The News Tribune from Tacoma, Washington • 28

C6 The News Tribune Wednesday May 2 2001 No-hitter puts an end to win streak After trailing 2-0 the Rainiers tied the game with two runs in the fifth Tacoma looked as if it might score two more runs when Betts laced a ball down the right-field line The ball appeared to hit the line but firathase umpire Scott Higgins ruled that the ball had landed foul Betts hit a routine ground ball to end the inning before being ejected Tacoma starting pitcher Denny Stark who was going fra his league-leading fifth victory worked into the sixth inning but got a no-decision After retiring 11 of the first 12 hitters he faced Stark walked Robin Jennings with me out in the fourth inning Jason Hart then got into a 2-1 fastball that he drilled over the wall in left-center Stark allowed only three hits in 5X innings to go with five strikeouts By Cony Brock The News Tribune Hereh an interesting way to end an eight-game winning streak The Tacoma Rainiers were no-hit in seven innings by Micah Bowie in the second game of a doubleheader Tuesday night at Cheney Stadium 3-0 Tacoma (19-6) won die first game in eight innings 4-2 But the stray of the night was Bowie (1-0) who struck out 10 and walked just one in recording the first no-hitter in River Cats' history The game lasted seven innings The no-hitter was the first against Tacoma since 1985 when Calgary pitcher Frank Wills pitched one against the Tacoma Tigers Sacramento (13-12) scored its first run in the sixth inning off Rainiers starting pitcher Kevin Hodges (3-1) although it was an unearned run The River Cats would add two more runs in the seventh inning both of which were unearned as well Sacramento's Eric Byrnes drilled a solo shot off Kevin Gryboski to give the River Cats breathing room But Bowie wouldn't need much as he retired Chad Akers (a fly ball to right) Chad Alexander (fly ball to left) and Juan Thomas (short fly to right) in the bottom of the seventh inning to seal his first no-hitter Akers had his team-best 15-game hitting streak snapped in the game In the first game the Rainiers got a two-run home run from Ramon Moreta to extend their winning streak to eight games Moreta's home run his first of the season came off reliever Steve Schrenk (1-1) Tacoma relief pitcher Brian Fuentes (2-1) got the victory by tossing 2X innings of scoreless relief He allowed two hits and one walk The Rainiers might not have needed Moreta had a questionable call went their way in the fifth inning a call that played into But the River Cats (12-12) make that lead stand as Tacoma scored two runs to tie the game in the fifth inning to chase pitcher Jon Ratliff Utah's Kari Malone sat out most of the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference series a 3Gpoint loss to Dallas Rflavs Msz After Manny Alexander started the inning with a walk Akers drilled a double to center field After leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik popped up to the infield Ramon Vazquez hit a run-scoring ground ball to second base Jason Grabowski then hit an RBI single to right Short hops The fburgame series with Sacramento eontimm today at 6K)5 pm as Rainien right-hander Joel Pineiro (3-0 296) bees Sacramento1! Marcus Jones 1-2 5JJ51 Fbr the second consecutive week the Rainiers are the No 1 team in Baseball America'! Power Rankings far Class AAA teams- The Rainien are 17-1 in games in which they score four or more runs but just 1-6 when they acore three runs or leas Reach staff writer Corey Brock at 253-697-8742 ext 6037 or NBA PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND BMaranaasPOr Milwaukee 112 Orlando 104 (Bucks win series 3-1) Dallas 107 Utah 77 (Series tied 2-2) New fork at Toronto (Knicks lead series 2-1) 5 pm TNT Philadelphia at Indiana (Sixers lead series 2-1) 6 pm TBS Sacramento at Phoenix (Kings lead series 2-1) 7:30 pm TNT The last in line By the time tickets for the AlkStar Game are distributed about 5000 of the 47000plus seats at Safeco Field should be available for the public Here's a projected breakdown of who will be using the AliStar Game tickets July 10 Seasonticket holders 20000 MJor League Basebal -10000 MLB partners -12000 Available to ptMc May 22 5000 Soane: Major Baseball much time to enjoy their first NBA playoff series victory in 12 years Ray Allen scored 26 points and Sam Cassell had 14 of his 25 points in the third quarter as the Bucks defeated Orlando to win their