The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 36

BASEBALL The Sun C3 FRIDAY. April 9. 1993 Dodgers relieved Worrell's arm injury not serious By Steve Dilbeck Sun Sports Writer ill ATLANTA The Dodgers breathed a little easier on Thursday, encouraged that the elbow injury that i forced stopper Todd Worrell from the mound Wednesday night was apparently not serious. Worrell had an MRI, plus several standard X-rays, on the elbow here Thursday afternoon, none that Dr. Frank Jobe said showed any severe in-- jury.

Even so, the Dodgers did place Wor-' rell on the 15-day disabled list and called up Pedro Martinez from Triple-A shoulder surgery the following year to repair a torn rotator cuff. This spring, he had been handicapped by shoulder tendinitis. But Screnar, who was with Worrell and Jobe throughout the day of testing, said the MRI showed the ligament previously repaired was intact. "It kind of rules out all of the serious things," Screnar said. "I think you could definitely qualify this is good news." Worrell said his elbow was still tender, but there was little swelling.

"We wanted to eliminate the worst possibilities," Worrell said. "You never know. "They told me when they performed the surgery that you couldn't break that medial collateral ligament," he said. "1 don't think this has anything to do with the surgery. I still feel it's a muscle strain.

It's tender and sore." Jim Gott and Roger McDowell will get the closer's role while Worrell is mending. The Dodgers, fearing their bullpen was about to sink once again, were just happy to learn nothing was apparently seriously wrong with their new stopper. "I feel a lot better," said manager Tommy Lasorda. Dodgers notes Catcher Mike Piazza was scratched from Albuquerque. Team physical therapist Pat Screnar said when Worrell felt something pull Wednesday night, it was either a muscle strain or an adhesion tearing Screnar said if it was an adhesion scar tissue breaking loose, it would not reoccur.

His elbow could feel better in few days and he could be pitching again within a week. If it is a muscle strain, he could be out for an undetermined period, depending upon the severity of the strain. Worrell had the Tommy John ligament transfer surgery in 1990 on the same elbow. He also had arthroscopic Thursday's game with a stiff lower back. Shortstop Kevin Elster was placed on the seven-day, minor-league disabled list.

Elster has bruised shoulder where he previously underwent major surgery. Vice President Al Gore, in Atlanta to throw out the first ball in the Braves' home opener, visited the Dodgers' clubhouse prior to the game. Manager Tommy Lasorda told him right-hander Kevin Gross was fined for showing up late, though Gross claimed he was held up by a Secret Service check. Said Gore: "I think you should let him off." Said Lasorda: "No, we were thinking maybe you should pay the fine." The Dodgers plan to honor the family ol Tim Crews at their home opener on Tuesday. Crews, an ex-Dodger who died along with Indians teammate Steve Olln in a boating accident last month, will have his wife, Laurie, his three children and his parents at the game.

it NL ROUNDUP '4 i -I jcc rw Cardinals' Smith ties save record ml 1 It didn't take Lee Smith long to catch Jeff Reardon for the career save lead, and the St. Louis Cardinals hope it doesn't take him long to pass him. I It nice to see him tie the re cord and hopefully he'll get it to I Jr. 'A Only 2,113 at opener for Spirit By J. David Waite Sun Sports Writer SAN BERNARDINO Baseball is alive and kicking in San Bernardino.

Trailing by seven runs at one point in the game, the Spirit showed a lot of promise in battling back to tie the score against the Modesto A's. But in the end, it was a bridge too far, and the Spirit lost 12-9 on Opening Night at Fiscalini Field before 2,1 13 fans. "We're happy with it," said Spirit general manager Pat Brown of the crowd. "Everybody was glad to see the team do well and battle back." First baseman Brian Turner doubled down the right-field line in the bottom of the eighth, scoring Shawn Buchanan to bring the Spirit within a run at 10-9. But the rally ended with the bases loaded when Tim Cooper grounded into a double play.

Still, Spirit manager Greg Mahlberg was pleased with the effort. "It's great. It's the kind of guys we've got," said Mahlberg. "There wasn't one player who let down through the whole thing." Modesto's Jason Giambi sealed the game with a two-run home run in the top ol'the ninth for the final margin. It was the fourth homer of the game for Modesto.

The third one, by Joel Wolfe, was the game-winner, lie launched a two-run job off Spirit reliever and loser John Sutherland (0-1) to break a tie at eight. In the fifth inning, the Spirit trailed 8-1. "In the first couple of go-rounds, we had to gel out the jitters," Mahlberg said. Mahlberg added that many of his players had just driven cross-country and it was some of the pitchers' first time on the mound all week. But the team's hitting seemed to be plenty sharp.

After cutting the deficit to 8-4 with a three-run fifth, the Spirit tied the game at eight in the seventh. Cooper singled in Sean Gilliam with one run and knocked out Modesto reliever Craig Sudbury. But Modesto's Thomas Myers provided no relief, balking home Turner with the bases loaded. Then, Steve Anderson capped the four-run rally by singling in Cooper and Kick Freehling. Anderson was thrown out at second trying to take an extra base on the play.

