The San Francisco Examiner du lieu suivant : San Francisco, California • 41

iSanjFrancbco Stammer Sunday, October 5, 1997 C-l Senior goif at Silverado Johnny Miller Is a rookie on the Senior PGA Tour, but he'll be playing on his home course when The Transamerica xV Senior Golf Championship comes to the Silverado Country c- Club Friday through Sunday. Practice rounds and other festivities begin on Monday. For i tickets or other information, call I (800) 286-GOLF. The last laugh: Maligned line now ignites the top offense in the AFC as Oakland gets A teann ti llw Smi FmxiKo t.uimiir md CluiiiU ra in wr ii i 1 i -J" 1 i IB i i il 0 II ready to play Chargers on Sunday at the Coliseum. C-l 3 iyj i if WARRIORS C-2 GOLF 49F.RS l2 OUTDOORS C-12 C-16 1 Sab ean Knows mm n.

he stand pat MM ray f-i i fr 'f EXAMINERDAHRVLBUUH Wilson Alvarezes some assistance in packing from his daughters Vanessa (left) and Viviana. That's Kirk Rueter in the background. ml kissed by God doesn't stay kissed forever, and conversely, you know what He or She does for those who help themselves. But let's start with a fact. Of the nearly 90 times in major-league history a team has improved its record by 20 games (the Giants were plus-22), nearly two-thirds of them fell back the next year, some SeeRATTO.C-8 Stanford running back Mike Mitchell cant RIAN SABEAN stood in front of Bill Mueller's locker nursing a drink and talking about the future of the Giants, and every few minutes someone would ask, "So how will you keep this team together?" Sabean answered politely every time "We'll do our best," "It'll be tough, but we'll do what we can," "This was a very special team" but in the back of his mind, he knew.

He is a modern general manager, and he knows what will happen if he does as he was asked. Spring forward, as the saying goes, fall back. "That's true," he said. "I can definitely see something like that happening. That's why we need to be pro-active this winter, and aggressive.

We're good. We want to get better." That is more than just a platitude from a guy who really would rather have been anywhere else. It is a stone-cold fact. A team O'Neifl provides punch as Boomer stops Indians By Gordon Edei BOSTON GLOBE CLEVELAND David Wells has been called many things this season, his first with the Yankees. Picture of control has not been one of them.

This, after all, is the left-hander who broke his pitching hand last winter in a Saturday's score fight outside a San Diego bar after signing a fat three-year deal with the IW Yankees. Then this summer, he reportedly threatened to punch out his boss The Boss, George Steinbrenner after a heated argument. But Saturday night at Jacobs Field, the man who took the mound one game this summer wearing a vintage cap like the one worn by his idol and fellow rebel, Babe Ruth, was a model of pitching decorum in the Yankees' 6-1 win over the Indians in Game 3 of their American League Division Series. With Paul O'Neill driving in five runs with a first-inning single and a fourth-inning grand slam, the Yankees lead the best-of-five series, 2-1. The Yankees have won a remarkable nine straight postseason games on the road, and Sunday night will send Doc Gooden, a late fill-in for sore-shouldered David See YANKEES, C-9 Mariners stay alive in AL playoffs Seattle beats Orioles in Baltimore, 4-2, and trails the series, Braves take one small step toward goal Atlanta does expected in sweep of Astros as it sets sights on Series title.

C-l I WSells I fry- Jx ray Mournful Baker can't rejoice in winning manager of the year honors By Henry Schulman OF 7VC EXAKKNER STAFF Dusty Baker was one of the saddest managers of the year you'll ever see. As he arrived at Candlestick on Saturday to say farewell to some of his players who were cleaning out their lockers, Baker was still having trouble coping with the Giants' quick exit in the playoffs, which ended with a 6-2 loss to the Florida Marlins in Game 3 of the division series Friday night. During a chat with reporters, Baker let slip that he will be named The Sporting News Manager of the Year next week, an award vot- -( en route to 135 yards Saturday. down Cal The Bears (2-2) blew another golden opportunity on Tech's ensuing possession. On the third play, 1 Tech quarterback Tim Rattay was hit and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Cal's Jerry DeLoach at the Tech 20.