first-round series 3-1 "We have a day maybe to celebrate but hoping to make this a beginning not a Milwaukee coach George Karl said The Bucks who hadn't won an NBA playoff series since 1989 advanced to face Charlotte in the Eastern Conference semifinals The Hornets swept favored Miami in the first round The Magic was led by 25 points from Tracy McGrady who set an NBA playoff record for a four-game series with 123 field-goal attempts Rookie guard Mike Miller broke out of his Blunting slump to score 22 points Milwaukee the aecond-high-est-scoring team in the regular season entered Game 4 shooting only 41 percent from the field But the Bucks scored 75 points in the second and third quarters behind 561 percent shooting (23-for-41) to take control "We are nota fast athletic speed team but we are a fast-shooting team and that's how we like to Karl said been a lesson on my part learning to accept some of the crazy shots we take but thath 1 what we do well" 1 Orlando coach Doc Rivers said he knew his team was in trouble early when the Magic built a double-digit lead in the second quarter really thought if we kept playing at that pace it was going to come back and haunt said Rivers who was in his firat playoff series as a coach "When you play at that pace against a team like the Bucks you are saying that we are going to try to outgun you and you cannot outgun SERIES TIED: Dallas forces a deciding Game 5 with the largest margin of victory in its playoff history News Tribnne news sendees The Dallas Mavericks are playoff novices no more Dirk Nowitzki scored 16 of his 33 points in the third quarter and Steve Nadi had 27 points as the Mavericks routed the Utah Jazz 107-77 Tuesday night to force a decisive fifth game in their first-round series The series finale will be Thursday night in Salt Lake City The winner takes on San Antonio in the second round starting Saturday "We definitely feel Nash said "We feel we're coming of age If we continue improving reach the stage where we can say we've arrived "Our backs are still against the wall very experienced especially in front of their crowd" The Mavericks who are in the postseason for the first time in 11 years are heading west on quite a roll coming off their biggest victory in team playofThisto-ry and their Big Three of Nowitzki Nash and Michael Finley who had 20 paints and 13 rebounds are finally clicking The magic began in the second ter when Nash and Nowitzki combined fcr 22 of DalW 28 points as the Mavericks turned a deficit into a 45-42 halftime lead The final basket was a long 3-jjointer by Nash with two Utah players in "This is one of the best games played all Dallas coach Don Nelson said "We got on one of those rolls where we were Tickets Continued from Cl for the skills competition batting practice and home run derby July 9 go for (50 and $75 Fan-Feet tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 12-and-younger and senior citizens is for the rich and one fan said "The rest of us will have to watch it on TV" Matt Lemberg a student at Whitworth College who drove from Spokane on Tiesday to see Pedro Martinez pitch seemed to think the price was fair even though they were beyond his budget "111 have to get a Lemberg said "I wouldn't do that for just anything Maybe to buy an engagement ring But that would be worth it not very often you get an event like an All-Star Game or a Super Bowl in town We drove all the way over here to see Pedro For the All-Star Game we could see Pedro and Gary Bright of Mukilteo agrees and likes the idea that tire public will get a chance to buy tickets "I think a fair price for a one-time event like Bright said "You get three days of entertainment for that so it sounds Mqjra League Baseball spokesman Tim Bros-nan said he expects the tickets to sell out quickly Tickets go on sale May 22 at 10 am only by phone at 1-800-326-4000 or online at MLBcom or Ticketmastercom Additional tickets for Sun-dayh festivities will also be sold FanFest tickets went on sale April 16 All-Star notes The All-Star Game is introducing its version of the Olympic torch this Then came the best quarter of the season With the trio scoring from inside and long range the game turned into a rout A 24-6 run that carried into the fourth quarter ended any doubt got us in a trade meet and they did a good job of keeping us in Utah coach Jerry Sloan said not the kind of game we have a chance to win They were live and athletic They got