Freeport Journal-Standard from Freeport, Illinois • Page 12

Dodgers Can Feel Reds Closing In From Behind RENNIE STENNETT OF THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES got to second base ahead of Dodger shortstop Bill Russell's throw to second baseman Lee Lacy on this fifth inning play in Sunday's Pirate-Dodger game in Pittsburgh. Plays like this went wrong for the Dodgers all day as they lost their sixth straight game to the Pirates 10-3 and saw the Cincinnati Reds close to within games of the lead in the National League West. UPI Photo. By The Associated Press Jim Wynn says Los Angeles' 10-3 thumping Sunday at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates may be just what the reeling Dodgers needed and it came in handy for the Cincinnati Reds, too. While the Dodgers were suffering their sixth consecutive setback, the Reds were edging the New York Mets 6-5 to climb within games of front- running Los Angeles in the National League's West Division.

The Dodgers' margin is the smallest since they led Houston by two games on May 9 and it's the closest the Reds have been since they trailed by three games way back on April 26. They were but as recently as mid-July. Elsewhere, the St. Louis Cardinals downed the San Francisco Giants 4-1, the Philadelphia Phillies turned back the Atlanta Braves 7-4, the Houston Astros blanked the Montreal Expos 3-0 and the Chicago Cubs clobbered the San Diego Padres 14-6. Center fielder Wynn offered his theory after the Pirates pounded out 17 hits, most against the Dodgers this season, including home runs by Bob Robertson and Richie Zisk.

Sox Glad To Leave New York NEW YORK (AP) Not only is Lou Piniella stinging the ball for the New York Yankees, he's helping a couple of teammates follow suit. Jim Mason had been hitless in 24 at- bats before Sunday's 94 rout of the Chicago White Sox, but he listened to Pi- niella and that changed. "Lou told me I was pulling my shoulder out," Mason said. "So after I'd convinced myself I was never going to get another hit, I made up my mind to keep my shoulder in no matter what happened." What happened was that Mason ran his hitless string to 26 at-bats but then came through with three straight singles, including a run-scoring hit in the seventh inning. "I couldn't believe I went into a slump like that," Mason said, "and I couldn't believe I came out of it like that." Munson also was struggling, as he has been most of the season, when along came Piniella.

"Lou told me a couple of days ago that I was moving my hips too much," the catcher disclosed. So all Munson did over the weekend was deliver a two-out, two-run homer in the 13th inning to win a game Friday night and drive in three runs with a pair of doubles Sunday. The Yankees' 17-hit attack came at the expense of Wilbur Wood and three relievers. "It was pretty obvious what was wrong, wasn't it?" said Wood, 18-14, who was raked for nine hits and five runs before leaving in the fourth. "I just pitched a bad ball game.

I wasn't making good pitches. It was just a nothing game for me. I didn't have a thing." The New York assault also included a double and three singles by Bobby Murcer, Elliott Maddox' initial home run of the a piece of advice from Chicago slugger Dick Allen. "Allen told me to forget the home runs," said Murcer, who hasn't hit one yet at Shea Stadium. "He said, 'You're a line drive hitter.

You're not gonna hit home So I changed my stance. I closed it up and moved my right foot closer to plate and I'm hitting like I did when I first started out in baseball." Rudy May, the New York starter, was nicked for a run in the third inning on a walk, Bill Sharp's single and Bucky Dent's squeeze bunt. Bill Melton opened the Chicago fourth with his 20th home run and May was forced out of the game when he pulled a muscle in his left thigh on the gopher pitch. Mike Wallace, Cecil Upshaw and Sparky Lyle finished up, with Wallace recording his fifth triumph in as many decisions and Lyle earning his 12th save. May, the team's most consistent pitcher, insisted he wouldn't miss his next turn.

Tiant Leads A.L Victory Parade By The Associated Press Luis Tiant didn't exactly pitch well enough to win his 19th. Steve Busbv did. But then, things aren't always what they seem. Tiant was cuffed around for 11 hits in innings Sunday and was sent packing when Minnesota erupted for six runs in the eighth inning. By then, though, Boston had given the veteran right-hander an eight-run cushion.

