The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 42

The Sun FRIDAY, May 6, 1988 C4 I BASEBALL Davis9 slump ending as Reds win 10-4 man In hpln the Reds take a 4-1 lead after five. .3 NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS West Division Pet GB L1Q Streak Home Away )ODGERS 16 8 667 z-6-4 Won 3 9- 6 7-2 Houston 15 10 600 1 5-5 Lost 1 10-4 5-6 14 13 519 3'4 4-6 Won 2 8- 8 6-5 San Francisco 13 14 481 4 4-6 Lost 1 8-10 5- 4 San Diego 9 16 360 7'-? z-3-7 Lost 5 8-10 1- 6 Atlanta 6 18 250 10 4-6 Lost 1 1-11 5- 7 iast Division Pet GB 110 Streak Home Away jew York 18 7 720 z-8-2 Won 2 8- 3 10- 4 'ittsburgh 17 9 .654 Vh z-5-5 Lost 3 8-1 9-8 Chicago 13 13 500 5' 6-4 Won 3 2-4 11- 9 Montreal 12 13 480 6 z-5-5 Won 1 7-6 5-7 it Louis 11 15 423 7', z-7-3 Won 1 4- 5 7-10 -Philadelphia 8 16 333 2-7 Lost 3 6- 5 2-11 z-denotes first game was a win After the Phillies tied the score on Von Hayes' two-run homer and Phil Bradley's RBI triple off Jose Rijo (4-1), Davis singled home the go-ahead run to ignite a four-run seventh-inning rally. EXPOS 4, BRAVES 1: Graig Nettles' run-scoring pinch single broke a seventh-inning tie and Mike Fitzgerald hit a two-run homer as host Montreal Expos beat Atlanta. Bryn Smith (1-2) went seven innings for the Expos allowing five hits. Andy McGaffigan pitched innings and Jeff Parrett got the last out for his first save.

From Sun News Services Eric Davis is reluctant to pronounce his slump over until he's sure it's over, but there are strong indications that the end is in sight. Davis scored four runs, drove in three, hit a two-run homer and singled home the winning run to lead host Cincinnati to a 10-4 victory Thursday night over the Philadelphia Phillies. He went into the two-game series against Philadelphia with just a .177 average and nine RBI. He went 4-for-8 with five RBI as the Reds swept the mini series. "You can't never say it's over, but I had a good night tonight," Davis said.

"It was a big game for me, as well as for the ballclub." NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP It was the Reds' biggest run production of the season and pushed them back over .500 at 14-13. Davis' 3-for-5 night pushed his average to .202. "With that caliber of player in a slump early in the season, you know they're going to break out of it eventually and put the numbers on the board," Phillies manager Lee Elia said. "You've got to pitch them tough. You can't give in to them and help them break out of their slump." Davis doubled and hit a two-run homer off Car Oakland ties club record with 11th straight victory hursday's Results Cincinnati 10, Philadelphia 4 Montreal 4, Atlanta 1 Houston at New York, rain Only games scheduled oday's Games DODGERS (Valenzuela 2-3) at St.

Louis (O Neal 2-1), 5:35 p.m. San Francisco (LaCoss 1-2) at Chicago (Maddux 4-2), 1:05 p.m. Philadelphia (Rawley 0-5) at Atlanta (Glavine 1-3). 2:40 p.m. San Diego (Grant 0-3) at Pittsburgh (Walk 4-1), 4:05 p.m.

Houston (Scott 4-0) at Montreal (Heaton 0-1), 4:35 p.m. Cincinnati (Rasmussen 1-3) at New York (Gooden 6-0), 4:35 p.m. laturday's Games DODGERS at St. Louis, 5:05 p.m. San Francisco at Chicago, 10:20 a.m.

Cincinnati at New York, 10:35 a.m. San Diego at Pittsburgh, 10:35 a.m. Houston at Montreal, 4:35 p.m. Philadelphia at Atlanta, 4 40 p.m. Ll 1 1 A il It wasn't until he returned to the dugout that Oakland's Carney Lansford realized he had run through a stop sign put up by third base coach Jim Lefebvre.

