Kingsport Times-News from Kingsport, Tennessee • 15

Tuesday June 22 1982 Kingsport Times-News SB Sports McEnroe advances Ron Bliss with easy Wimbledon victory Hustling Mets open at Bristol WIMBLEDON England (UPI) John McEnroe his game wide open and his mouth zipped shut marked his return to the Wimbledon war zone yesterday with an impressive 6-2 6-2 6-1 victory over Van Winits-ky Greeted by a warm reception from the Center Court crowd and roundly applauded for his brilliant play McEnroe required only an hour and 22 minutes to begin defense of his Wirpbledon crown in a match that was far less stormy than the weather In sharp contrast to last year when he engaged in a running war of words with officials from the very first match McEnroe was virtually silent as he went about his business The only storm that erupted came from the heavens when rain caused a delay' of more than an hour and a half after McEnroe broke serve to open the third set am more aware these days of what can happen to me on court and off and I am going out in the right frame of mind not worrying about things that have happened in the McEnroe said were no problems The three Americans seeded behind McEnroe also won in straight sets while Stan Smith playing at Wimbledon for the 17th year created the major upset by outlasting ninth seed Andres Gomez of Ecuador 6-4 6-3 5-7 7-6 Second seed Jimmy Connors recognizing that at 29 "time is running in his bid to win a second Wimbledon crown routed Mike Myburg of South Africa 6-0 6-2 6-2 No 3 Vitas Gerulaitis disposed of another South African 6-foot-6 Brent Pirow 6-4 6-1 6-1 and No 4 Sandy Mayer beat Haroon Ismail of Zimbabwe 7-5 6-2 6-3 Smith at 35 the oldest player in the field was idled last November following an elbow operation This is only his third Grand Prix tournament of the year and the first match he has won not in great shape right said Smith who won the Wimbledon crown 10 years ago was lasting out the Smith appeared to squander his chance when he blew a 5-3 lead in the third set Gomez ranked 14th in the world and the Italian Open champion followed with three consecutive United Press International Jimmy Connors slams a backhand return in Wimbledon victory over South Mike Myburg The 29-year-old Connors won easily in straight sets service breaks but Smith fought back to win the fourth set tie-breaker 8-6 The only other seed to fall out on opening day was No 10 Yannick Noah of France forced to withdraw from his match against Bob Lutz because of a pulled thigh muscle finalist two years ago got by Gilles Moretton of France 7-6 7 6 6-2 and Denton outlasted fellow American John Sadri 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 3-6 6-3 was relatively McEnroe said feel I hit the ball well I was careless a few times but I played McEnroe saiid he noticed an effort by Wimbledon officials to compromise a bit in their relations with him and other players but added they could convince him of their sincerity by doing two things The first would be to make him a member of the club Mats Wilander the 17-year-old French Open champion from Sweden and the seventh seed at Wimbledon beat Heinz Guenthardt of Switzerland 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-3 Also advancing were No 13 seed Brian Gottfried and No 16 Steve Denton Gottfried a Wimbledon semi Hustle will be the name of the game for the Kingsport Mets who open their season against the Bristol Tigers tonight at 7:30 in Bristol let the players know that if they want to hustle they want to play for says manager Ed Olsen an assistant here last year run as hard on and off the field as they do trying to beat out a Olsen a hulking veteran who is sporting a mustache this year says pleased with the players the parent New York Met organization has sent here have a very strong pitching says Olsen be happier with them had two instrasquad games one 11 innings and the other 8 innings and we had only three walks in those 19 innings And two of those walks were on 3-2 counts should turn our pitching completely around from last Olsen is lacking muscle in his hitting lineup but says he has some good hitters got a few who make good contact but lacking the long-ball says Olsen have anyone who can take it out of the Russ Orrick a 5-9 175-pound holdover from last year is the closest thing to a power hitter He hit a three-run home run in one of the intrasquad games Ken Harris the third baseman is perhaps the best bet for a high average hits with says Olsen stings the ball He should be a mainstay for us He was assigned to Little Falls or Shelby last year broke a hand and play much so they sent him here this Second baseman Rick Diaz is another good hitter as is Carl Hollis a utility infielder who will start in center field tonight because of the hustle shown in workouts Other hitters who have been impressive