So the Red Sox held on for a 96 triumph and Tiant became the only pitcher in the major leagues with 19 wins. Busby, meanwhile, pitched a six-hitter against Baltimore- but the fifth hit was Paul Blair's double in the ninth inning and the sixth was Brooks Robinson's single. So instead of getting victory No. 19, Busby wound up with defeat No. 10 as the Orioles squeezed out a 1-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Chicago's Wilbur Wood had a shot at No. 19, too. But he took an early shower and loss No. 14, instead, when the White Sox absorbed a 9-4 beating by the New York Yankees. In Sunday's other American League games, the Texas Rangers nosed out Cleveland 1-0, the Oakland A's clobbered Detroit U-3 arid the' Milwaukee Brewers beat California 5-2.

Tiant was rocked for all six Minnesota runs in the eighth, three on Larry Hisle's 17th home run. Then Diego Segui took over and slammed the door on the Twins. Orioles 1, Royals 0 Dave McNally outdueled Busby in the Orioles' victory over Kansas City, pitching a seven-hitter and wrecking the Royals' only serious threat with a neat pickoff play and some clutch hurling. Rangers 1, Indians 0 Ferguson Jenkins pitched a four-hitter, struck out five batters and walked one for Texas. And Fritz Peterson pitched a four-hitter, struck out five batters and walked one for Cleveland.

But one of the Rangers' hits was Jeff Burroughs' 24th home run. With it, he became the first player in the majors this year to reach 100 runs batted in. Reggie Jackson and Gene Tenace slugged three-run homers in a nine-run eighth inning and Joe Rudi and Pat Borque drove in two runs apiece in Oakland's rout of the Tigers. Brewers 5, Angels 2 Don Money drove in two runs with a pair of singles and Tom Murphy helped Jim Slaton with solid relief pitching in the Brewers' victory over California. HIRAM, Ohio (AP) Cleveland Browns center Bob McClowry was to undergo surgery on his left knee today, because of an injury suffered in Saturday's National Football League exhibition game with the Baltimore Colts in Tampa, Fla.

McClowry missed all of last season because of a shoulder injury. He was drafted in 1973 out of Michigan State and will miss all of this season because of the knee injury. Dake Closes On Walton CUBS' ROB SPERRING couldn't quite avoid tag by San Diego pitcher Bill Grief while legging out an infield chopper in the second inning of Sunday's Cub-Padre game in Chicago. Grief made putout on this play, but one inning later the Cubs chased him with a seven-run uprising and went on to beat the Padres 14-6. UPI Photo.

Stone Finds Win Formula CHICAGO (AP) Steve Stone doesn't pitch many complete game victories but he might be getting on the right track after a long talk with Manager Jim Marshall. Stone hurled his first complete victory for the Chicago Cubs Sunday in a 14-6 romp over the San Diego Padres to give the revived Cubs their fourth victory in the last five games. Naturally, the 14 runs and 15 hits by the Cubs might have had something to do with it but Stone believes Marshall's tip helped him post a second consecutive victory. "He told me to keep my fast ball low and away from righthanded hitters," said Stone who recalled that he lost all three of his complete games with the Chicago White Sox last season. "I think the last time I won a complete game was in 1972 when I was with San Francisco and beat Los Angeles 1-0," said Stone.

Marshall admitted having talked to Stone and said "His next start is more important to the team than a complete game but I'm glad he got it. He's long oiuiedication, preparedness and condi- tioning. It was just a matter of changing his pitching pattern and since then he is 2-0." Stone, who defeated Houston in his last start, also helped his cause against San Diego when he singled home two runs in a six-run, third inning uprising Sunday as the Cubs moved into a 9-1 lead. Steve Swisher belted his fourth homer in the second inning with a man aboard to break a 1-1 tie and Jose Cardenal hit his No. 10 in the seventh inning.

Willie McCovey hit his 17th homer for the Padres in the fifth inning. The Cubs take on the slump-ridden Los Angeles Dodgers today to open a three-game series. The Dodgers dropped their sixth in a row Sunday when they lost to Pittsburgh 10-3 and saw their lead in the National League West sliced to games over Cincinnati which edged New York 6-5. The Cubs will send Rick Reuschel, 11-10, against Doug Rau, 12-6, or Al Downing, 4-6. Rau has developed a blister on his pitching hand and is a doubtful garter.

