Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 55

DETROIT FREE PRESS FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1986 11E Camacho heals body and mind C3 3 Game 5 Indians 6, Tigers 2 CLEVELAND abrhbi Even extra session can't give Laga a hit DETROIT Collins cl Wlnlakcr Gibson rl Parrish vans dh 1 1 ammi'll ss llenidon If I lb Coles 3b 4 0 0 0 3 100 4 2 2 2 4 0 0 0 3 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 1000 0 0 0 0 3 111 4 0 3 0 4 0 10 abrhbi 2 0 10 Duller cl 4 0 3 0 Franco ss 1 0 0 0 Carter rl 4 0 0 0 Thornton dh 4 110 Jacobv 3b 4 11? Hall II 4 0 10 Castillo oh 4 0 0 0 Nixon II 4 0 0 0 1 abler lb Bernazard Allanson 33 7 2 Totals Tigers first baseman Mike Laga showed up early at 32 5 Totals Detroit 000 000 200- 2 Cleveland .300 000Q3- Came-winning RBI Carter (I). DP-Delroit 1, Cleveland 1 I OB Detroit 9, Cleveland 6. 2B-Whilakcr, Bernazard. HR-Carler (2), Trammell (I), Jacobv (II, Tabler (I). SB-Carler (II.

5-Gibson, IP ER BB SO Detroit Morris (L l-l) 7 1-3 7 Hernandez 2-3 2 Cleveland Sihrom (W 2-0) 6 6 Noles I 0 r. 1 1 1 yyf I Sc In oni Dili hed lo I bailers in in, Noies pneneo id i bailor in 8lh WP-Morris. PB-Allanson. A 17,426. Umpires-Home, Brinkman, lb, Cobnev.

Palermo, 3b, Kaiser. Free Press Pholo bv MARY SCHROEDER Ernie Camacho has battled back from more than just arm problems. TIGERS, from Page 1E his mind wasn't far behind. After two appearances against the Tigers to open the 1985 season, Camacho was in a hospital bed last April 13, awaiting the first of two arm operations. The next few months were filled with anguish, a prescription drug problem that left him near paranoia and a crisis of confidence that left many doubting the stability of his body and his mind.

"The brass here said I was crazy," he said. "They didn't believe me when I said my arm hurt. It turned out I was right. They injected me. They gave me an operation I didn't need.

They gave me four times the amount of cortisone any human being should have." THE FIRST OPERATION was to remove bone chips from his right (throwing) elbow. Camacho said it solved nothing and may have worsened things. "They had me throwing two weeks after, and that was crazy," Camacho said. "No one knew what I went through. I went through hell." Much of the "hell" came from drugs that were prescribed for him.

"I had bottles and bags full of medication," he said. "If they did a drug test on me, they would have put me in an institution. They would have said, 'Son, your blood isn't even blood Camacho spoke in front of his locker in the corner of the Indians' clubhouse. His soft voice has the lilt of his native California with just a touch of a Spanish accent. He wore baseball spikes and pants, gold, wire-rimmed glasses and, on his bare, brown chest, a gold necklace featuring No.

13, the one he wears on his uniform. HE CONTINUED the story, telling of how his arm never started getting better until Halloween, when he underwent a second operation. According to Camacho, another doctor then told him the first operation had been unnecessary. The second operation was to remove a cyst and to correct problems with his muscles and tendons. i "Dr.

John Pappas did a miracle on my arm," Camacho said. "I could pitch with pain, but not with injury. Nobody wanted to believe me. The brass didn't believe me. My teammates turned against me.

I guess I can see why. Until then, who were they to believe? A doctor with 20 years' experience or me?" Camacho spent six weeks with his arm in a cast. Then he went through what he called "grueling" physical therapy over the winter in Cleveland. Some of his mental angst was a result of simple geography. "I stayed in Cleveland the whole winter," he said.

"First time I've ever seen snow. I didn't react to it very well." How they scored FIRST INNING Cleveland: Morns pitching. siitick out. franco walked. Carter lioineied to left.