"I didn't see it, for whatever reason," Lansford said. "I had my mind made up when the ball was hit. 1 got a good jump. I looked (at Lefebvre), and when I saw him he did not have his hands up, so I kept going." It's a good thing he did, too. Scoring from second on a fairly close play at the plate, Lansford brought home the winning run as the Oakland A's tied a club record for most consecutive wins with an 8-5 win over Toronto Thursday afternoon in front of 16,998 fans at the Oakland Coliseum.

With their 11th straight win, the A's remained atop of the American League West standings by at least 6'a games. "I said, 'Carney, did you see my He goes, I said, Lefebvre said afterward. "When you're going good, those things work in your favor." Things have been favorable for the A's lately and Thursday's win was a good example. Four Oakland pitchers gave up eight walks, including one with the bases loaded. At one point, the A's had a 5- 2 lead, but a three-run seventh inning by the Blue Jays tied it up.

The key hit in that inning came when pinch-hitter Patrick Borders singled off Eric Plunk to drive in a run. On that same play, Oakland center fielder Dave Henderson overran the ball, and Cecil Fielder scored the game-tying run. But that was all Plunk (3-1) would allow. AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP After getting out of the seventh with a double play, he struck out four of the last six men he faced. The A's, meanwhile, got a run in the seventh when a single by Mark McGwire drove in Lansford, and another pair in the eighth on a bloop single by Jose Canseco.

BREWERS 9, RANGERS 1: Greg Brock's triple keyed a four-run first inning and Bill Wegman pitched a four-hitter as host Milwaukee won its sixth straight game. Milwaukee's Glenn Braggs, a San Bernardino High School graduate, 'added a three-run homer in the fifth off loser Bobby Witt (0-5), who walked five batters in 5 Mi innings to increase his American League-leading total to 35. RED SOX 16, WHITE SOX 3: Todd Benzinger and Dwight Evans each had four hits and four runs batted in as host Boston ended a four-game losing streak. After scoring only five runs in four games, the Red Sox broke out of the slump with 1 1 hits and nine runs in the first three innings against starter Rick Horton (3-4) and reliever Jose Segura. YANKEES 5, ROYALS 3: Claudell Washington had three hits and Mike Pagliarulo drove in two runs as visiting New York beat Kansas City for its seventh straight road victory.

Richard Dotson (4-0) combined with CeciJio Guante ori a seven-hitter as the East Division-leading Yankees swept a two-game series in Kansas City for the first time since 1981. AMERICAN LEAGUE STANDINGS West Division Pet GB L10 Streak Home Away Oakland 21 7 .750 z-10-0 Won 11 7- 4 14- 3 Kansas City 14 13 .519 6 5-5 Lost 2 6- 5 8-8 Chicago 13 13 .500 7 4-6 Lost 1 7-9 6-4 Seattle 13 16 448 8 4-6 Won 2 6- 7 7-9 ANGELS 11 17 .393 10 4-6 Lost 2 4- 7 7-10 Texas 10 16 385 10 z-4-6 Lost 2 4- 7 6-9 East Division Pet GB L10 Streak Home Away New York 20 8 714 z-7-3 Won 4 9- 5 11- 3 Cleveland 17 10 630 2 3-7 Lost 3 10- 6 7-4 Detroit 16 10 615 3 z-7-3 Won 2 9- 6 7-4 Boston 15 10 600 3'? z-5-5 Won 1 9-8 6-2 Milwaukee 14 11 560 4V? 7-3 Won 6 11- 4 3-7 Toronto 11 16 407 8'; 2-8 Lost 2 5- 9 6-7 Baltimore 3 24 111 16 'a 3-7 Won 1 2- 9 1-15 Minnesota 9 16 .360 10 z-5-5 Lost 3 6- 6 3-10 z-denotes first game was a win APWIREPHOTO SOME CATCH: Oakland catcher Terry Steinbach comes up with the ball while making a catch behind an infield wall as photographers take cover in Oakland Thursday. The ball was a pop foul hit by Toronto's Jesse Barf ield. Miui. Spirit: Club's smallest player more than holds his own at shortstop Thursday's Results Detroit 8.