Darrell Dake's third feature victory of the season enabled him to close the gap on point-leader Ken Walton in the drivers' standings at Freeport Raceway Sunday night. Walton prevented Dake from overhauling him by finishing second in the 50-lap event, though, which means the two Cedar Rapids rivals can be expected to remain neck and neck in the standings until the season championship is decided at the raceway's Sept. 8 program. Verlon Eaker, another Cedar Rapids hotshot with definite designs on the season championship, didn't hurt himself too badly with a third-place performance Sunday night. He finished just ahead of Freeporter Bill Lameyer and Jim Strubbe of Peoria.

Terry Hurst of Davenport posted his first raceway victory of the season in Sunday night's 15-lap semifeature. Hurst had to beat out second-place finisher Buzz McCann of Spooner, and Shannon's Arnie Schmoll to get the checkered flag first. Rockford's Bob Hacker was the fourth-place finisher and Dave Meile of Baileyville placed fifth. John Connolly of Delhi, Iowa, was the trophy dash winner, beating out Walton and Rockford's Sam Reaks. It was nonetheless a profitable evening for Reaks, who took low qualifying honors with his clocking of :25.82 on the half mile banked oval track.

Approximately 3,000 people turned out for Sunday night's program. More are expected next Sunday night, when the raceway conducts its own demolition derby of the season, which is expected to attract upwards of 50 contestants. Sunday night's heat winners are as follows: First heat: Dan Reed, Freeport; Arnie Schmoll, Shannon; George Meyers, Rockford. Second heat: Tom Rockford; Steve Buholzer, Monroe; Bill Lameyer, Freeport. Third heat: Jim Strubbe, Peoria; Jake Arnold, Rockford; John Connolly, Delhi, Iowa.

Steenrods Win Father-Daughter Tourney A IAV CilYA rtftft 4 Alex Steenrod and daughter Laurie edged out Kim and Vale Nortridge for low gross honors in Freeport Country Club's father-daughter 18-hole golf tournament Sunday. Low net honors went to Liz and John Patrou, who beat out Mary Joe and In nine hole competition, Bill and Julie Greene beat Valerie and Tom De- Mik for low gross honors. Judy and Jim Hayner bested Rene Mangan and CORRECTION A picture of the Elks American Legion baseball team's district championship trophy in last Thursday's Journal-Standard pictured Al Anderson, a past commander of the Legion post, but identified him as commander. John Wiemers is the post commander. Lyle King for fow net.

Gigi Urban and Dr. James Berry finished ahead of Kathy and Keith Martin in the Peoria scoring system. In the mother-son tournament, Jim Readeker and Gerry Gustafson took low gross honors among 18-hole competitors, beating out Brett and Maria Ferguson. Jerry and Sara Vickers were low net winners, beating Mike Martin and Ev Hodes. Among nine-hole players, Bob and Joie Jacobs were low gross winners, finishing ahead of Jim and Donna Greene, while Tom DeMik and Myrna Cowan nosed out Kirk and Carol Nortridge and Mike and Margaret Gould for low net honors.

Dave and Marlene Fehr topped Neal Fehr and Marilyn Tropsa in the Peoria scoring system. The Dodgers have scored only 11 runs in their six-game slide. Sunday's assault against Geoff Zahn and three relievers also included two doubles by Robertson, one apiece by Zisk and Rennie Stennett, a two-run single by Willie Stargell and seven-hit pitching by Larry Demery and Dave Giusti. Reds 6, Mets 5 The Reds nailed down the triumph when Dave Concepcion blasted a tie- breaking three-run homer off Jon Matlack in the seventh inning after an intentional two-out walk to Tony Perez. Cardinals 4, Giants 1 John Curtis pitched a five-hitter for the Cards' fourth straight victory and also singled home two sixth-inning runs off Tom Bradley.

Curtis restricted the Giants to one unearned run. St. Louis got a first-inning run on Reggie Smith's single and Bake McBride's triple. Mike Tyson's sacrifice fly boosted the lead to 2-0 in the fourth. Phillies 7, Braves 4 Bill Robinson, Mike Schmidt and Willie Montanez homered for Philadelphia in support of Dick Ruthven's six-hit pitching.