what they John Starks back from testicular surgery for the first time since the opener and Donyell Marshall were ejected in the final 10 minutes Sloan gave Karl Malone who scored 25 points and John Stockton most of the last quarter off Nelson pulled his starters midway through the fourth quarter Wang Zhi Zhi scored seven points in the final five minutes The Jazz are in jeopardy of blowing a 2-0 lead in a five-game series for the second time They did it in 1987 one only five Buch chokes in NBA history No team has done it twice Bucks 112 at Magic 104 The Milwaukee Bucks give themselves season A baseball is being shipped around the globe where it is being used to promote the game The ball has been used for the first pitch by former big leaguers in Mexico and other countries and will soon be used for the same purpose in Japan The last stop before being used for the ceremonial fust pitch at the All-Star Game will be in Rotterdam Netherlands After the All-Star Game the ball will be retired to the Hall of Fame The identity of the person whoTl throw out the first pitch July 10 is so secret even people working in the office don't know get the honor All-Star balloting began Tuesday at 11 ballparks By May 8 voting will be under way in all 30 parks Online balloting starts today at MLBcom and ra-dioshackxom Seattle mayor Paul Schell said Tuesday he believes the All-Star Game will pump $40 million to $60 million into the Seattle economy More than 1500 media credentials are expected to be distributed fix' the game Reach staff writer Craig Hill at 253-597-8742 ext 6681 or craigMlOmailtribnetcom NBA NOTES Kidd playing with pain to help Suns survive dual position as coach and president of basketball operations never thought anything would be different going into next Issel said Croce Snider discuss contract extension Philadelphia 76ers president Pat Croce discussed a contract extension Pharms Continued from Cl tice there was no armed robbery warrant outstanding for him He was held for questioning at the Sacramento police's south Btation The Seattle Police had requested a $250000 bail requirement fra Pharms Pharma1 mother Arrie was not available for comment Tuesday night At 6-foot and 250 pounds Pharms was a three-year starter at linebacker for the University of Washington and played in the Shrine Game in San Francisco in January Pharms who wore No 4 for the Huskies started every game at pass-rush outside linebacker in 1998 and 1999 and all but one in 2000 Pharms had 32 tackles 14 for loss and eight sacks as a sophomore 49 tackles 10 for loss and two sacks as a junior in 1999 and 46 tackles 10 for a loss and 5K sacks last season help ing lead the Huskies to the Rose Bowl His storied high school career which culminated with his being named to the All-State football team in 1995 began at Florin High School in Sacramento A natural athleto who could dunk a basketball in junior high he was a standout athlete at Florin but hie struggled academically He almost quit football but after transferring to Valley High he was coaxed back Phanns was such a force even on the practice field that he was not allowed to hit at full force when scrimmaging against his teammates He was married to his high adiool sweetheart before starting college and they have three children "He was a classic story of a kid with no dad whose mom worked hard to raise Dave Hoskins his former Valley High football coach said Tuesday "He was always worried about his two younger siblings and he was their father figure Those kids are what drove him to Hoskins said "His lifelong dream was to make it into the NFL to have money to help his mom and his family" News Tribune sews sendees Jason Kidd has a hip pointer and Shawn Marion is trying to overcome playoff jitters two best players know they have to overcome whatever ails them -physically or mentally if the Suns are to stay alive with a victory tonight in their first-round series against Sacramento Kidd injured when he crashed to the floor on a drive to the basket in 104-96 loss to the Kings didn't practice the past two days and said Tuesday his hip hurt very badly lie expects to play though no matter what "If sore just going to be sore" Kidd Baid tomorrow is a big game for Camby expected to play Marcus Camby was back at practice with the New York Knicks and intends to play in Game 4 oftheir first-round playoff series against the Tbronto Raptors Tm feeling better each Camby Baid "It feels