Section B·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Tuesdav. September 29, 1997
Major League Baseball Cubs beat Giants in bid for playoffs
The Associated Press
CHICAGO — Now, Steve Trachsel will be remembered for more than giving up a historic home run. He has pitched those lovable losers, the Chicago Cubs, into the playoffs.
With a home run boost from castoff Gary Gaetti and two key singles by Sammy Sosa, the Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 last night winning the one-game playoff for the NL wild-card spot.
The Cubs survived despite a three-run rally in the ninth by the Giants. Barry Bonds, who grounded out with the bases loaded at the end of the seventh, came up again with the bases loaded but managed only a sacrifice fly.
The Cubs have not been to a World Series since 1945 and have not won one in 90 years, yet they are going to the postseason for the first time since 1989.
Now it's on to Atlanta, an extension of one of the most exciting seasons in their history. The Cubs, who won six of nine for the Braves, play Game 1 tomorrow.
Trachsel (15-8), who surrendered Mark McGwire's 2nd home run, did not give
up a hit until pinch-hitter Brent Mayne
singled with one out in the seventh.
Trailing 40, the Glants went on to load the bases with two outs and brought Bonds to the plate. But the three-time MIR grounded out.
against reliever
Felix Heredia.
In the ninth, reliever Kevin Tapani gave up a pair of leadoff singles. That brought to Terry Mullholt.
land, who went eight innings and threw 121 pitches Sunday.
Stan Vajier hit an RBI single and pinchhitter Ellis Burks walked, loaded the bases with no outs and the score 5-1. But Bonds filed out, and then Rod Beck earned his 51st save, getting Jeff Kent on an RBI forceout and retiring Joe Carter on a popup.
It was Carter's final at-bat in the majors. At 38, the hero of the 1993 World Series is retiring.
The Cubs almost did not make it this
far, losing six of their previous eight games, including Sunday's finale in Houston. But they were saved when Colorado rallied from a 7-0 deficit beating the Giants 9-8, and forcing the first one-game playoff in the NL since 1980.
Trachsel and Giants starter Mark Gardner kept it scoreless until the fifth inning.
Henry Rodriguez singled and Gaetti lifted a two-run
bried to left, his 19th of the season and
homer to left, his 19th of the season and
eighth since joining the Cubs on Aug. 19
after his release by St. Louis.
Gaetti raised his arms in triumph as the ball landed in the left-field seats.
Singles by Lance Johnson and Sosa drove out Gardner (13-6) in the sixth. Rich Rodriguez relieved and after Grace walked to load the bases, Matt Mieske, called up from the minors earlier this month, lined a two-run single to right for a 4-1 lead.
Sosa went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, scoring in the eighth on Jose Mesa's wild
pitch.
Sosa finished the regular season with 66 home runs, trailing McGwire's 70. But Sosa gets something McGwire does not — a chance to play into October.
Trachsel had not won since Aug. 28 and had given up eight homers in his previous four starts. And he struggled with his control.
He loaded the bases by hitting a batter and walking two in the fourth before slipping a called third strike past Brian Johnson. By the end of five, he had already thrown 96 pitches.
Trachsel allowed just one hit in 61 3-inches, walking six and striking out six.
After Mayne singled, Trachsel walked pinch-hitter Armando Rios and was replaced by Matt Karchner.
After another reserve, left fielder Orlando Merced, reached into the seats to pluck Javier's foul fly, ex-Cub Shawon Dunston got an infield single to load the bases.
But Bonds bounced out to end the threat. Bonds, a career .200 hitter in four postseason series, went 0-for-4 with a sacrifice fly.
Braves quietly sliding into division playoffs
Bv Paul Newberry
The Associated Press
He's right in the Atlanta Braves' clubhouse.
ATLANTA — Finally, someone who doesn't seem mesmerized by this remarkable baseball season.
I don't think I'll even watch the game," the Braves' closer said, before an afternoon workout at Turner Field. "I don't know who to root for. I don't know who I want to play. I just take the night off and relax. I'll probably be watching Ally McBeal."
While most of his teammates planned to watch last night's wild-card playoff between the Cubs and Giants, Kerry Ligtenberg was making alternate plans.
A day after finishing a record-breaking regular season, the Braves returned to Turner Field for a one-hour workout under gray, threatening skies.
The mood was casual and relaxed, not surprising for a team that has won seven straight division titles.
In fact, the Braves have generated very little attention this season, just going about the business of winning while fans focused on Mark McGwire's 70 homers, the New York Yankees' 114 victories and an National League wildcard race that went beyond the final day.