Ruthven had real trouble only in the third inning, when the Braves scored three runs, two on Ralph Garr's homer. Astros 3, Expos 0 Milt May's two-run homer and Bob Watson's solo shot backed Dave Roberts' five-hit pitching. Montreal's Tom Walker was cruising along with a two- hitter going into the seventh. FREEPORT JOURNAL-STANDARD Freeport (HI.) Journal-Standard, Monday.August 19, 1974 Page 13 THE SUN, THE WIND AND THE WALL proved to be too much for the White Sox' BUI Sharp as he chased down this drive hit by the Yankees' Bobby Murcer in the sixth inning of Sunday's game in New York. Sharp lost the ball in the sun, and Murcer got a double.

UPI Photo. Night Hawks Drop Title Game To Savannah 9-1 OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Robert Newhart pitched his Savannah, junior boys team to a 9-1 victory over Freeport, 111., for the championship of the second annual National Fast Pitch Softball Tournament Sunday. Newhart held Freeport to three hits in the final after allowing only one hit but losing a 1-0 semifinal match to the Illinois team. BUM Schellhorn slammed two singles and a triple and drove in four runs to lead the Savannah attack in the title game.

Freeport came up through the loser's bracket after dropping its opening game to Omaha Pettits. Freeport eliminated the Omaha squad 9-7 Sunday before meeting the undefeated Missouri team. Rain plagued the tourney for the first two days, causing games to be played on makeshift grass diamonds and bunching games to Sunday. Baseball Standings By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS National League East Pet. GB St.

Louis 65 57 .533 Philadelphia 62 59 .512 2 Pittsburgh 62 59 .512 Montreal 56 62 .475 7 New York 52 65 .444 Chicago 40 68 .424 13 West Los Angeles 75 46 .620 Cincinnati 73 49 .598 Atlanta 64 56 .533 2 Houston 61 59 .508 13y 2 San Fran 54 68 .44.3 San Diego 48 74 .393 27V 2 Saturday's Games Pittsburgh 4. Los Angeles 3 San Diego 4. Chicago 3 Cincinnati 6. New York 2 St. Louis 5.

San Francisco 3 Atlanta 7. Philadelphia 6. 12 innings Montreal 3. Houston 2 Sunday's Games Pittsburgh 10. Angeles 3 Philadelphia 7, Atlanta 4 Chicago 14.

San Diego 6 Cincinnati 6. New York 5 Houston 3. Montreal 0 St. Louis 4. San 1 Monday's Games Angeles (Rau 12-6 or Downing 4-6).

at Chicago (Reuschel 11-10) St.Louis (Osteen 9-9) at Atlanta (Morton 12-7). San Francisco (Bryant 2-12) at Pittsburgh (Hooker 8-9)' Philadelphia (Twite-hell 6-4) at Cincinnati (Gullett 13-8). San Diego (Jones 7-17) at Montreal (Hlair 7-5). New York (Seaver 7-7) at Houston (Wilson 8-10). American League East Pet.

GB Boston 66 54 .550 Cleveland 60 57 .513 Baltimore 61 59 .508 5 New York 60 60 .500 6 Milwaukee 58 63 .479 Detroit 57 64 .471 West Oakland 70 52 .574 Kan City 63 56 .529 Texas 62 61 .504 Chicago 60 61 .496 Minnesota 59 63 .484 11 California 48 74 .393 22 Saturday's Games Cleveland 4. Texas 0 New York 2. Chicago 1. 7 innings, rain Minnesota 7. Boston 4 Detroit 4.

Oakland 3 Kansas City 3. Baltimore 2. 10 innings Milwaukee 4. California 2 Sunday's Games Texas 1. Cleveland 0 Baltimore 1.

Kansas City 0 Boston 9. Minnesota 6 New York 9. Chicago 4 Oakland 13. Detroit 3 Milwaukee 5. California 2 Monday's Games Chicago (Kaat 13-10) at Boston (Lee Minnesota (Decker 12-10) at New York (McDowell 1-5).

Detroit (Holdsworth 0-1) at California (Tanana 8-14). Milwaukee (Champion 7-2) at Oakland (Blue 14-10). Only games scheduled.