Spirit pitchers were OK until the fifth when the A's scored six times. Starter Tim Smith was pulled by Mahlberg midway through the inning after allowing four runs on five hits. Spirit notes Right-hander Steve Shoemaker, on loan from the Oakland A organization, will start tonight (or the Spirit. First pitch is scheduled lor 7 05 OAVIO CREAMER1 he Sun Kylene Woodruff gets Spirit players to sign her baseball before San Bernardino's game against Modesto at Fiscalini Field. Behind her is friend Niki Shelton.

Yankees brass watching Spirit the game," Newman said of Livesey, 24, who is the son of Bill Livesey, the Yankees' vice president of player development and scouting. Newman, 42, who has a law degree, judges the Yankees prospects on the Spirit pretty highly. Newman describes first baseman Brian Turner as "an interesting player," who has some power. Turner hit seven home runs last season at Ft. Lauderdale of the Florida State League, a tough league to hit homers.

Left fielder Sean Gilliam "can hit the ball a long, long way. He has plus, plus home run power," Newman said. Gilliam hit 13 homers with 50 RBI at Ft. Lauderdale last season. The Yankees have stocked the Spirit with two catchers, Mike Figga and Adin Lohry.

"Figga has power and a powerful arm," Newman said. Starting shortstop Tim Cooper, a third baseman for the past few seasons, has "great versatility defensively," Newman said. ByJ.DAVIOWAITE Sun Sports Writer SAN BERNARDINO The San Bernardino Spirit had a special visitor looking over its players' shoulders at Thursday night's opener, and it wasn't the umpire. New York Yankees minor-league coordinator Mark Newman sat behind the plate, taking careful notes on the nine Yankees players in Spirit uniforms. "This is our first foray into the California League," Newman said.

"This is a great thing for us." Newman is spending the weekend in San Bernardino making an early evaluation of the Yankees prospects. "They have some tools of major-league quality and have a chance to be major-league players," Newman said. The Yankees have a large interest and investment in the Spirit, so large in fact, that they have supplied one of the Spirit's coaches, Steve Livesey. "We think he has a great future in Outfielder Tim Demerson is "one of the fastest guys in the organization," Newman said. Demerson's progress was hindered last year by a knee injury.

Second baseman Steve Anderson, a switch hitter, is an offensive middle in-fielder. "He has swung the bat well everywhere he has been," Newman said. The Yankees have also provided two pitchers: Todd Malone and John Sutherland. Sutherland, before hurting his arm last year, was 3-0 with a 1.15 ERA in 15 innings pitched at Oneonta, N.Y. As manager of Oneonta in the Sin-gle-A New York-Pcnn League, Newman will continue to scout the Yankees farm system until June.

And the organization is hardly dumping prospects in San Bernardino. Newman said he wouldn't have traveled all the way from Tampa, if the Yankees weren't sending legitimate prospects. With nearly half their roster composed of Yankees, the Spirit can only hope so. morrow night," manager Joe Torre said after Smith worked a 1- 2-3 ninth for his 357th save in a 2- 1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. "He's having fun, he's enjoying himself." Smith, a 35-year-old right-- hander who has been in the major leagues since 1980, has saved the last two games.

He needed only eight pitches to retire Matt Williams, Barry Bonds and Robby Thompson, the Giants' 4-5-6 hitters. "The biggest thing was to get out there and get it over with," Smith said. But he said he wasn't overly anxious to break the tie. "I want for our team to get the next victory," Smith said. "I think with 160 games left I'm going to get a few opportunities." PIRATES 5, PADRES 4: The Pittsburgh Pirates used Andy Van Slyke's two-run homer and Jeff King's two-run double to withstand three San Diego homers and sweep the Padres in Pittsburgh.

Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield and Phil Plantier homered for San Diego, but once again the San Diego starter couldn't last five innings. EXPOS 14, REDS 11: Montreal scored 14 times in the first four innings, with Moises Alou and Dar-rin Fletcher driving in three each, then squirmed as its bullpen frittered away most of an eight-run lead. The game ended with Mel Ro-jas getting Chris Sabo, representing the tying run, on a pop-up. From Sun News Services AL ROUNDUP Baerga's HRs power 15-5 victory Carlos Baerga became the first player in major league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning, highlighting a nine-run seventh inning that led the Cleveland Indians over the New York Yankees 15-5 Thursday night. Baerga, batting right-handed against Steve Howe, hit a two-run homer to put the Indians ahead 8-5 with no outs in the seventh.

With two outs, he hit a solo homer while batting lefty against Steve Fair. Baerga is the first Indians player to homer twice in an inning. The feat, accomplished 26 times in the majors, was last done by Boston's Ellis Burks on Aug. 27, 1990. Cleveland got eight hits in its big inning, including Alvaro Espi- noza's three-run homer and single.