ANGELS 5 Milwaukee 9, Texas 1 Oakland 8, Toronto 5 Minnesota at Baltimore, rain Boston 16, Chicago 3 New York 5, Kansas City 3 Seattle 7, Cleveland 2 Today's Games Toronto (Stieb 2-3) at ANGELS (Witt 1-3), 7:05 p.m. Chicago (Perez 2-0) at Baltimore (Thurmond 0-5). 5:05 p.m. Boston (Sellers 0-2) at Minnesota (Viola 3-1), 5:05 p.m. Milwaukee (Bosio 4-2) at Kansas City (Bannister 4-1).

5:35 p.m. New York (Leiter 3-1) at Texas (Kilgus 3-2), 5.35 p.m. Detroit (Robinson 3-2) at Seattle (Moore 2-3), 7.05 p.m. Cleveland (Candiotti 4-0) at Oakland (Davis 2-1), 7:35 p.m. Saturday's Games Toronto at ANGELS.

7:05 p.m. Boston at Minnesota. 10.20 a.m. Cleveland at Oakland. 1:05 p.m.

Chicago at Baltimore, 4:35 p.m. Milwaukee at Kansas City. 5:05 p.m. New York at Texas. 5:35 m.

Detroit at Seattle, 7:05 m. all the expectations of the Mariners and the Spirit. "He's the perfect guy to hit in the No. 2 spot, because he's very unselfish and he's not afraid to take a pitch and allow a runner to steal," said Dick. "He's also a good defensive player who comes to play everyday.

He's also hitting more for an average than we expected, but then his hitting has suffered a little since we moved him into the two-spot. "He's got the right ability and the right attitude for this game." Spirit notes San Bernardino had Thursday off but opens a three-game series against the Modesto A's tonight at Fiscalini, and the first 1,000 fans through the gate will receive a poster of Spirit center fielder Ken Griffey. Spirit righthander Jeff Nelson (2-2) will start the 7:05 p.m. game for the Spirit. Continued fromC1 ability," said King.

"When I get out in practice, I know that I'm immediately at a disadvantage, but that motivates me." Instead of cultivating sympathy and excuses, King has proved himself everywhere he's played. At North Torrance High School, King's team won its conference title and advanced to the second round of the CIF playoffs, despite the fact the entire infield was small. "Our infield was nicknamed the Smurfs because we were so small," said King. At Harbor Junior College in 1986, King really blossomed as he led his team to a conference championship and was named a first-team All-American. "I was the shortest guy on the team and I led the league in home runs," said King.

"That's when I really realized that a small person can compete with anybody." King was drafted by the Houston Astros in the seventh round of the 1986 draft, and hit .302. However, the Astros and King had a falling out during spring training in 1987. Resisting their efforts to make him a utility player, he sat out the 1987 season and was picked up by the Mariners during the 1988 winter meetings. "I left on good terms," said King. "I just knew I wasn't going to be a career player with them, and I wanted to work hard on getting to the majors." So far this season, King has lived up to BoxscoresC7 Bryan King Spirit shortstop ANGELS NOTEBOOKSCHEDULE DODGERS NOTEBOOKSCHEDULE May May I I I 6I SL SL 5:35 5:05 i 8 9 10 12 13 14 SL CHI CHI PITT PITT PHIL PHIL 11.15 1:05 4:05 4:05 7.05 7:05 15 16 17 20' 21 PHIL MONT MONT MONT NY NY 1 05 7:05 705 7:05 705 7.05 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 NY PHIL PHIL PHIL MONT MONT 105 4:35 4:35 4:35 4:35 eF 7 TOR TOR 7 05 7:05 8 -J- ii 12 13 14 TOR CLE CLE CLE NY NY 1:05 7.05 7:05 7 05 4 30 1 0 20a 18 19 20 Ti NY BAL BAL BAL BOS BOS 4:35 4 35 4:35 4 35 1220 i 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 BOS 1 NY NY NY BAL BAL 7:35 7:35 7:05 Reliever Greg Minton, anxious to get off the disabled list, threw a simulated game of two innings Thursday.

