The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 37

I The Sun a points NHRA driver Ormsby diesC5 TV TodayComplete listings, C7 BASEBALL Chicago at San Francisco, 12:30 p.m., WGN New York at Atlanta, 4:35 p.m., TBS COLLEGE FOOTBALL Florida State vs. BYU, 6 p.m., KCAL9 THURSDAY August 29, 1991 TENNIS U.S. Open, 8 a.m., 4:30 p.m., USA Paul Oberjuerge, Sports Editor (714) 386-3865 Pirates put Dodgers in place: second In this corner Gregg Patton By STEVE DILBECK Sun Sports Writer NL WEST RACE GB 70 56 69 57 1 Team Braves Dodgers The Pirates jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Ojeda with one in the second and two in the third. Doug Drabek was throwing a two-hit shutout for six innings, before the Dodgers scratched together a run in the seventh on singles by Darryl Strawberry and Murray and Mike Scioscia bouncing into a double play. Bonilla singled to keep alive his career-high 18-game hitting streak in the eighth and scored when Bonds doubled.

But then came Butler. After hits by Dave Hansen and pinch-hitter Chris Gwynn, he lilted Drabek's 1-1 pitch high toward the scats to the left of the foul pole in right field. It was only Butler's second home run of the season and 41st in 11 seasons. But not enough. Claire: No trades Imminent.

StoryC4 homer in the eighth tied it at 4, struggling Roger McDowell loaded the bases in the ninth on two singles and an intentional walk. The call then went to reliever Jay Howell who walked hot-hitting Bobby Bonilla to force in the go-ahead run. After Barry Bonds' sacrifice fly made it a two-run lead, the Dodgers were officially dumped from first in the National League West. The Atlanta Braves defeated the Mets, 3-1, earlier to take over first and complete a climb from games back at the All-Star break. "You've got to tip your hat to the Braves," Butler said.

"They've been trying to catch us and now they have." The loss was the fifth in six games for Dodgers, 20-22 since the All-Star break. LOS ANGELES All eager and excited, the Dodgers returned from their listless road trip only to discover a new home. Second place. Not even a dramatic game-tying home run from the littlest Dodger could prevent a painful 6-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday night. And those prideful Dodgers were in second place for the first time since May 13.

"It's going to come down to the very end and who's in first place that very last day," said left-hander Bobby Ojeda. "That's what counts." After Brett Butler's surprising three-run Games remaining: Dodgers: Home (20): Pirates 1, Cubs 3, Cardinals 3. Reds 2. Astros 2. Braves 3.

Giants 3. Padres 3. Away (16): Pirates 4, Reds 2, Astros 2. Braves 3. Padres 2, Giants 3.

Braves: Home (14) Mets 1. Giants 2. Padres 2, Dodgers 3, Reds 3, Astros 3. Away (22) Phillies 3, Expos 3. Mets 3, Giants 2.

Padres 2, Dodgers 3. Astros 3, Reds 3. Abbott handles Tigers By MIKE TERRY Sun Sports Writer Great 'State expectations No. 1 Florida State gets early test from BYU By BILLVILONA Gannett News Service iMm -tm "sit il ANAHEIM When the idea was first proposed last winter, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden had no interest. What, open the football season in August? Against Brigham Young and its gifted quarterback Ty Detmer? On the other end of the country? "No, let's don't," Bowden told athletic director Bob Goin.

"Our schedule's tough enough." But that thought lasted 10 minutes, or until he reached the driveway of his house. Then a realization hit. If your team is supposed to be good, maybe even ranked No. 1, what difference does it make? "If your goal is to win the national championship, you can't finesse your way into it," said Bowden. "The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to play.

"If we've got it, let's go ahead and find out. Let's not pretend like we did last year. We might as well find out right off the bat what we've got." So tonight, they will. A couple thousand miles from home, in what may be a half-empty stadium, the Seminoles embark upon their season of high expectations. Top-ranked Florida State vs.

No. 19 Brig-ham Young in the Disneyland Pigskin Classic II at Anaheim Stadium. Kickoff is 6 p.m. The Seminoles, a two-touchdown favorite, have the season's destiny in their clutches, but it's proven to be a fleeting thing. They started the 1988 season No.

1, then got thumped 31-0 by the Miami Hurricanes. They started 1989 with high hopes, but lost the first two games.They started 1990 with four wins, but let a title chance slip in midsea-son against Miami and Auburn. "We've hurt ourselves before, but I don't think that's going to happen with this team," said senior linebacker Kirk Carruthers. "This team is hungry, we know what we have to do." The main objective against BYU is neutralizing Detmer, the Heisman Trophy returning senior. Detmer says he's fully recovered from both separated shoulders, which he sustained after being awarded the Heisman.