Thornton flied contor. Jacoby walked. Hall walkedji Ja-ir col to second. Tabler walked, Jacotiy 10 third, Hall lo second On wild pitch, Jacoby scoicd, Hall to third. Tabler to liernaard struck out.

Indian 3, Tiger o. SEVENTH INNING Detroit: Schrom pitching. Evans sin- led to right. Trammell homered to Notes relieved Schrom. Herndon ground- ed out to first.

Laga grounded out to first. Coles lined out lo center. Indians 3, Tigers 2. EIGHTH INNING Cleveland: Carter singled to left. Thornton popped lo shortstop.

Jacoby; homered lo right. Hernandez relieved Mor- lis. Castillo, pinch-hitting for Hall, struck out. Tabler homered to left. singled lo loll.

Allanson grounded into" lieldei's choice to third, Bernazard at second, third to second. Final score: Indians 6, Tigers 2. (Corrales) wanted me when no one else wanted me. I was a has-been." In the ninth inning Saturday, Corrales visited the mound. According to Camacho, the manager said to stop wasting time and to challenge the Tigers.

"He said, 'Ernie, don't fiddle-faddle. Throw it right down So Camacho began to throw fastballs, one every seven or eight seconds. The batters took many pitches and began to step out of the box, trying to upset his rhythm. "That just instills confidence in me," he said. "If I thought I could hit somebody, I'd be up there hackin'.

I just thought to myself, 'Ernie, you have good stuff. They don't want to hit LOU WHITAKER, the last batter of the game, fell behind in the count, 1-2, then stepped out of the batter's box and called time out just as Camacho was about to throw with two men on base. The next pitch was a ball. On the following pitch, Whitaker went down swinging and Camacho jumped off the mound to slap backs and shake hands with his catcher, his manager and his teammates. Almost an hour later, as he talked with several reporters, a teenage boy who works in the visitors' clubhouse approached timidly, handed him an Ernie Camacho baseball card and said, "Lou Whitaker asked you to sign this." Camacho signed as he continued to talk of baseball, adversity and life.

BUT THE PROBLEM was more than climate. Although his arm started to feel better, his mind wasn't right. He had set Cleveland's single-season save record of 23 in 1984 and had just turned 30, but Camacho felt the Indians were trying to get rid of him. He was married in February and his wife, Elena, began to read medical literature about the legal, medicinal drugs he was taking. She was concerned about the side effects they might be having on his mind and his mood.

Camacho insists, "I was not depressed," but admits some things weren't right. He sought professional help and began talking it out with friends, including teammate Andre Thornton. Thornton lost his wife and child in a car accident nine years ago. Thornton was a comfort, as was another friend, Mike Peticca, a local sports writer for the Associated Press. "Ernie says he wasn't depressed, but he was paranoid," Peticca said Saturday.

"He thought everyone was against him and didn't want him to come back. I'd just tell him on the phone, 'Ernie, that's not true. There's nobody else on this team who can do what you can LATE LAST WINTER, Camacho arrived at training camp, where teammates said manager Pat Corrales was babying him. That lasted until the final week of camp, when Corrales fined him $500 for being late for practice. "I'm kind of his pet project," Camacho said.

"The ball players tease me about it. He Cleveland Stadium on Saturday to be tutored by batting coach Vada Pinson. "He was doing some good things in spring training that he's kind of getting away from now," Pinson said. "I just wanted to remind him of those things." The session didn't pay instant dividends; Laga, dropped to eighth in the batting order, was O-for-4, including three strikeouts, in the 6-2 loss to the Indians, and his batting average fell to .091 (one-for-11). Wasted on base: Dave Collins did everything you could expect of a leadoff man Saturday, reaching base four straight times, on a single and three walks.

But the Tigers weren't able to score Collins, and he still has only one run scored this season. Lemon takes a rest: Slumping Chet Lemon (one-f or-1 5, .067) was given Saturday off. Collins, who has already played left field and designated hitter, made his first start of the season in center field. Lemon will be back in his familiar spot today, but Lance Parrish will get a day off from his catching duties. Dave Engle will get his first start behind the plate.