He threw 42 pitches. It was his second such outing this week. Depending on how well the strained ligament in his right elbow responds today, Minton could begin a rehabilitation assignment with the Angels' Single-A team in Palm Springs on Sunday. "He actually threw harder (on Monday)," said pitching coach Marcel Lachemann, "but when he threw from the proper arm position he was fine." Including Thursday's game against Detroit's Walt Terrell, Angels pitcher Chuck Flnley has only opposed two righthanders in his six starts. There was a somewhat bizarre ending to the Tigers' first inning.

Finley appeared to have struck out Luis Salazar on a 1-2 pitch and the Angels left the field. Butfirst-base umpire Tim McClelland ruled that Salazar's half-swing was really not a swing. Finley then got Salazar to ground back to him to end the first this time for sure. One reason for the Angels' poor showing so far this season: Wally Joyner had only one RBI at home and seven on the season through' Wednesday. Going into Thursday's game, California The 28 runs the Dodgers scored in their three-game sweep of Pittsburgh this week were more than they scored in any three-game stretch since 1985.

Said left fielder Kirk Gibson: "We know we have the capability to do that. Many people don't really understand that we're not going to do that all the time. But we can beat you in a lot of different ways, and that's the strength of this club." Gibson has three home runs in his last six games. The Dodgers hit five home runs against the Pirates, as many as they'd hit in the past two weeks. Said Gibson: "I think we're a good team, but I don't know how good.

Our goal is to be world champions. We have a long way to go." Third baseman Pedro Guerrero is hitting a league-leading .381 but isn't completely pleased because he has only two home runs. Said Guerrero: "Where are the home runs? I can hit better. I'd like to hit more home runs and get more RBI." Manager Tommy Lasorda said he's not concerned about Guerrero's lack of power to date. "Pete's homers will come in bunches, like they did that June in "85," said Lasorda.

"I'm going to get the month of June from a bunch of calendars and tape them all over the Televised Televised Shaded boxes are home games Shaded boxes are home games starters had given up only six home runs in their last 102 innings. Toronto moves into Anaheim Stadium for three games this weekend. Mike Witt (1-3) pitches against the Blue Jays' Dave Stieb (2-3) tonight at 7:05. clubhouse." When right-hander Jay Howell gave up three runs Wednesday, it snapped his streak of 15 consecutive appearances without allowing a run, including 16 8 innings during spring training. Angels: Tigers batter California pitchers Coles: Taking on new attitude with new club Stewart Cliburn, two runs on two hits in two innings.

He also hit Detroit left fielder Luis Salazar in the helmet in the fourth. Fortunately, Salazar appeared unhurt even though he left the game. Bryan Harvey, one run and one hit in three innings, the first run Harvey has allowed in 15 major-league innings covering last season and this one. DeWayne Buice, one run on two hits in one inning. Krawczyk escaped without giving up a run in 1 1 i innings.

He was to start the sixth, but suffered a slight muscle pull and was replaced by Harvey. The Angels had one last chance to tie the game in the eighth. With runners on second and third, pinch hitter George Hendrick hit a slow ground ball to Alan who fumbled the ball but was still able to throw Hendrick out at first. The. opposition is in good shape whenever the-Angels have to play catch-up.

The Angels are now 2-12 in games when the rival team scores first. "We can't let this (losing) become a habit," Howell said. "We're not quitting. It's still too early to panic. But we can't let this become a habit.

