Times-Advocate from Escondido, California • 12

The More Inside Scoreboard, Game sports, Page, A8 A9 A10 SportSaturday A12 Saturday, Sept. 1, 1984. Padres NEW YORK (AP) Davey Johnson, known for using the computer in arriving at many of his decisions as manager of the New York Mets, had to make a change in programs Friday night. As a result, the Mets defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 in the second game of a twi-night doubleheader after losing the opener 5-1. The split, though, allowed the Padres to increase their lead in the National League West to games over Houston, a 7-5 loser at St.

Louis. New York had a 1-0 lead going into the eighth innning of the first game, but when Mookie Wilson dropped a fly ball that allowed two runs to score, Johnson was forced to alter his plans. "The computer called for me to use Jesse (Orosco) to nail it down in the ninth inning," stated Johnson. "However, we never got out of the eighth and so I had to go from Plan A to Plan make sure we won the second game. "It worked." Bruce Berenyi, 10-13, who pitched seven innings of shutout ball, allowing only four hits, was one reason for Plan B's success.

Hubie Brooks, who hit his 14th home run, and Mookie Wilson, who connected for a two-run double, both in the seventh inning, were two more reasons. "This team has character," added Johnson, whose Mets gained a half-game on Chicago, a 3-2 loser to Atlanta, and now trail the Cubs by games. "We've bounced back all season and I promise it's going to be a race to the end. The computer told me so." McEnroe breezes in Open NEW YORK (AP) Top-seeded John McEnroe delivered a masterful lesson Friday night, crushing Sweden's young Stefan Edberg and moving into the third round of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships.

It was Edberg, the winner last year of all four Grand Slam junior boys titles, who was the pupil in the $2.55 million tournament at the National Tennis Center. And the lesson he was given was devastating. McEnroe, in charge from the very beginning, crushed his 18- year-old opponent, 6-2, 6-0, 6-1. Also advancing into the third round in the men's singles was defending champion Jimmy Connors, the No. 3 seed who was a 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 winner over Brian Gottfried.

But -seeded Jimmy Arias of Buffalo, N.Y., and No. 11 Juan Aguilera of Spain were upset on the hardcourts of America's premier tennis event. Also ousted on the fourth day of the world's richest tournament was Kathy Jordan, the No. 5 seed win one, lose one and gain SALAZAR A I Associated Press Photo Mets' second baseman Wally Backman, left, dives to get catcher Ron Hodges' wide throw as Luis Salazar steals second in the eighth inning of Friday's first game. Brooks led off the seventh of the nightcap with his homer to leftcenter.

Ray Knight followed with a single to right and two outs later moved to second on a single to left Helena Sukova eyes the ball in upsetting Kathy Jordan. in the women's singles. A semifinalist at Wimbledon earlier this year, she was eliminated by Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia, 6-3, 6-3. Gene Mayer, once ranked in the top five in the world, toppled Arias, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, and was joined in the third round by his brother, Sandy by Junior Ortiz, who pinch-hit for Berenyi. Jose Oquendo ran for Knight and Wilson followed with his two-run double to left.

innings in the defeat, allowing one run, striking out one and walking one. New York took a 1-0 lead in the Dave Dravecky, 8-7, hurled six second inning on a double to right Associated Press Photos Favorite John McEnroe delivers forehand during his match Friday. Mayer, who halted the dreams of qualifier Kelvin Belcher, 6-3, 7-6, 6- 3. Another qualifier reaching the third round was Kevin Moir, who advanced when fellow South African Kevin Curren was forced to withdraw with a sprained ankle, while Sweden's Joakim Nystrom, seeded 16th, defeated Ramesh Krishnan of India, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6. In the women's singles, Czechoslovakia's Helena Sukova upset Jordan, 6-3, 6-3; 14-year-old Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina ousted Kim Shaefer and Peanut Louie eliminated veteran Virginia Wade of Great Britain.

The days of con conquering Vikings have Don Norcross off an 8-8 year, Times Advocate Sportswuter SAN DIEGO Their past once was as storied as their nickname. Vikings. Cold. Ruthless. And conquering.

Don't forget conquering. The Minnesota Vikings, the Chargers' -day opponent Sunday, reflected that image. In their 17 years under Coach Bud Grant they went to the playoffs 12 times. They won 11 Central Division titles. They went to the Super Bowl four times.