The play, however, was wiped out by defensive holding, and the Bulldogs kept the ball. Given new life, Tech made Cal pay at the end, scoring on its final two possessions to defeat the Bears. Cal knew of Tech's potent Tarik Smith sits out; Replacements pick up yardage C-7 Gwen Knapp Dustiny or not, Baker put his stamp on '97 club. C-8 ed on by all 28 major-league skippers. One of the magazine's editors phoned Baker on Friday to give him the news.

This is his second manager of the year award; in 1993 he was so honored by the Baseball Writers Association of America, whose winner will be named next month. In a soft voice, Baker said this new honor was hard to accept at the moment. "How am I going to be happy about one thing when I'm mourn- See GIANTS, C-8) J.T. Snow to weather offseason with switch-hitting program C-IO 1 4-1 Stanford runs 1-4 Notre Dame into the ground By Mark Fainaru-Wada OF THE EXAMINER STAFF STANFORD What's the big deal, it's not like Stanford beat up on Notre Dame. Wait, you mean that was Notre Dame? Hmmph, go figure.

Stanford 33, Notre Dame 15, and what a mauling indeed. The No. 19 Cardinal not only whipped the Saturday's score withering Irish in front of Saturday at Stanford Stadium, they made the Golden Domers look awfully, well, San Jose State-ish. What to make of all this? Stanford, now 4-1, rolls on, another notch in its belt on its quest to a New Year's Day frolic, while the Irish wobble back to South Bend, a 1-4 record further weighing down their daubers. "This is huge," said Stanford quarterback Chad Hutchinson, who passed well (26-for-38, 192 yards) but handed off better as his running back tandem of Anthony Bookman and Mike Mitchell each went over the 100-yard mark for the third consecutive game.

"Just playing Notre Dame and beating See STANFORD, C-5) Cardinal shuffling of offensive line makes a hit against Irish C-5 Loss to Stanford feels like a knockout punch to 1-4 Irish 5 Golota collapses after two knockdowns Challenger hospitalized after Lennox Lewis puts him down twice in first round to keep title. C-2 Sharks get their first win of year Marco Sturm's score in second period lifts San Jose over Blackhawks, 3-2. C-3 A 5 1 II EXAMINtHKIMKUMfcNICH eludes Notre Dame cornerback Deveron Harper for one of his many gains La. Tech's game strides that did the Bears in. The Bears helped.

"Sure it is disappointing when you lose a game you think you can win," said Cal coach Tom Holmoe. "Their offen- sive schemes Saturday's scoi had us on the ropes early but we felt like we took control in the quarter. We just couldn't make a couple of plays we have to make." They did incur a few penalties they didn't have to make, Leading 34-27 entering the fourth quarter, the Bears had am- pie opportunities to put Tech away after the teams fought to a 27-27 standstill in the first half. Cal had slowed Louisiana Tech down to just 23 yards and forced the Bulldogs to punt in their two possessions in the third quarter. On the first play in the fourth quarter, Cal running back Deltha O'Neal caught a screen pass and took off for a 74-yard score, appearing to have given the Bears a two-touchdown cushion.

But the play was called back after Kofi Nartey was called for holding on the opposite side of the field. The Bears then stalled and had to punt. By Samuel Chi OF THE EXAMINER STAFF SHREVEPORT, La. Cal made its first appearance Saturday in Louisiana. And barring divine intervention, also its last.

What once was thought of as a gimme victory for the Bears turned into a nightmarish, 41-34 loss to Louisiana Tech at Independence Stadium as Josh Bradley's 42-yard TD reception with 53 seconds remaining capped the stunning upset. But it wasn't only Bradley's catch and the nation's top passing offense's formations ad nauseum 4.