European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 08, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday october 8, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 21  Phil Niekro notches 300th win on final Day of the season sports Toronto a Phil Nickrin whose fluttering Knuckl Ball brought his first 299 major league wins Anil the nickname Knuck sic put his bread and butter pitch aside to go for his landmark 300th Victory sunday on the last Day of the 1985 season. So it was with an assortment of screwball dead fish fastballs slip pitches curves and the occasional fastball away that Niekro led the new York Yankees to on 8-0 pasting of the american league East Champion Toronto Blue jays. Set Page 22 for the Box scores of sunday s regular season ending Ramos in it american and National leagues it was with two out in the ninth inning a runner on second and slugger Jeff Burroughs at the plate that Niekro went Back to three straight Knuckles and struck his former teammate out swinging to end the game. Nickroo s Yankee mates led by his brother Joe also a Knuckl Ball Pitcher rushed to the Mound to congratulate him As 44.000 Toronto fans cheered. I always wanted to pitch a game with out throwing a Knuckl Ball said Niekro. Who finished inc season with a 16-12 re Cord. A lot of people thought 1 could t gel people Oul without inc  he certainly proved that he could in pitchers in playoff spotlight by Fred Mcmane Dpi assistant sports editor new York if pitching is indeed the key that unlocks the door to the world series it will be the Kansas City royals playing the los Angeles dodgers for baseball s most coveted title. The switch from a bust of five to a bust of so Van playoff series makes pitching More important than Ever and the royals and dodgers appear to have a decided Edge in that department. The royals will meet the Toronto Blue jays in the opening game of the american league playoffs tuesday night in Toronto. The dodgers play  to the St. Louis cardinals in the opener of the National league playoffs wednesday night. The pitchers in the openers will be the royals Charlie Leibrandt 17-9 against inc Blue jays Dave stick 14-13 and the cardinals John Tudor 21-8 against the dodgers Fernando Valenzuela 17 10. Although the Blue jays and cardinals have decent pitching neither club has the pitching depth of its opponent. The royals boast five pitchers who won in double figures this sea son and the two pitchers named to Start the first two games of the so Ries Leibrandt and Bud Black see pitchers on Page 23 the process becoming at 46 the Oldem player to pitch a major league shutout. Niekro gave up just four hits and three walks along with four strikeouts to move past Ferguson Jenkins into seventh place on inc All time strikeout list with 3,196. Niekro said the highlight of his Day was t the baseball game but when Joe gave him Good news about their 72-Ycar old father Phil Niekro sr., who is severely ill with internal bleeding. The nicest feeling of the whole Day is when Joe told me right after i came off the Mound that they took my father out of intensive care this morning Niekro said. The Niekro Brothers went to Wheeling monday to Sec their father who Learned the knuckle a himself As a semipro Pitcher and taught it to both sons. I m going to take him my hat and give him the  Phil said. Joe Niekro also stepped in As warm up Catcher before the ninth inning and visited the Mound when Burroughs was Bat Ling to see if his brother wanted to consider an intentional walk. Joe also had planned to pitch in Relief if Phil had not been going for inc shutout. "1 just wanted to be a pan of it the younger Niekro said. Up record to 5-0 Knuck Klebaur Phil Niekro. Proves he can do it without bread and butter Pilch rams Edge vikes 13-10 . Calif. A Eric Dicker son scored on a 2-Yard run Mike Lansford kicked a pair held goals and the los an Geles defense made a Victory saving goal line stand on the game s final play sunday As the rams ran their record to 5-0 with a 13-10 Victory Over the Minnesota Vikings. The rams along with the Chicago bears inc National football league s Only undefeated teams stopped Minnesota s Darrin Nelson for no gain As the Vikings went for a touchdown from the los Angeles i Yard line As time expired. Minnesota coach Bud Grant whose team had no time outs spurned a Field goal attempt that could have sent the game into overtime. Instead he elected to try and win with a touchdown. But rams linebacker Jim Collins stopped Nelson cold on the play to prc1 Eric the win. The Vikings actually had two tries at the game winning touchdown from he 1. With seven seconds remaining quarterback Tommy Kramer threw an incomplete pass. But los Angeles Gary Green was called for pass interference giving tic Vikings one More shot. A 16-Yard run by Nelson on third and iwo had moved the Ball to the rams i and created the dilemma for the Vikings who would have turned to Jan Sec crud for a tying Field goal had the Ball not been soc Lou to the end one. The rams defense the biggest Factor in their so far perfect season limited inc Vikings to a a Yard touchdown run by Ted Brown and a 2-4-Yard Field goal by Stenc Rud. Los Angeles look a 13-0 Lead Early in the third period when Dickerson scored during what was a ices Ihan  Outing for the rams  running Back. The Vikings 3-2, held Dickerson to 55 Yards on 25 car Ries in the game. Lansford had Given the rams a 6-0 Lead in the second Quarter with Field goals of 43 and 33 Yards. The Las Angeles defense also denied the Vikings three Pomis in the opening Quarter As Vince Newborne blocked stat crud s 28 Yard attempt Nelson , gained 94 cards on 17 carries or the Vikings while Kramer completed 21 of 36  for 196 Yards. Kosar leads Browns Over patriots Cleveland a Rookie Quarter Back Bernic Kosar completed inc first seven passes of his nil career and directed the Cleveland Browns to two second half scores As they Defeated the new England patriots 24-20 sunday. Kosar the 21-year-old from the University of Miami acquired by Cleveland in the summer supplemental draft replaced starting Quarter Back Gary Danielson late in the first half after Danielson strained his right shoulder. Kosar fumbled away his first snap from Center to Sci up a new England Field goal late in the Hall. But he completed his first seven passes in the second half four of them on a 42-Yard drive capped by mall Bahr s 44-Yard Field goal for a 17-13 Cleve land Lead. New England. 2-3. Responded Wilh a 21 Yard touchdown pass from Tony Eason to Stanley Morgan for a 20-17 Lead Midway through the third Quarter. Kosar then hit Brian Brennan Wilh a 33-Yard pass to set up Kevin Mack s game winning 10-Yard touchdown run Wilh 12 minutes left in inc game. Mack had 20 carries for 115 Yards. The Browns defense then stopped the patriots on four plays after new England had a first and goal at the Cleveland 5. Mosi Tatupu carried the Ball on fourth and goal from inside the 1-Yard line but was slopped Short by three defenders with 4 25 to play. Cleveland had held a 14-13 Lead at half time despite four first half turnovers three of them leading 10 new England scores. Kosar finished with completions in is attempts for 104 Ards i Ason was 20 for 38 for 304 Yards with Une touchdown. The Browns. 3-2. Drove 81 Yards Wilh the opening Kickoff. Song their first first Quarter touchdown of the season on Earnest byner s 9-\ard run. Cleveland s second touchdown came on a 33-Yard second Quarter reception by Ozzie Newsome from Brennan. A Wice receiver who had taken a lateral from of Aniceson. Brennan who was a High schoo. Quarter Back also caught us passes for 93 Yards. Danielson completed 11 of 19 passes for164 Yards before he was nun