The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 15

C4 BASEBALL The Sun SATURDAY, April 10. 1993 Spirit takes early lead, but can't hold off Modesto, 12-9 Spirit players OK after accident That's not the point. The point is they have to go out there and get in competition. They (the A's) got to stay in Arizona and scrimmage each other. They keep a competitive edge.

Meanwhile, we have guys coming in from all over the Yet the A's, with scrimmage time, still allowed 18 runs in two days to the Spirit. "That should tell you something about our offense," Mahlberg said. "For us to hit them like that, it's fantastic." Modesto is 2-0. Mike Figga belted a three-run home run in a six-run second inning. Tim Scott added a two-run double in the rally and also hit a solo HR.

Ryan Freeburg also homered in the ninth after Modesto built a commanding five-run advantage. Craig Connolly picked up the win in relief and Craig Sudbury earned the save. Izzy Molina cracked a solo HR off Spirit starter Steve Shoemaker to post Modesto to a 1-0 lead in the second. The Spirit overwhelmed A's starter Russell Brock moments later. Scott's double scored Tim Cooper and Ryan Freeburg with nobody out.

Scott and Rick Free-hling scored when Figga hit his homer over the center-field fence. Freeburg drove in Tim De-merson (two stolen bases) with a single. Modesto countered in the fourth, sending 10 batters to the plate as it took a 7-6 lead. Joe Wolfe and Mark Sobolewski each popped two-run doubles. Scott tied the game in the fifth with a towering home run to left.

Spirit notes San Bernardino signed left-handed pitcher Todd Edwards on Friday. Edwards, who was released by the By James Curran Sun Sports Writer SAN BERNARDINO Nobody can fault the way the San Bernardino Spirit opens a game. It's the finishing that needs work. The Modesto A's pelted Spirit reliever Rick Sutch with five runs and five hits in the last two innings, converting a tight game into a 12-9 victory in front of 676 fans at Fiscalini Field on Friday night. Sutch took the loss, striking out two and walking one for San Bernardino, which has lost both of its games this season by allowing runs in the late innings.

Spirit manager Greg Mahl-berg said it's only a matter of time before the bullpen picks up. "Sutch got a couple of pitches up," Mahlberg said. "It's very simply. Our pitchers don't have good control yet. "I'm not slamming them.

Chicago Cubs organization, saved seven games last year (or Geneva (N.Y.) In the Single-A New York-Penn League where his manager was current Spirit manager Greg Mahlberg. "The Cubs protected him in the expansion draft and had him on the Double-A roster, then they release him," Mahlberg said. "There must've been something they didn't like, but I really don't care. I know what he can do." The acquisition leaves two open spots on the 25-man roster New promotion The Spirit will select two Fans Of The Game at each home date, admitting them to a platform located on the third-base side where they will sit In plush reclining chairs and munch on free pizza. Right-hander Rod Pe-draza, on loan from the Montreal Expos organization, takes the mound for the Spirit tonight in the opener of a two-game series with the High Desert Mavericks.

The first 1 ,000 fans at Fiscalini Field will receive a tree Spirit pennant. Game time Is 7:05 p.m. Anderson, Lohry and- Turner were released Friday afternoon. A Spirit press release is-; sued before Friday's said none of the players is ex-1 pected to go on the disabled liSt. Anderson was driving his 1 car on Rialto Avenue in San Bernardino with the other' players.

The four share an- apartment and were making a trip to the phone company to have their line activated. 1 Anderson tried to avoid an-, other car in an intersection' and hit a pole. "Right now, I'm just thank- ful nobody got seriously hurt," Turner said. "I'm glad everything has turned out all right." By James Curran Sun Sports Writer SAN BERNARDINO Four San Bernardino Spirit players were involved in an automobile accident in San Bernardino on Friday afternoon. The four pitchers Todd Malone and Steve Anderson, catcher Adin Lohry and in-fielder Brian Turner were admitted to San Bernardino County Medical Center.

Malone, a left-handed reliever who had pitched in Thursday's opening-night 12-9 loss to the Modesto A's, suffered a concussion in the accident and was released Friday night after a CATSCAN test produced negative results. Dodgers, Braves talk about Davis By Steve Dilbeck Sun Sports Writer ATLANTA The Dodgers may be running out of time if they want to pick up left-hander Mark Davis. Davis was designated for assignment by the Braves last Saturday, giving them 10 days to trade or release him. Dodgers general manager Fred Claire is still looking for a second left-hander to add to his bullpen. Prior to Thursday's game in Atlanta, he was approached by Braves general manager John Schuerholz about his interest in Davis.