What they were not was pretty. Games in Minnesota were always on cold, dreary days at Metropolitan Stadium. Snow on the sidelines, the turf coming apart in chunks. They liked to give the ball to their fullback and play keepaway. They weren't even pretty when they passed.

Fran Tarkenton would run around behind the line of scrimmage like the cops were after him. Their defense was physical, punishing, led by their nasty front four of Eller, Page. Marshall and Larsen. They were reflected by their kicker, square-toed Fred Cox, whose very name sounded like a Viking's. Recently, the Vikings have changed.

They're They pass. They pass on first down. They pass on third down. They Larry Weinbaum T-A Sportswriter Sandy rail slows horses at Del Mar DEL MAR The Del Mar rail has been called many things this summer, almost all of them unprintable expletives. If the horse you've planned to bet on draws the inside post, you might as well forget the race and instead use your wagering money to buy a hot dog and a beer.

"The rail is death," is a daily statement made in the pressbox referring to dirt races, and the numbers support that claim. Through the first 33 days of the meeting, 242 of the 297 total races have been contested on the main track. And guess how many winners have come out of the No. 1 hole? C'mon now, it's not that hard. There aren't that many.

For those of you who answered eight, go stand in the winner's circle. Eight victories in 242 races is 3.3 percent. Clearly the footing along the rail resembles a sand box. At least you have to think that way when only four sprint winners in 161 races break from the rail and a mere four more winners in 81 routes get the cash. The sprint winners: Fleet n' Irish, Cecile, Cryptarch and I'm Really Smokin.

Route-winners from the No. 1 hole: Barely Noble, Silent Cat, Alshurouk and Natalie Knows. Trainers and jockeys both agree the footing along the inside of the track is deeper and more tiring. And when the evidence includes numbers like these, it's clear this is one problem that should be looked into. Labor Day holiday card: The racing season reaches a high point this weekend with the renewal of three championship events the Del Mar Oaks, the Del Mar Debutante and the Del Mar Handicap.

Auntie Betty should get the money in the Oaks, a grass contest for 3-year-old fillies. Her main competition will come from Fashionably Late. Lucky Lucky Lucky is the Oaks' highweight at 124 pounds, but she will finish out of the top three today. Yes, Lucky Lucky Lucky has already won six stakes in her career and is coming off a win in the Arlington Oaks last week, but she has never been on the turf before and grass racing is a whole new ballgame. Just ask Desert Wine, a top dirt horse who floundered on the turf in last week's Arlington Million.

Another promising filly, Sligo Town, will skip the race. Trainer Joe Manzi has elected to wait until the Oak Tree meeting for his classy filly's next race. Del Mar Debutante: Last year the presence of Althea kept the field to six. This year, an overflow crowd of 14 2-year-old misses forced a split of the race for the first time in 34 runnings. Mint Leaf figures to run big in the first division of the one-mile Grade II stakes.

Del Mar Handicap: Monday's race will bring out a full field including Super Diamond, Video Kid, Precisionist, Ancestral, Pair of Deuces, Silveyville, Top Competitor and Fabulous Dad. The pick here is Eddie Gregson's Super Diamond, already a doublewinner at this meeting. The longshot pick, and a horse with a chance at a price, is Top Competitor. Laffit Pincay Sometime this fall, the 37-year-old Panamanian will ride his winner. He is about 100 shy right now.

Only two other jockeys have ever done so well a pair of legends named John Longden and Bill Shoemaker. But Laffit is in his 19th year of riding. It took Longden 40 years to accomplish the feat and it took Shoemaker 21 years. Colts decide some traditions worth upholding INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Indianapolis Colts reversed an earlier decision to reactivate the jersey numbers of two National Football League Hall of Fame players Friday and said those and five others would remain retired. "The club honors and respects their contributions to a half Magic number 18 The magic number is any combination of Padres victories and Houston losses adding up to the number needed to eliminate the second-place Astros and clinch the NL West title for San Diego.

by George Foster, an infield out and a fielding error by San Diego shortstop Tim Flannery on Knight's groundball. Wilson dropped pinch-hitter Kurt Bevacqua's fly ball to centerfield allowing the Padres to score two unearned runs en route to their victory in the opener. Carmelo Martinez singled to left with one out in the eighth inning and pinch-runner Bobby Brown Please see Padres, page A11 Thomas jabs way to title LAS VEGAS (AP) Pinklon Thomas called his left jab his "bread and butter" and Friday night he served it up enough to capture the World Boxing Council heavyweight title with a majority 12-round decision over Tim Witherspoon. In a lackluster fight highlighted only by occasional flurries, Thomas used his potent left jab to pile up points and take the crown from Witherspoon. "My jab is my bread and butter.