good to be back out here today just being around my teammates I plan on playing Issel keeps dual role -Dan Issel will get at least another year to rebuild the Denver Nuggets After meeting with team owner Stan Kroenke Issel was allowed to keep his with chairman Ed Snider calling the meeting "a positive and productive first In a statement released by the team on Tuesday Croce said he met with Snider at his request for nearly two hours Monday at the First Union Center NBA fines Thomas $5J)00 -Tm Thomas of the Milwaukee Bucks was fined $5000 by the NBA for making an obscene gesture toward fans McGrath Continued from Cl Fifteen years ago this past Sunday Roger Clemens Btruck out 20 Mariners Three years ago this Sunday the Cubs' Kerry Wood tied strikeout record in a one-hitter against the Astros That the archives are thick with so many startling pitching performances delivered in late April and early May is more surely than coincidence While the climate often has a winter nip to it on May 1 a condition that always favors the person throwing a ball instead of trying to hit it the typical arm is as strong as be all season In any case if Martinez (or more improbably the John Halama) was ready to do something historic Tiesday night there was no May Day hex conspiring against them The house was about 10000 short of a sellout and the sidewalks outside Safeco Field beforehand weren't jammed with tick- again Edgar got to firat this time on a lead-off walk The Mariners had been provided a slim window of opportunity and when John Olerud smashed a shot through the box the time was ripe But Bret Boone couldn't go deep enough on a fly ball to advance Martinez hone front third and after A1 Martin walked to load the bases neither Tbm Lampldn nor David Bell could push the ball out aif the infield and that was that The good news? The Mariners are 14 games above 500 and still have a fat cushion under their firet-place lead Oh and this: Nobody got hurt Tiesday was the 60th anniversary of the patent Dodgers president Larry Macfhail submitted on "the Brooklyn safety better known as the battinghelmet Reach columnist John McGrath at 253-597-8742 exL 6154 or et scalpers T-shirt hawkers and "Live at television news correspondents But still there still was a playoff-like anticipation in the air This would be the only Seattle appearance of the season fix Martinez the three-time Cy Young Award winner other than his expected visit fra the All-Star Game of course and perhaps he'll take the Safeco Field moundyet again in the AL playoffs Tbward that end if the Mariners were of a disposition to show the world their 20-5 start was a harbinger of greatness how better to state their case than beating somebody who was 7-0 against them with a career eamed-run average of 102 over 53 inningB7 Somebody who was 3-0 at Safeco Field having allowed a grand total of two earned runs over 27K innings? Somebody who at the age of 29 has dethroned Cooperstown-bound Greg Maddux as the top rightrhander in all of baseball? 1 Somebody who is tough wily confident and supremely talented and wraps up the whole package with a mean streak? Nobody is more fierce about keeping hitters bade on their heels than Roger Clemeiia right? A year ago Clemens didn't even rank among the leagued top five in hit batsmen Martinez plunked 14 Given the reputation of his hardball tactics it should have been no surprise that Edgar Martinez took a helmet shot in the bottom of the firat The surprise is that home-plate umpire Joe Brinkman went to the mound to issue a warning for it was obvious the "beanbaU" was a curve that slipped out of the pitcher's hands If Pedro Martinez hits Edgar Martinez in the head with one of his 98 mph foatballa the batter doesn't respond with a chipper jog to firat The batter is rushed to the hospital In the third inning there was another Martinez vs Martinez confrontation and It was 84 years ago today that the Fred Tbney and the Hippo Vaughn hooked up in a no-hitter duel that lasted until the 10th inning It was 81 years ago Tuesday that the Joe Oeschger and the Leon Cadore outdid the dueling no-hitter by throwing 26 innings apiece in a game that ended in a 1-1 tie It was ago 22 years ago Tiesday that Houstonb Don Wilson no-hit Cincinnati -precisely one night after the Jim Maloney noiit the Astros It was 10 years ago Tiesday that Nolan Ryan struck out 16 Tbronto Blue Jays on his way to throwing his seventh and final nohitter 1.