The Post-Star from Glens Falls, New York • 25

IX Spertg Sports Editor Greg Brownell: 792-3131, Ext. 3277 The Post-Star, July 9, 2000 5 Interleague Yankees. 4 if Mets 2 Yankees. 4 Mets. 2 Braves.

5 Blues Jays 6 Red Sox 1 ...3 Cubs 9 Phillies. 13 White Sox 2 Orioles .4 Reds 14 Marlins. 6 Indians 5 Devil Rays 5 I if. Hudson River full of bass, Page D8 "TT9 HftBSL Pirates 4 National Twins. 1 Leagu Royals 5 Giants 7 Astros 2 Cardinals 6 Tigers at Complete Brewers (n) a three-run homer to win the nightcap at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees won for the third straight time in the Subway Series, and took their fifth in a row overall. Mariano Rivera saved both games, ensuring the World Series champions would head into the All-Star break in first place in the AL Hast. Meanwhile, everything went against the Mets including the traffic as they failed to gain even a split in the split Mets manager Bobby Valentine was ejected after the first pitch of the SUM Gooden, Clemens lead Yanks to i 'i By Ben Walker Associated Press NEW YORK Day, night. Queens, Bronx. It made no difference.

Yankees win. Yankees win. Dwight Gooden and Roger Clemens teamed up to shut down the Meis, and the New York Yankees swept baseball's most unusual doubleheader in 97 years by identical 4-2 scores. Tina Martinez homered and drove in three runs in the opener at Shea Stadium, then Chuck Knoblauch hit Yankees Mets 4 2 Mets Yankees 2 4 Associated Press jitched for the Yankees against the Mets in 5hea Stadium since 1994 Saturday. etorn Dwicjht Gooden his first game at A to ne '-V ft louiiid Still THE HUNT Woods in contention, Page D3 owim sweep of Mets day for arguing an obstruction call, He played the game under protest.

All-Star Mike Piazza was hit in the helmet by, Clemens' fastball and sustained a slight concussion. He wound up in a hospital. And Knoblauch's gume-turning homer escaped left fielder Lenny Harris' glove. It ended up over the wall. This was the first double-ballpark doubleheader in the majors since Sept.

7, 1903. when the New York Giants played the Brooklyn Superbas, later the Dodgers. Both See Subwayi Back Page Left: At 6-2, 280 pounds, Steve Thomas Is an intimidating presence on the mound. He leads the Northern League with 16 saves this season, helping Adirondack to a first-half title and a playoff berth. Below: Thomas, who left the Mets organization eight years ago and returned to baseball this season with the Lumberjacks, rests for a moment at East Field.

Erin R. Cokr pholot Eischen After eight years out of baseball, Jacks closer Steve Thomas is thriving again By Kevin C. Wilson Sports Writer GLENS FALLS fter a decade of unexpected twists and turns, Steve Thomas is once again doing what he has always wanted to do play baseball. Eight years ago, the 22-year-old Thomas was pitching in the New York Mets' farm system in Columbia, S.C. (Class A).

He had potential. But then he let his pride get the best of him. "In organized ball they pull you around a lot, they tell you one thing and promise you this and that and then they go and do something else," he said. The Mets couldn't decide on a role for Thomas. He was starting one week, then pitching in relief the next.

But he was also pitching well. "One week I started, I had a win, I had a middle relief appearance and I had a save," Thomas said with disgust. "1 was just like this is crazy, A JL Every there, I to my things you're I need Steve Lumberjacks 5 (i i. 1 i ft 1 a time I go out always talk; dad. I say like, 'I know with me, and you, big Thomas, pitcher overs focus on race By Jeff Hawkins Sports Writer LOUDON.