Not concerned: Manager Sparky Anderson says he's not worried that his ace, Jack Morris, has given up six home runs in two games. "He really isn't at the top of his game yet," Anderson said. "He's just about rounding into shape." Nlekro fan: Even though Anderson has watched his Tigers hang five straight losses on Phil Niekro over the past two seasons, he still believes the veteran knuckleballer can still pitch and is cinch Hall of Fame material. "He'd get my vote," Anderson said of Niekro, who was beaten, 7-2, by the Tigers on Friday. "I know people talk about all the losses he has (251 in his career, but he has those 300 wins and he's survived all these years (22)." When Niekro was a candidate to manage the Atlanta Braves this year, he called Anderson and asked if he could get a crash course in managing a major league team.

"I told him that if he was hired, he could come out to California in the off-season and spend three days with me at my home," Anderson said. The visit wasn't necessary; Chuck Tanner got the job and Niekro, cut loose by the Yankees, hooked on with the Indians as a free agent. Starter Schulze will make his first start of '86 today against the Tigers. Neal Heaton had been slated to start against Frank Tanana. Red-faced: Some of the Indians players are expressing public embarrassment over the condition of the playing surface in Cleveland Stadium.

"It's a joke," outfielder Joe Carter said. "The Tigers come into town and fall down laughing at our field." The outfield is in terrible shape, particularly where the Cleveland Browns' football field is situated. In right field and right-center, there's almost as much dirt as grass. "They've had five months to get ready," Tigers outfielder Kirk Gibson said. "But to look at the field, you'd think the baseball season snuck up on them." "It's not right to have to play on a field like this; it's awful," Anderson said.

Gene Guldi Sounds unbeaten: Left fielder Kim Tolman blasted a three-run homer over the left field fence in the second inning, leading the Sounds past Indianapolis, 8-2, Saturday night in Nashville. The Sounds, the Tigers' affiliate in the Triple-A American Association, are 2-0. The Indians fell to 0-2. Eric King (1-0), acquired with Dave LaPoint and Matt Nokes in the Tigers' off-season trade with San Francisco for Juan Berenguer and Bob Melvin, got the victory. Rich Stoll (0-1), who pitched for Michigan, took the loss.

Nashville jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first inning Yomiuri lips Ilashin TOKYO (AP) Tatsunori Hara hit a three-run home run and allowed five hits in 73 leading the Yomiuri Giants to a Japanese League victory over the Han-shin Tigers on Saturday. Egawa is 2-0. Luis Sanchez, ly with the Montreal Expos, posted his. second save. Former major leaguer Pat Putnam singled in the winning run in the bottom of the first inning, triggering the Nippon Ham Fighters to a 7-2; victory over the Lotte Orions.

i i 1 JIW1I1UM 1 IU rtt jffl A.vv.'' I I and broke the game open in the second inning when Rocky Cusack, who walked, scored on a helder choice by Pat Sheridan. By the numbers Morris struggles Tigers right-hander Jack Morris is 1-1 after two starts, including Saturday's 6-2 loss to Cleveland, but he has given up six home runs and his ERA is 6.28. (By comparison, he gave up 21 homers in 1985.) Here are his pitching lines: Soften the hardest floors with cushion-wedge-soled RED WINGS. Crepe rubber sole softens shock Cushion wedge supports your arch Sweat-resistant leather insole keeps feet dry Quality Red Wing construction for longer wear and repairability All day comfort comes in 1 25 sizes widths to fit you! Opponent IP ER BB SO HR Boston (W) 7 12 5 5 i 5 4 Cleveland (L) 7Vb 7 5 5 4 7 2 Totals 143 19 10 10 5 12 6 Tigers averages Through Saturday BATTING AB Bl 2b 3b HR BB SO SB Avg tnilman 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.000 AAA I AA A I I I EE EEEE 10-15 9-15 714-16 7-16 6VS-15 5-16 6-15 6-14 5VM4 UPl Photo Indians first baseman Pat Tabler scoops up Darnell Coles' grounder in the seventh inning. Tigers squander opportunity, 6-2 TIGERS, from Page 1E The inning was a nightmare for the right-hander.