Claire wouldn't discuss what was said, but Schuerholz is confident he'll be able to trade Davis and at least get something for him prior to Tuesday's deadline, as the Dodgers did last year after designating Kal Daniels. Davis was the NL Cy Young winner in 1989 when he saved 44 games for the Padres, but has struggled since. The hangup in dealing for Davis is his contract. He's in the final year of a four-year deal that pays him $3,625 million this season. The Royals agreed to pay $1 million of his salary when they traded him to i.

Act rz the Braves last year. That's also the maximum the Braves would be yii i i i jaw fi if II ii pa nti Vi 'iiM a fv 1 TV1 allowed to pay toward his '93 salary, meaning that if yCsUl- miwiii.iiii i irt i.rf A -n in iiir -nil urn 1 -f mi tmt I Mavericks blow big lead, 14-9 By Jim Long Special to The Sun RANCHO CUCAMONGA It was a classic penthouse-to-outhouse job Friday by the High Desert Mavericks. Or, from the Rancho Cuca-monga Quakes' viewpoint, it was a classic rags-to-riches gem. The Mavericks went from a 9-0 lead after five innings to a 14-9 loss to the Quakes before a capacity crowd of 4,596 at the Epicenter. A no-hitter through five Innings by Andres Berumen and a six-run, sixth-inning explosion help the Mavericks take their big lead.

Then their bullpen checked in. George Kerfut, Jim Patterson and George Stafford played arsonist to Berumen's artful work. All of Runcho's runs scored with them working in relief of Berumen. Nine Quakes' runs came in the seventh inning, with Patterson walking in three. Jason llardtke added a two-run double olT Stafford.

Berumen's no-hitter came unglued after a long rest between the fifth and sixth innings when the Mavericks uncorked their rally. Jesus Tavarez's two-run double and Tim Clark's bases-loaded, two-run single highlighted the Mavs' big inning. Brad Gcnnaro's bloop single with one out in the sixth ended Berumen's spell. It also loaded the bases and chased him from the game after six strikeouts and two walks. Kerfut surrendered a sacrifice fly to the first man he faced, Sean Mulligan, and then gave up a three-run home run to Jeff Pearcc.

Matters were messier for the Mavericks away from the field. The sudden disappearance of center fielder Carl Everett from the Mavericks' lineup has stirred controversy because of the Mavericks' silence about it. Everett was not in Thursday's or Friday's lineup, even though he was tabbed as the team's starting center fielder and No. 3 hitter two days before opening night. "No comment." manager Fre-di Gonzalez said.

"It's an in house thing. Our director of minor leagues (John Boles) will be in town Tuesday and he'll talk about it." Gonzalez said Everett would be back in the lineup before Tuesday. APWIREPHOTO Members of the Colorado Rockies wave to the record crowd of 80,227 during opening ceremonies Friday at Mile High Stadium. Young outshines Bonds in Pirates' win NL ROUNDUP CARDINALS 8, REDS 2: Gregg JefTe-rics hit a pair of two-run homers and Rene Aroeha won his major-league debut as host St. Louis beat Cincinnati.

ASTROS 7, METS 3: Eric Anthony drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the 10th inning and Ken Caminiti added a three-run homer as Houston beat New York at Shea Stadium. PADRES 2, MARLINS 1: Florida was within three outs of its first shutout when Gary Sheffield sparked a two-run ninth inning with a home run off reliever Bryan Harvey as San Diego beat the host Marlins. CUBS 11, PHILLIES 7: Philadelphia had its season opening three-game winning streak snapped as Derrick May hit two homers and drove in five runs to power Chicago. From Sun News Services Barry Bonds said hello to his old town and his old team, but Kevin Young said goodbye. Young upstaged Bonds' magnificent return to Pittsburgh, driving in four runs with a single and go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Pirates rallied past the San Francisco Giants, 6-5, Friday night.