Penn State wins Kickoff Classic. StoryC3 ANAHEIM With the division title no longer a realistic goal, the California Angels are lowering their collective sights. "Unless something drastic happens in Minneapolis, we're playing for second," manager Buck Rodgers said following California's 1-0 defeat of Detroit before 24,882 at Anaheim Stadium Wednesday. "We at least want to get out of the cellar and play for second." Pitching performances like the one Jim Abbott (14-8) tossed at the Tigers give Rodgers that hope. Abbott gave up just four hits in 7'A innings to earn his fifth consecutive victory.

Mark Eich-horn and Bryan Harvey (33rd save) completed the shutout. Bill Gullickson (16-7) took the loss. Rodgers said Abbott could have gone nine innings, but had been hit by a ball on the pitching hand and "there wasn't a need to pump another inning out of him. "Abbott started the eighth instead of Eichhorn because Lloyd Moseby would have pinch hit for Andy Allanson and he just kills Eichhorn," Rodgers said. Abbott fanned Allanson for his sixth and last strikeout before leaving.

"I was surprised," Abbott said of Rodgers' decision. "But he's the manager and we're out there to do what the manager asks." Abbott appeared drained beyond just being physically tired. "It's been a tough three weeks," he said. "As a team we're still in a flux." Gullickson glad to be back in the United States. StoryC5 Pirates turn obstacles into advantages LOS ANGELES Those who bought tickets to see Wednesday night's battle of division leaders Pittsburgh vs.

the Dodgers got burned. By the time the game got under way at Dodger Stadium, the home team was a second-place club: Back in Atlanta, the Braves had moved into sole possession of first place by virtue of a victory over New York and a three-time-zone jump over the West Coast Dodgers. By the time the evening was over, it was a done deal. Pittsburgh's 6-4 win over L.A. will keep the Dodgers a second-place team in every time zone at least until tonight.

As Darryl Strawberry said of the Dodgers brand new deficit, "One game is not an issue. Hopefully we'll get back on track. We still know we can win." But what the heck, you take your first-place entertainment where you can get it these days. Maybe catcher Mike Scioscia was right when he declared after the latest loss, "I don't feel any negative momentum around here." On the other hand, we don't detect much positive momentum, either. Which means there's no guarantee we'll see a first-place team around these parts again once the Pirates split town.

These parts? Unless the Dodgers reverse their engines and fight off the charging Braves, the entire state of California figures to miss the postseason bus for the first time since 1980. (You can look it up.) Anyway, in lieu of local heroes (for the moment, at least) you've got to love Pittsburgh's formula for success. The Pirates copied every other defending 1990 division champion's worst liabilities liabilities which have contributed to this year's demise of Cincinnati, Oakland and Boston and re-invented themselves as (probable) repeat winners anyway. Consider that the Pirates mimicked the A's right off the bat in spring training: Both of the teams' reigning MVPs Rickey Henderson and Barry Bonds moaned about the millions of dollars they were being underpaid. But while Henderson and the A's went into a simultaneous funk together, the Pirates left Bonds to stew alone in his own listless start.

Finally, two months into the season, Bonds joined his teammates in mid-streak in time to make another personal MVP bid. Then there was Cincinnati, which followed up its World Series championship season by standing absolutely pat while division rivals in L.A., San Francisco and San Diego went on wild shopping and trading sprees in the offseason, patching and filling lineup deficiencies. By mid-summer, the Reds were dead and the players were openly complaining about the paralysis in the front office. Meanwhile, back in Pittsburgh, the East Division champs also made not a single significant offseason addition, and now head for a repeat with its gang of repeats. And, finally, like Boston, the Pirates watched the ace of their pitching staff struggle through some uncharacteristically troublesome times.

But unlike the Red Sox, who are battling in third place behind Roger Clemens' mediocre 13-9 record, the Pirates were never fazed when Cy Young winner Doug Drabek came out of the chute like maple syrup from a tap. By late May Drabek was 2-7 and looking like Taiwanese Little League meat. Instead of folding around their ace (in a hole), the Pirates maintained speed. Now Drabek seems to be catching up 13-11 with a 3. 16 after Wednesday night's no decision against the Dodgers.