After striking out leadoff hitter Brett Butler, Morris walked Julio Franco on a 3-2 pitch. Joe Carter then drove one over the 377-foot sign in left-center field and the Tribe had a 2-0 lead. Andre Thornton flied to center for the second out, but the inning was far from over. Morris walked Brook Jacoby, Mel I lall and Pat Tabler, loading the bases. With the count 2-2 on Tony Bernazard, Morris' wild pitch allowed Jacoby to score the Indians' third run.

MORRIS SAID the Cleveland Stadium mound was higher than most in the American League, but he wouldn't use that as an excuse for his control trouble. "I don't know what the problem was," Morris said. "I just couldn't find the plate. On the home run to Carter, I found too much of the plate. And as has happened so far this season, when I make I mistake, I pay for it.

Six mistakes, six home runs." Morris settled down, retiring nine batters in a row and blanking the Indians from the second through the seventh innings. Meanwhile, Trammell drove a two-run homer off of Indians starter Ken Schrom in the seventh inning, bringing the Tigers within 3-2. Then came the Tigers' blown opportunity in the eighth against reliever Ernie Camacho. "I was going all the way in that spot with Ernie," said Indians manager Pat Corrales. "I didn't care anything about righty against lefty or anything like that.

He's the best I have and I was going to stick with him." After Camacho wriggled out of the jam, the Indians rewarded him with another three-run inning in the bottom Gibson 2 3 0 1 1 0 9 6 1 1 St. lair Shores VERFAILLIE C0SETTE 2351 5 .9 l)e 775-5537 Warren RED WING SHOE STORE 2873 Hoe.er 751-5460 Redford RED WING SHOE STORE 25545 FIVoMHeM. 533-1256 RoseviHe RED WING SHOE STORE 32494 GtltntAn. 294-8060 Bergman Herndon Evans Coles Whitaker Collins 0 0 2 0 1 1 3 0 3 0 1 1 5 0 1 0 .529 .500 .462 .389 .316 .304 .222 .125 .105 .091 .067 .000 .000 .000 Trammell Dearborn MONROE SHOES REPAIR 5131 Schicttr 584-2212 Drayton Plains TONY'S SHOE REPAIR WMHileHwy. 674-3325 Flint RED WING SHOE STORE 3023 So linden 732-1290 Garden City RED WING SHOE STORE 33145 Ford M.

522-5350 Highland BOOT WORKS 134SO Mor 887-1700 Lincoln Park RED WING SHOE STORE 3922 Oil Hw. 383-8530 Monroe YAEGER'S SHOES MSwttiMonrot 241-5090 Plymouth PLYMOUTH B00TERIE 515 South ton 455-3759 Pontiac SHOE BIN South leteptpn 334-0259 Port Huron WAKEEN'S SHOES 327rkra 982-7175 Parrish Laga Lemon Baker Engle Brookens 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 OutstateTotedo RED WING SHOE STORE 2122ernoMl 419-531-1948 Toledo RED WING SHOE STORE lil7Svhu 419-476-8919 Royal Oak RED WING SHOE STORE 110 H. Fourth St. 399-4459 Saginaw RED WING SHOE STORE UCNoitliHdaiM 517-792-2911 20 6 7 5 0 1 2 2 3 0 1 .350 Hitters 30 210002000 667 Hitters .270 TOTALS 174 23 47 17 10 2 5 15 23 2 3 Game-winning RBIs (2)-Bergman, Gibson. PITCHING IP ER BB SO ERA 1 000 0 000 RED 0.00 000 3 2 1.2 0 9 5.1 Sv 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 PS Campbell Cary O'Neal LaPoint Terrell Tanana Petry Morris Hernandez 2.00 5.06 5.14 7 1 1 1 2 0 3 of the eighth.

Jacoby brought home two with a homer off Morris the sixth Morris has allowed in two starts this season and Tabler reached reliever Willie Hernandez 14.1 19 10 10 5 12 6.28 22 4 2 2 1 2 6.75 22 21 18 22 4.20 3 2 4550 TOTALS with a solo home run..