Did anyone notice Atlanta won a team-record 106 games, a figure surpassed by only five teams in NL history?
“It’s nice to kind of slip in the back door,” Braves' second baseman Keith Lockhart said. “A lot has happened that deterred attention from us this year.”
The Braves might even be viewed as an underdog to Houston and Randy Johnson should those teams advance
to the league championship series. The Astros are meeting San Diego in the other division series.
Certainly, the Braves weren't disappointed that the team they'll face in the best-of-five division series, which begins Wednesday at Turner Field, had to play an extra game.
Atlanta clinched the NL East on Sept. 14 and won 14 of its last 16 games including a seven-game winning streak to finish up.
The Braves haven't needed much help in the division series, losing only one game in three years since the format began in 1995. Maybe that's why the fans of Atlanta have shown lukewarm interest in this phase of the postseason.
(18-9). Kevin Millwood and Denny Neagle, who combined for 33 wins, will bolster the bulpen.
The pitching rotation is set: John Smoltz (17-3) in Game 1, followed by Tom Glavine (20-6) and Greg Maddux
As of yesterday, several thousand tickets were available for the first two games at 49,000-seat Turner Field.
The Braves won't set their 25-man roster until tomorrow, but the only decisions involve the final two spots in the bullpen.
A right-handed opening will probably go to either Dennis Martinez (4-6, 4.45 ERA) or Russ Springer (5-4, 1.0); a left-handed spot seems reserved for Norm Carlton (1.38, one save since joining Atlanta) or rookie Odalis Perez (0-1, 4.22).
Lions trounce Bucs for first victory of year
The Associated Press
PONTIAC, Mich. — It was a big night for Detroit rookies, and the Lions got their first victory.
Rookie defensive back Terry Fair returned a kick off 105 yards for a touchdown, and rookie quarterback Charlie Batch scored on a sneak as the Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-6 last night.
Fair's kickoff return that broke the game open in the fourth quarter was the longest touchdown in Lions' history. Batch, in his second start, completed 14-of-23
dry. Batch of its second passes for 115 yards and scored on a 1-yard sneak in the third quarter.
Batch's total offense was 154 yards. Tampa's Bay's team total was 133.
Bryant Westbrook scored on a 34-yard interception return and Jason Hanson kicked field goals of 27 and 25 vards for the Lions.
Michael Husted kicked field goals of 43 and 47 yards for the Bucs (1-3).
Barry Sanders rushed for 131 yards on 27 carries and had 23 yards receiving. Trent Dilfer was 12-of-30 for 120 yards with one interception for the Bucs.
The game was held up for 10 minutes in the second quarter after rookie Tampa Bay receiver Brice Hunter
was injured during a helmet-to-helmet collision with Detroit's Mark Carrier. Hunter was carried from the field on a stretcher and evaluated at the POH Medical Center emergency trauma center.
Hunter had full use of all extremities, and was
expected to be released late last night
with I-42 left in the third quarter, Difler hit Karl Williams in the end zone with a 24-yard touchdown pass that would have closed the gap to 20-10. But the play was waved off by a delay penalty. Robert Porcher broke in sacking Difler on the next play, and the Bucs punted.
With 10:44 left in the fourth quarter, Dilfer hit Dave Moore for another apparent touchdown, but Dilfer was flagged for being beyond the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball. The Bucs settled for Husted's second field goal.
But Fair, returned the ensuing kickoff for a 27-6 lead.
But the results were the same. Batch could not get
Detroit into the end zone, so the Lions had to settle for a pair of field goals and a 6-3 halftime lead.
On the third snap of the third quarter, Westbrook stepped in front of Williams for Detroit's first turnover of the season. Westbrook zipped down the sideline for the touchdown and a 13-3 Detroit lead.
Attention Student Senate Bus Pass Holders
KU on Wheels will distribute new bus passes to all students who have already purchased them.
Come and get your new bus pass from 8am-5pm
At...
Wescoe Beach
Sept. 28th and Tues. Sept. 29th
Kansas Union Lobby
on Wed. Sept. 30th and Thurs. Oct. 1st
you can't make it during the day
Mrs. E.'s Dining Commons 5:15-7:30 Mon.Sept.28 and Tues. Sept.29
Oliver Cafeteria 5:15-6:30 Wed. Sept. 30 GSP/Corbin Cafeteria 5:15-6:30 Tues. Oct. 1
Starting Fri. Oct. 2nd, must pick up new passes at Kansas Union Banking Window
Mon. Oct 5 must pay $1 cash fare without new bus pass
Don't forget your student ID Questions or Concerns, Call Nicole Skalla at 864-4644