Anyway, no matter how hard the Pirates try, they can't seem to mess up their good thing. As for the Dodgers, they've been relatively harmonious campers, active participants in the free'agent market and healthy in their key arms all year. And now, all the way to second place. AP WIREPHOTO BYU quarterback Ty Detmer, last year's Heisman Trophy winner, will try to help spoil Florida State's season-opener in tonight's Pigskin Classic II at Anaheim Stadium. His roving style and experience presents the biggest obstacle (or the Seminoles.

UPDATE Gainer captures two league titles as Mavs down Palm Springs, 5-4 By PETE MARSHALL Special to The Sun Chargers trade QB Tolliver SAN DIEGO (AP) Billy Joe Tolliv-er's roller-coaster ride as the Chargers' quarterback ended Wednesday when he was traded to the Falcons for an undisclosed 1992 draft choice. Tolliver, who lost his starting job to second-year pro John Friesz five days earlier, becomes Atlanta's third quarterback behind starter Chris Miller and rookie Brett Favre. Tolliver, erratic in his previous two seasons here and often booed by the fans, was philosophical about the trade. "I didn't accomplish what I set out to do," Tolliver said. If sMi(fc Attendance record Top five California League season attendance marks.

1. High Desert 1991 204,638 2. San Bernardino 1990 190,890 3. San Bernardino 1991 188,252 4. San Bernardino 1989 184,791 5.

San Bernardino 1987 161,511 Billy Joe Tolliver THE SCORES National League third time in as many games to tie the game 4-4 with one out in the eighth. The game meant nothing in the standings to the second-half champion Mavericks, hut manager Bruce Bothy was pleased with the effort anyway. "It was good to see them play with that intensity," Bochy said. Gainer agreed. "Going in, we wanted to win and end the season on a good note," he said.

Palm Springs had beaten the Mavs in the last two games, and Gainer felt that another loss would have hurt the team. "Nine out of 10 times (a losing streak) has an adverse effect," (iainer said. For Mavericks home playoff tickets, which went on sale Wednesday at 9 a.m., almost all of the 1.800 general admission seats and about 300 box seats are available for game three Sunday at 7:05 p.m. There is also space available on the grass area. For games four and five, Monday and Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.

if necessary, there are still many box seats and general admission tickets available. Spirit loses season finale to Salinas. StoryC8 ADELANTO With one swing of the bat. Jay Gainer ended two dramas and punctuated a third. Gainer hit a home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the 11th inning Wednesday night to give the Mavericks a 5-4 win before 4,509 for Fan Appreciation Night at Maverick Stadium.

The crowd gave the Mavs a season to-tal or 204,638, a California League record. The home run came off Palm Springs reliever Dave Van Winkle and gave the win to Brian Wilkinson ((i-2). Gainer's blast not only ended the game, but gave the Mavs' cleanup hitter the RBI title over teammate Matt Mieske, 120-1 19. Gainer also finished the season as the league's top home-run hitter, besting Bakersfield's Mike Piazza, 32-29, in that department. Gainer was willing to admit what he was trying to do in that situation.

"Actually, I was trying to hit it out," he said. While Mieske and Gainer had entered the game tied at 1 19 Kill. Pittsburgh 6, Dodgers 4 Cincinnati 11, Montreal 3 Phila. 11, Houston 10(10) Atlanta 3, New York 1 San Diego 2, St. Louis 1 Chicago 8, San Francisco 6 American League UCLA no longer under investigation LOS ANGELES (AP) The NCAA has informed UCLA that it is no longer investigating the Bruins basketball program regarding an alleged violation by coach Jim Harrick during the 1988 recruitment of Don Mac-Lean.

The investigation has been conducted jointly by the NCAA and the Pac-10. The NCAA said: "based on the review of the available information, it appears that no further action in this matter by this office is warranted at this time." Gainer almost didn't get his chance to win the title. With the score 4-4 in the 10th, Mieske batted with runners on second and third and two outs. But Mieske grounded out, allowing for Gainer's heroics. Gainer said that Mieske's perpetual presence on the bases helped him.

"A lot or my RBI I owe to him," (iainer said. In another i i -d a a Mieske's l-for-5 performance gave him an average of .341 and the batting title over Salinas' Jim Kppard In addition to Mieske's RBI failure, (iainer can also thank Carlos Laboy. The Palm Springs Angel hit a solo home run for the Angels 1, Detroit 0 Oakland 9, Boston 3 New York 5, Texas 1 Toronto 3, Baltimore 0 Minnesota 4, Cleveland 2 Kansas City 7, Chicago 6 Seattle 7, Milwaukee 6.