Bonds ignored constant booing to prove why he's being paid $43.5 million, going 2-for-4 with a double, triple, RBI and three runs scored, but the Giants couldn't hold a 5-4 lead after rallying for three runs in the eighth. "I get booed in Chicago and New York, so this is no different," Bonds said. That's exactly where he had it when Young followed Jeff King's eighth-inning single with his first major-league homer, a drive to left field off Rod Beck (0-1), who had allowed only one run in his previous 29 innings. ROCKIES 11, EXPOS 4: Colorado made its home debut a memorable one as Eric Young and Charlie Hayes christened long ball-friendly Mile High Stadium with first-inning homers in a rout of Montreal in front of a National League regular-season record crowd of 80,227. The Rockies, refusing to play down to expansion standards, had 18 hits, including a career-high four by Young.

Winner Bryn Smith, a 37-year-old righthander who had elbow surgery last season and arthroscopic knee surgery just six weeks ago, shut out the Expos on six hits through seven innings before giving way to reliever Willie Blair. a team decided to trade for him now rather than gamble that he will be released, it would cost them a minimum of $1,625 million this year. THE MIDNIGHT HOUR The Dodgers didn't decide until almost midnight Thursday to place right-handed reliever Todd Worrell on the 15-day disabled list. After first getting positive news from an MRI X-ray that there was no serious damage to his elbow, the Dodgers were going to wait a couple of days to see how it responded before making a DL decision. But on the bus ride back to the team hotel, Wor-rell told Pat Screnar he realized the elbow wouldn't recover immediately.

"I think Todd felt more than anything that it would be longer than he first thought," Screnar said. Screnar called Claire back at the hotel and the late decision was made to put Worrell on the DL. "We just felt it was better not to rush him and to be sure and give him the time he needs," Claire said. "Todd had talked about a couple of days, but as the night came on, he realized it would be a little longer." The Dodgers are calling the injury either a lower forearm muscle strain or an adhesion tear. Previously Screnar had said that if it was just scar tissue tearing, the elbow might feel good in a couple of days.

"I don't think we're ever going to establish for certain which it is, but the treatment is the same," Screnar said. Screnar said Worrell was slightly improved Friday and that he might start light tossing in a couple of days to help prevent a recurrence of the shoulder tendinitis that plagued him in the spring. Dodger notes Pedro Martinez, brought up Thursday from Triple-A Albuquerque when Todd Worrell was placed on the disabled list, started that night for the Dukes. Martinez was held to three innings (38 pitches) because the Dodgers knew they might call him up. "I was a little surprised, because it's unusual for someone to get hurt this early," Martinez said.

"I'm here to let them know I can be here." Martinez said he was initially upset when he learned Ricky Trlicek (who would have had to be returned to Toronto if he didn't make the club) was staying and he was being demoted. "I was very disappointed, but I understand this is a business," said Martinez, who was sent down because he had an option left. "I might be upset the first day or two, but after that I got over it." Catcher Mike Piazza, who has a strained right side, said he could have played but was kept out of his second consecutive game as a precaution. Manager Tom Lasorda has reversed his opening-series decision and switched Darryl Strawberry back to the cleanup spot and Eric Davis to the No. 3 hole.

"Darryl feels more comfortable there, so I put him back there so he can start hitting," Lasorda said. Strawberry hit just .197 this spring, went 1-for-9 in the first series in Miami and has yet to demonstrate he's recovered from his disk surgery. "Me said he's OK," Lasorda said. "I'm sure he wouldn't say that if he wasn't. He said he was all right and that's all I can go by." Bo homers, but Sox fall to Yankees AL ROUNDUP Mavericks notes John Bolm, director of minor "I'm going to have it bronzed and put on my mother's tombstone," said Jackson, who promised his mother, Florence, before she passed away last April that he would play baseball again.

RANGERS 3, RED SOX 1: Nolan Ryan began his farewell year by scattering four hits in six innings, leading Texas over Boston at Arlington Stadium. TWINS 8, ROYALS 7: Dave Winficld had two doubles and a three-run homer as Minnesota took a five-run lead and hung on to beat winless Kansas City at Royals Stadium. BLUE JAYS 13, INDIANS 10: Devon White's two-out, two-run triple capped a four-run seventh inning rally as Toronto won its 13th home opener in 17 tries with a victory over Cleveland. From Sun News Services Not everything was bad for the Chicago White Sox in their home opener on Friday. Bo Jackson hit a pinch homer in his 1993 debut, but it wasn't enough to keep the New York Yankees from pounding Chicago, 1 1-6.