N.II. Today's New England 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway murks the beginning of the second half of the Winston Cup schedule, and yet another new start for NASCAR racing. in the grieving fallout of Kenny Irwin's fatal practice-lap crash Friday, 8e Pmi D9 renewing a similar accident by Busch Grand National driver Adarn Petty on Muy 12, safety concerns were a much-debated topic in and around the garage area Saturday. Several drivers said Irwin's crash was most likely caused by mechanical failure possibly a stuck throttle and few disagreed with the decision not to cancel the event, which is scheduled to begin at I p.m. They also said their racing, philosophy shouldn't change.

here is new at dealing with a situation like this," ttaid Ricky Rudd, a driver on the Winston Cup series for 25 years and former team owner, "In my career I think I've only had one tragedy happen on the track and that wax Neil Bonnett at Davtona (in 1 994). "(Irwin' deatn) was a tragic situation obviously, I don't know about Adam, but it was caused by equipment failure," Rudd said, "Something broke. I'm not going to say it was a stuck throttle, but the way the car never looked like it slowed up, it could have been the throttle. Sometimes freak things just happen. It was some type of equipment failure, "As far as going in to race, I'm going to work as hard as I can to block out the tragic situation and go on." Bill Elliott, the series' most popular driver 14 of the past 16 seasons, echoed most of his peers' See Racei Page D3 inked by Joey Eischen.

lite veteran lefthander, who also servei as tlic pitching coach, ultimately decided to ink si two-yc3r minor league contact with the Mitrcid express iniercsl in kiting him start at Class AAA Ottawa while tite Ranger failed to follow-up on their initial See Eischem Back Page year-old closer entered Friday tied for the Northern League East lead in saves (15) and is one of the main reasons his team has already clinched the North Division first-half championship. "I had a girl back home, and I guess I felt more about her than baseball at the time," he said about leaving the Mets. Less than a year later, the two broke up. And Thomas was already regretting his earlier breakup with the Mets. "I actually wanted to go back, but I had just too much pride," Thomas said.

I he way 1 saw it was I had made my decision so I had to be a man and stick with it." So he moved coolers for Coca-Cola. He sold life insurance. He was a salesman for a beer distribution company. He sold appliances. He even delivered pizzas for a while before eventually becoming the manager of the pizza joint.

Never once throwing a baseball again. "I made a lot of money, I had all the free time I wanted, I could lake off whenever I wanted and I got to play golf all the time," Thomas said. "I know I'm getting to be a 30-year-old man, but you only live life one time, so as long as you're having a good time, it doesn't matter what you're doing." But those who knew him best knew differently. "When he was delivering pizzas See Thomas: Back Page At Centre Court on Saturday, Garrison sat near Serena in the guest box and watched Venus win Wimbledon by a i ii ftesl today See Paqa D11 defending champion Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 7-6 (3) with the kind of flair that Allhca Gibson showed when she See Wllllamst Back Page I can't do this. I told them, you guys need to decide what I'm going to do and let me do it.

One day, I looked around and thought, I'm not going to do this anymore." He walked into the office of the New York Mets director of minor-league development, Steve Phillips, and abruptly ended a two-year-old baseball career. He didn't pitch again until this season with the Adirondack Lumberjacks. And now he is better than ever. The Adirondack Lumberjacks' 30- Venus rolls to Wimbledon title xpos farm cli in mi. .1 1.1 j.

j. i "--3V L. By Jim Selp Sfjorts Writer GLENS PALLS Adirondack Lumberjacks general manager Curt Jacey had answered this particular phone call in his nightmares ever since May, Friday afternoon the actual cull came. Then It came again. And again.

Alter not hearing from any major league teams all season, tlic Montreal Expos and Texas Rangers contacted the Jacks within hotirs of each other with the intention of signing pitcher By Steve Wilstein Associated Press WIMBLEDON, England Venus Williams thrilled at the sight of Zina Garrison playing in the Wimbledon final 10 years ago, As a scrawny 10-year-old who already had pop in her game, she was amazed to see a black woman on TV playing on the most famous lawn in the world, while she and her sister Serena whacked balls on the concrete courts of Complon, Calif. Associated Prsst Venus Williams holds up the trophy for the women's singles title Saturday after defeating Lindsay Davenport. 1.