are Ken Bodle who will open in right field starting catcher A1 Carmichael and shortstop Jerry Young was the No 5 pick and just got says Olsen only 17 but a big-league prospect The raw talent is there got the potential if his hitting comes Young has a good glove and should help give the Mets a strong infield have a good defensive says Olsen be making the mistakes we did last Hollis will lead off tonight Diaz will bat second Harris third Orrick who will start in left will bat cleanup and Bodle will start in right field and bat fifth Louis Thornton a holdover from last year will open at first base and bat sixth while Marlin McPhail will be the designated hitter and bat seventh Carmichael will bat eighth and Young ninth Ari Tirado a 5-7 sparkplug who throws an 88 mph fast ball will be the starter for the Mets for the second straight year Olsen plans a five- or six-pitcher rotation No 1 draft pick Dwight Gooden is scheduled to pitch tomorrow night with No 1 secondary draft pick Randy Myers scheduled to pitch the home opener Thursday Scott Adams will pitch Friday and either No 2-pick Floyd Youmans or returnee Matt Fitts will go Saturday night Long relievers will be Manuel Martinez Nick Brandt and Steve Gay Short relief men the firemen of the staff will be Jose Batista Jose Pimental and Bob Allen a 6-6 sidewinder in the Kent Tekulve tradition have to believe in ourselves and come out with a positive says Olsen trying to wipe out thoughts of last closing 15-game losing streak have to never think of losing Only winning And if we do that we St Louis drubs Phils Rose moves up Expos 5 Mets 1: Gary Carter hit two home runs to support the four-hit six-inning pitching of Charlie Lea to help the Ex-' pos Ray Burris allowed one hit over the final three innings to notch his first save of the season Padres 7 Astros 4: Terry Kennedy cracked a two-run double to highlight a six-run eighth inning that sparked the Padres to victory Pirates 4 Cubs 3: Rookie Johnny Ray smashed a solo homer and tripled in another run to lead Pittsburgh hadning the Cubs to their fourth straight loss Orioles 7 Indians 0: Rookie Cal Ripken drove in four runs with a double and a three-run homer and Dennis Martinez tossed his sixth career three-hitter to pace Baltimore Red Sox 5 Tigers 1: Dave Sta-1 pleton drove in a pair of runs-with a single and a sacrifice fly and John Tudor 6-5 pitched a shutout into the eighth inning to help deal the Tigers their eighth straight defeat Brewers 6 Yankees 2: Paul Molitor went 4-for4 including a homer and an RBI double and Ben Oglivie hit his fourth homer in two games to spark the Brewers White Sox 5 Twins 4: Harold Baines' run-scoring double in the eighth inning gave Chicago the victory Mariners 5 Blue Jays 4: Dave Henderson belted a three-run homer and made two sparkling defensive plays to lead Seattle Angels 10 Rangers 2: Doug DeCincesi drove in four runs and scored twice and Steve Ren- ko won his seventh game in leading California By United Press International Darrell Porter didn't waste any time in welcoming Tug McGraw into the 1982 baseball season McGraw had been on the disabled list since the start of the season after undergoing elbow surgery during the winter He was activated Monday before the Philadelphia game against the St Louis Cardinals He found himself in his first game of the year shortly thereafter as he relieved Ron Reed with runners on first and second and no outs in the eighth inning of a 5-5 game On his first pitch Porter smashed a double into the wall in right center to drive in Willie McGee from second and helped the Cardinals to a 7-5 victory God I jumped on that Porter said was a good one to hit It vintage McGraw I think ever had a hit off him After hit George Hendrick followed with a single to center driving in the second run of the inning just setting them up for McGraw said McGraw said he did not mind coming in for the first time in such a difficult spot said McGraw who had been ready to pitch for about a week had to go out there and do Pete Rose had two singles in five at-bats to move into a tie with Hank Aaron for the No 2 spot on the all-time hit list with 3771 Ty Cobb has the all-time record of 4191 4 Royals 3: Mike Heath drove in the tie-breaking run with a pop fly fielder's choice in the eighth inning Reds 10 Dodgers 2: Mario Soto pitched a five-hitter and struck ol 10 and Eddie Milner United Press Internotionol Pete Rose bangs out a single last night for his 3771 hit to tie Hank Aaron for second place on the career hit list out to cap a three-run ninth to lead the Braves Dale Murphy clubbed his 21st homer of the season Braves 7 Giants 6: Chris Chambliss' fourth hit of the night scored Claudell Washington from (third base with one knocked in four runs to help the Reds Soto 74 walked five and took over the NL strikeout lead with 12.