Jim Leyritz broke open the game with a grand slam in the eighth inning off Bobby Thigpen. Randy Velarde and Danny Tartabull also hit home runs to spark three-run innings and Mike Stanley had four hits and scored three runs as the Yankees rebounded from a 15-5 loss in Cleveland on Thursday night. Jackson missed all of the 1992 season after having hip replacement surgery, last playing in a regular-season game on Oct. 5, 1991, at Seattle. The last time he homered was Sept.

21, 1991, against the Angels. Jackson, who batted for Dan Pasqua, then took over in left field and made a nice running catch. Jackson hit an 0-1 pitch from Neal Heaton deep over the right-field wall and was given a long, standing ovation. The homer moved the White Sox to within 7-5. "When I hit it, I knew it was something special," Jackson said.

"After I crossed home plate, I was a little misty eyed. I wanted the ball back." Greg Ourednik, 16, of Crown point, caught the ball and traded it for an autographed Bo Jackson bat. league operations for the Florida Marlins, is expected at Maverick Stadium on Tuesday, when the Mavericks play their first home game. It will mark the first In-season visit by a member of the Marlins brass. High Desert plays the San Bernardino Spirit tonight at Fiscalini Field.

Righthander Don Lemon will be High Desert's starting pitcher. Angels' Farrell excited about his comeback start against Detroit in his 1987 big-league debut with the Cleveland Indians. But the grin grew too wide. "What I'm excited about is returning to the whole atmosphere that is the major leagues," said Farrell, who has had operations on his pitching elbow to repair a torn ligament, remove bone chips and relocate an ulna nerve. "But once the game starts it'll be 'let's go, stay I think the spring answered all the questions I had about whether I could do this.

But I can't really say what the feeling will be in the game until I go through it." Farrell said his wife Susan will fly in from Cleveland to attend the game. Sparky Anderson doesn't need any additions to his baseball resume, but he is approaching another magical milestone 2,000 career victories. Anderson had 1,997 victories before Friday's game 1,134 with the Tigers and 863 with Cincinnati. He is the winningest manager in the history of both franchises. Only six managers have preceded Anderson to 2.000 wins: Connie Mack, John McGraw, Walter Alston, Leo f)urocher, Bucky Harris and Joe McCarthy.

And when you consider how By Mike Terry Sun Sports Writer ANAHEIM The moment John Farrell has waited two years for arrives tonight. Two years of rehabilitating a right elbow that has undergone two reconstructive surgeries will be rewarded when Farrell starts against Detroit, resuming a major-league career many thought ended after his last appearance, on Sept. 27, 1990 against Baltimore. "Just another game" was how Farrefl initially tried to describe his comeback start against the Tigers the same team he opposed managerial longevity is an endangered species in baseball's world today, Anderson now in his 24th season may be the last guy in the club. "I won't have to wait until I'm through to appreciate it when it happens," Anderson said Friday.

"You're walking in a different league when you join those guys. "There won't be a celebration afterwards. Even though I know I'm gonna get it, you kin-da want to get it over with." Does that get the 59-ycar-old Anderson closer to retirement? "No. I'll never stop unless I get ill or fired," Anderson said. "I still enjoy the players.

And I gotta have someplace to go. It might as well be the ballpark." Angels not Tim Salmon awoke in pain al 4 a m. Friday and was rushed to Kaiser Hospital in Yorba Linda, where ha wa3 diagnosed as having a kidney stone He spent the day at Kaiser, reporting Anaheim Stadium at around 5 30 m. "I feel 200 percent better now," said Salmon, who said doctors told him the stone should pass within 24 hours. Buck Rodger insertod Org Myr into Salmon No spot in the batting order wanted a left-handed bat behind Chill (Davl)." Rodgers said.

"Plus so many of these guys don't have track records of what they can or can't do I'm still experimenting With Detroit throwing left-handers David Wall and Bill Krugr at the Angel this weekend. Qry QaerU will finally (e some playing time It' a given that Rodger will go with the kid even If they are struggling by the middle of summer Would veteran pitcher Scott Sanderon and John Farrell get extended viewing if they encounter tough times? "Depend on what the alternatives are." Rodger (aid "Right now we don't hav any." One potential alternative i up-posed to be Rut Springer But the young right-hander, working In cold, windy condition Thursday in Vancouver, was not impressive six Innings. ix hit and live run, plus five walks "Before we bring him back up, he ha to throw more than one (pitch) contistentlovr the plate." Rodger taid "Right now that the fastball." Mart Langtton received his Gold Glove fielding award on Friday..