"We're going to come together. We're too good a club not to." Guillermo Hernandez, who picked up for Terrell, was the victor with relief help from Mike Hen-neman, ho got his ninth save. The loss was the Angels' 12th in the last 17 games. California also wasted a three-lvt game by Dick Schofield, triples by Wally Joyner and Chili Davis and doubles by Joyner and Devon White. Trammell had three of Detroit's 12 hits.

RBI. Both would like to play all the time. "If R.J. cools off, I could play Darnell more and vice versa," Leyland said. "But right now I just want him in right field.

I don't want to fool with him anymore. Just let him settle in one spot, like we did with Bobby Bonilla at third. I think that was a big help for Bobby. "If Darnell just literally out and out takes the job, he'll have it. Same with R.J.

For now, we have a really good chemistry and I don't want to mess with it." Coles had a good spring training and would like to play regularly. He doesn't seem real sure of what to make of this semi-platoon. "I haven't got the foggiest idea what he's doing, but it's working," Coles said. "I'm not singing the blues here, but after what I did in '86, I'd like to play every day. "All I do is look at the lineup card.

If I'm on it, I'm on it. I'm having a lot more fun now." Coles is only 25 and figures to have many more at-bats ahead of him. Leyland talks like he is a fan. "He's one of the more quality hitters I have on this club," Leyland said. "He has natural ability, know-how, patience.

He's got a lot of sense about hitting. "I think Darnell wants to play every day and he should. I don't want anybody on my team who doesn't. But he's working hard, going about his business, going about it the right way." So Coles does what he can and waits. His confidence, at least, seems fully restored.

"It's about as high as it can be," Coles said. "I feel I can hit anybody, anytime. I'm just waiting my turn." Continued fromC1 the pitcher does not stop in his motion cost $50. Tigers manager Sparky Anderson agreed with Lachemann. "You could see the balks hurt (Finley), because it forces you to pitch different.

But there were other (balks) they didn't call." The Angels were destined to get back in the game, however. Starting for Detroit was Walt Terrell. Not only was this just his second visit to the mound in 1988 he began the season on the disabled list following an offseason fall in January in which he injured ligaments and tendons in his right ankle, and made his first start last Saturday against Seattle but Terrell has never beaten the Angels in Anaheim (0-3 lifetime). The Angels would also have enough time to come back, the nine-inning contest lasting 3:24. So a 6-1 lead for Terrell, built after four innings, was the equivalent of a 1-0 edge.

And true to form, he couldn't hold all of it. He got two outs in the fifth, one out short of qualifying for a win. By that time, though, California had turned nine hits into a total of five runs and was back in the game. "This time right now is Walt's spring training," Anderson said. "He's going to need three or four more starts to be able to pitch at this level." But while Terrell would not win, he didn't have to worry about losing.

Thursday was the Angels pitchers' night for ineffectiveness. The ugly roll call for those following Finley was: Continued fromC1 troit," he said. Coles hit .227 with six home runs in 40 games for the Pirates. Three of the homers came in one game on Sept. 30.

By then Pittsburgh manager Jim Leyland figured he had observed Coles long enough to recognize that Coles had talent that wasn't being fully utilized. "Once September rolled around, Jim and I had a big meeting," Coles said. "He basically told me what he thought of my performance." The critique included comments by Leyland that Coles wasn't giving everything he had that there was more effort waiting, and it was time he became focused. "It was tough for him. He felt like he wasn't wanted by the Tigers and wasn't sure he was wanted here and he is wanted," Leyland said.

"He'd been moving around from Seattle to Detroit to here, changing positions (shortstop to third base to right field). That's a tough adjustment for a young player. "He was a confused young man. But I think he has it all together right now." Where he is right now is in right field half the time. Coles is in an odd platoon with ex-Dodger R.J.

Reynolds. Coles bats against left-handers, but also against some right-handers, as he is scheduled to do today in Pittsburgh against San Diego's Jimmy Jones. Coles and Reynolds have started 13 games each. Coles is hitting .271 with one homer and 11 RBI. Reynolds is hitting .263 with three homers and 12 4.