RED SOX 9, ROYALS 4: Scott Cooper, Boston's replacement for five-time batting champion Wade Boggs, had three hits and four RBI as Boston recorded its first three-game sweep at Royals Stadium. The Red Sox began a sea- son with three straight road wins for the first time since 1957. TIGERS 3, A'S 2: Reliever Mike Henneman got Jerry Browne to ground into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded as Detroit chalked up its first win of the season. WHITE SOX 9, TWINS 4: Ron Karkovice and Tim Raines hit two-run homers, and Alex Fernandez allowed only two runs on five hits in eight innings for Chicago. From Sun flews Services Quakes rock Epicenter with win over Mavs Quakes open with 4.648 fans Quakes firsts First pitch, 7:06 p.m., by Jeff Brown.

It was low and awayforaball. First hit of the game, 7:14 p.m. Jason Hardtke lined solid single to center field. First run and RBI, 8:15 p.m. It came from Lee Henderson, who smacked a single up the middle and scored Julio Bruno to make it 1-1.

First home run, a towering blast to right field by Scott Pugh at 8:39 p.m. It came off Mavericks reliever Ken Kendreena. The game marked the first minor league game in the county's West End since Ontario played in 1947. OINA FERAZZI Quakes third baseman Julio Bruno looks for the call after stealing second base in Rancho Cucamonga 's 7-3 victory over the Mavericks. By Jim Lono Special to The Sun RANCHO CUCAMONGA On a spring night meant for bright beginnings, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes had all the glitter.

They even had irony on their side. Five former High Desert Mavericks played key roles Thursday in helping the Quakes to a 7-3 victory over the Mavericks in their franchise debut at the Epicenter. A festive, overflow crowd of 4.648 watched a California League team make its debut in San Bernardino County for the third time since 1987. They set an all-time attendance record for a minor league team's debut in the county; eight such teams have debuted this century. Ex-Maverick Jason Hardtke put up several highlights by going 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI.

"My first at-bat, my heart was pounding," Hardtke said. "I think everyone's was." Hardtke admitted to a little culture shock, playing as a Quake anil not a Maverick: "When they said, and not playing for them, it felt kind of strange." Scott Pugh blasted a towering homer to right field at 8:39 the first Quakes homer in the Epicenter. The solo shot made it Drinkwater's solo homer to left in the seventh made it 7-1. Former Mavericks Julio Bruno and Henderson combined for the Quakes' first un. It came on a clean single up the middle by By Douo Padilla Special to The Sun RANCHO CUCAMONGA The finishing touches are still days away, but Opening Day doesn't accept excuses.

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes made due with the essentials on Thursday. The field was in order and the seats were in place as the Cal League's newest ballpark the Epicenter hosted its first game. The Quakes slammed the High Desert Mavericks like a bottle of champagne across the bow of a new boat, pleasing the sellout crowd of 4,648, who probably would have embraced a loss just the same. Most of those hardly noticed that portions of the stadium were still under construction as they entered for the Quakes' eventual 7-3 victory. "I think the excitement of the crowd and all the people make up for (the construction)," said Jared Wright, 17, ofRancho Cucamonga.

John Pincott, a maintenance worker for the city of Rancho Cucamonga, was outside the stadium before the game sweeping dirt off the sidewalk and into sections which have yet to be covered in cement. "The playing field is in great Pincott said, trying to divert the attention from the yellow two hits, including the first home run in the team's history. Second baseman Jason Hard-tke had a hit in his first three at-bats including an RBI double in a five-run fourth inning which gave the Quakes the lead for good. Shortstop Sean Drinkwater also homered for the Quakes. "This is more than I ever expected Rancho Cucamonga to ever have," said Milton Miller of Rancho Cucamonga.

Alison Bellerose, from Rochester N.Y., was in town visiting friends and was taken aback by the setting. "The whole set-up is so different from Rochester's minor-league team," Bellerose said. "There are no fireworks or balloons aiid there are no teal hats. It's so California." strips of tape that marked off the construction zones. Indeed the field was in good enough shape to impress skydiver Craig Fronk, who floated into the stadium before the game and who is familiar with a few professional baseball infields around Southern California.

"It's a great stadium. You should see it from the sky," said Fronk, whose skydiving company, from Laguna Niguel, has landed on the field at Anaheim Stadium, Dodger Stadium and Angels Stadium in Palm Springs. "This infield is as nice as any pro stadium we have seen," said Fronk. The Quakes, playing on that infield, were not that bad either. First baseman Scott Pugh had Henderson in the fourth inning, tied it 1-1 and touched off a five-run rally.

"We were a little anxious," Mavericks manager Kredi Gonzalez said. "Hut you've got to give their two left-handers (Jeff Brown, Cam credit." Brown (1-0) scattered four hits in five innings, striking out one and walking one. Cairncros finished up, allowing four hits and two runs in the ninth. Mevericfct-Quake notes Tonight' darting pitcher are Ken Oryzelacyzk (5-5 at Spokane, Wash in 1992) lor Rancho monga and Andre Berurien (5-2 at Appieton, Wise in '92.) lo High.