc 4 3 3 3 RandoSj 3 0 13 Sweeney rf 4 13 3 Norman rf 5 110 Mrkwci3b 3 0 0 0 Newhouself 4 111 Hoovss 3 3 0 0 Gerotdlf 3 3 3 5 Forbes 3b 4 0 2 1 DeLeon 2 0 0 0 Strcklndc 3 110 Total! 341013 Totals 30131313 Quad-Cities 3O0 310 01-10 Appleton 004 031 31-12 Game called with two outs tn bottom of eighth due to rain. Pritchett, Turner, DeLeon.

TP Appleton 1. 38 Forbes, Newhouse, Gonzalez, Strickland. 3B Prlt. chett. HP.

Sweeney (5), Turner (3), Gerald 2 (3). SB -Halter (7), Hooy (2). SF Boykln, Palmeiro, Rondo, Gerald, Hlnton, Gonzalez. IP EN BB SO Quad-arm Williams 4 7 7 7 5 3 Watson (L.2-4) 2'j 4 4 3 5 3 Perez lVj 1 1 0 1 0 Appleton Bovee 4 11 0 2 Kobetltsch 2 0 0 0 1 0 Smith (W, 14) lVs 2 1 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 0, Bovee pitched to tour batters In the fifth. WMamJ pitched to four batters In the fifth.

WP Watson 3, Bovee. Kobetltsch, WIMoms, Art. -350. Strange but true: Bandits lose Horse racing TRACK IS SUED: An apprentice jockey left paralyzed following a four-horse spill at Tampa Bay Downs is suing the track for more than $2.5 million. Benito "Benny" Narvaez was riding "That a Boy Girl" in the sixth race on Feb.

23, 1990. Also in the field was "Dance Appeal," a horse that had returned to racing after a fractured leg. Benito maintains the four-horse pileup wouldn't have occurred if track officials examined the horses properly before the races. On the turn for home, "Dance Appeal" fell. Three other jockeys and their horses went sprawling.

Narvaez was the last to fall. Narvaez suffered a severe spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the chest down. Tennis COURIER REACHES FINAL: The French Open can wait. Jim Courier still has some unfinished business in Italy. Courier is one victory away from becoming the first American to win the Italian Open since Jimmy Arias in 1983.

But he'll have to get past the world's hottest clay-court player to do it. The No. 1 seed and world's top-ranked player, Courier reached the Rome final Saturday by coming from behind to defeat Germany's Carl Uwe Steeb 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. In the other semifinal at the Foro Italico, Spain's Carlos Costa defeated Petr Korda of Czechoslovakia 6-4, 6-3. Costa, who won clay-court titles in Portugal and Spain this spring, has not lost a set in five matches in Rome.

Ranked No. 55 in the world at the start of the year, he will break into the top 1 0 in the next ATP rankings released Monday. GRAF, SANCHEZ IN FINAL: Steffi Graf and Arantxa San-, chez won semifinal-round matches in the Berlin Open on Saturday, each at the expense of an American. Graf, cheered on by the crowd, rallied to beat sixth-seeded Jennifer Capriati 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Sanchez outlasted fourth-seeded Mary Joe Fernandez 7-5, 7-6 (7-3). Graf and Sanchez will play in the final today, as they did last year when Graf won in three sets.

Cycling LeMOND KEEPS LEAD: Alexi Grewal won Saturday's event and Greg LeMond held to his overall lead as the Tour Du Pont cycling race completed its 10th and next-to-last stage. LeMond will hold a 1 3 second margin over teammate Atle Kvalsvoll of Norway and a 10-second margin over Australia's Phil Anderson of Motorola entering today's finale to the 1 event. College golf McCARTY IS 5TII: Curt Sanders shot a 4-under-par 68 Saturday as Ohio State got by Iowa to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Big Ten golf tournament. Ohio State finished Saturday's 1 8 holes with a team total of 854. Iowa was a close second with 855.

Wisconsin stayed in third place with 870, Michigan State remained fourth with 871 and Northwestern stayed in fifth with 875. Minnesota moved into sixth at 876, followed by Michigan (878), Indiana (879), Illinois (885), Penn State (888) and Purdue (895). Michigan State's Heath Fell leads the individual scoring with 210. Iowa's Sean McCarty, a freshman from West Branch, Iowa, is fifth at 2 1 3 with rounds 68-73-72. Sanders shot 75 in the first round of the tournament and followed that with a 69.

His 212 total put him in a three-way tie for second in the individual scoring. Iowa's Brad Klapprott and Ohio Stye's Steve Anderson atso scored 212. The meet concludes with 1 8 holes today. 1 Quad-Cities drops into lst-place tie APPLETON, Wis. It was a strange day, indeed, for the Quad-City River Bandits.

The game was an offensive duel. The game was not finished due to the possibility of a tornado. The Appleton Foxes turned a rare triple play. And it marked the first time the Bandits lost three games in a row this season. Appleton topped Quad-Cities 12-10 Saturday night.

Cedar Rapids moved percentage points ahead of Quad-Cities in the Southern Division with a 6-5 win in 12 innings over Burlington. Cedar Rapids is 20-11 and Quad-Cities 21-12. Quad-Cities jumped ahead early and was ahead 9-4 entering the fifth inning before walks proved harmful. The Bandits walked four Fox batters in the fifth inning, three in the sixth, and two in the seventh inning. The lack of control in the three innings led to seven Apple-ton runs and gave it a lead it would not relinquish.

The Quad-City pitchers had eleven walks. Quad-Cities did have a chance to put the game away early, but with men on first and second, no outs, and thfee runs already in, Appleton calmed the attack by turning a triple play..