My jab was working for me tonight," Thomas said. "If it's working for me, I wasn't going to change." Thomas continually stopped Witherspoon's effort to fight inside by flicking the jab in the champion's face and keeping him away. "I I did what I did my last 25 fights," said Thomas, who remained undefeated with the victory. "I knew if I could go the distance, I'd win." Witherspoon, who battled with promoter Don King earlier in the week over the size of his purse, showed only flashes of the fighter who lost a narrow split decision to Larry Holmes in May 1983 before Please see Thomas, page A11 Winslow will play Sunday, By Don Norcross Times: Advocate Sportswuter SAN DIEGO Negotiations between the San Diego Chargers and Kellen Winslow's agent broke down Friday night. Winslow's agent, Jim Steiner, said that his client will play in Sunday's game against Minnesota "out of respect for his and then will retire Monday if an agreement is not reached.

"Nothing's been accomplished. I'm done," said Steiner late Friday night, adding that he was heading back to his St. Louis home today. Steiner said the Chargers made him an pass on every down. They have a fancy indoor stadium.

They even have a soccerstyled kicker now. What the Vikings have not done recently is win. Across the past six seasons their record is 44-44-1. One step forward. One step back.

They've only been to the playoffs once in those six years, and that was a fluke, courtesy of a Hail-Mary bomb with 14 seconds to play against Cleveland in 1980. Tommy Kramer, admits they're lacking may retire Monday talent. offer Thursday, that he made a counter pro- "We still feel for us to win we have to play posal Friday and that the Chargers rejected our best every week because talent-wise, I it. don't think we have one of the best teams in the league," said Kramer. "Therefore, we Winslow is seeking a long-term contract have to make a lot less mistakes." at $700,000 a year.

He is under contract through 1985, and is scheduled to earn Their saving grace may be that they play $210,000 this year. in the Central Division, where three different teams have won the division the past "I was optimistic something would hap- four years. (There were no division titles in pen, that we'd make a deal." said Steiner. 1982, the year of the strike.) None of the "We didn't. We're really not winners did better than 9-7.

close." Asked if the two sides were far apart in money, Steiner said, "That's where it's all As Kramer says, "We can play within our at." The pre-season was anything but barely been a .500 team, just aging. The Vikings won their opener 37-6 trying to keep our head above water." said against Atlanta and then proceeded to drop Les Steckel, who succeeds Grant as the Vik- three straight to Miami, Philadelphia and ings' coach and who has been an assistant St. Louis by a combined 91-17 score. coach at Minnesota since 1979. about the Vikings' Pre-season games, of course, carry about Steckel speaks proudly club's as much weight as Twiggy, but there were stability.

About how he's only the some tendencies that had to Steckwrinkle third head coach in their 24-year history, el's brow. about how the club was built on patience. That's good because the Vikings may A11 Please see Vikings, page. need patience this season. They're coming No easy beginning for Aztecs club a Colts office worker said, reading a prepared news release.

She said no one in the Colts' office was available for further comment. Coach Frank Kush previously announced the numbers worn by Raymond Berry and Gino Marchetti would be assigned to tight ends Mark Bell and Dave Young, respectively. Kush cited a shortage of available numbers in the 80s. those now designated for wide receivers and tight ends, as the reason for the move. Please see Colts, page A11 AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.

(AP) If San Diego State Coach Doug Scovil had arranged the schedule, he would have done it differently. No one likes kicking off a season with a conference game, on the road, behind a quarterback who has never played a down of college football, and against a team that soundly thrashed it 38-7 at the end of last season. But that's the situation Scovil is in. "I wish we didn't have to start out with a conference game, especially since we have a young quarterback and some other inexperienced said Scovil. "And it's tough to open on the road year after year.

I believe this is the fourth straight year our opener has been a road game." Scovil's starting quarterback when the Aztecs open their 1984 season at Air Force today (12:30 p.m., KSDO Radio, 1130 AM) is redshirt freshman Todd Santos. For those who eagerly awaited the arrival of highly touted Jim Plum, this comes as a surprise, but the Please see Aztecs, page A11.