European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 23, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday May 23. 1936 the stars and stripes Page 21 sports by Ken Peters Inglewood Calif. A Ralph Sampson could t even see the Basket but inc Ball seemed to have eyes of its own on an awkward looking shot Hal was a Cross Between a Hook and a Finger Roll Sampson scored from 10 feel away is time expired wednesday night to give the hous ton rackets a dramatic 114-112 Victory Over the los Angeles lakers Houston clinched the series 4-1 to Knock inc defending Champion takers out of the playoffs and Send he rockets to the championship round against the celtics begin Ning monday in Boston. " knew where the Basket was but i could t Sec  Sampson said of the game winning shot. I thought it the shot was Short i did t Sec it until it hit the rim an bounced in.". Since he made that shot guess it just was t meant to be for us this year said later guard Earvin magic Johnson. To be in control the whole Way like we were and to see that shot drop it s hard to Swallow Houston coach Bill filch said of Samp son s Basket there  Man guarding him from behind and a Man guarding him in front and he Only bad one second to gel the hot off so it was t real pretty. But it  after the lakers Byron Scott missed a jumper and the rockets rebounded and called timeout with one second left hous ton s Rodney Mccray inbound cd the Ball with a Long pass to Sampson. Aba playoffs Sampson barely grasped the Ball before putting up his shot. You can t beat the fates said lakers coach pal Allsy. I was shocked. The lakers became the i1lh consecutive team to fail to repeal As champions. The last to successfully defend the n a title was the celtics in 1969. Robert Reid tied the game at 112-112 with a three Point shot from the left Corner with is seconds to play. After Scott missed a Long jumper the rockets grabbed the rebound and called timeout with one second to go. On the ensuing inbound play Sampson with his Back nearly to the Basket flipped the pass to Ward inc Basket and the Ball dropped Over the front rim and in As the Buzzer sounded it was the Only Lead of the game Tor the rockets. The rockets played the final 5 14 of inc contest without the Man who had been their leading scorer and a Bounder in the series Kacem Olajuwon Olajuwon and the Lak ers Milch Kupchak Gal into a fight that turned into a Brief Bench Clearing shoving match. Both were ejected. Olajuwon had 30 Points and seven re Bounds before his ejection. Sampson finished with 29.10 after Olajuwon s ejection the lakers were led by Kareem Abdul Jabbar with 26 paints and Johnson with 24. The rockets tied the game 106-106 with 2 52 to play on Sampson s Hook Shoi. After Abdul Jabbar put the lakers up by two Sampson made i i os-107 when he nil the first of two free throws but missed the Sec Ond. The rockets rallied pram in 85-73 deficit in the last four minutes of the third Quarter and were behind 87-85 going into the final Quarter. ,. Olajuwon sparked the third period comeback with 17 Palms. The lakers were without Johnson for much of inc Quarter since he left inc game with his fourth foul 3vs minutes into the period and did t re turn until the Start of the fourth. The lakers had led 61-54 at half time after the rockets fought Back from a deficit of As much As 14 Points in the first Quarter. Abdul Jabbar and Johnson scored i Points each in the first half and Sampson led inc rockets with 14. Olajuwon held scoreless in the first Quarter had 11 in the second period for the rockets who narrowed inc Gap to 48-46 with 4 40 left in the half. Los Angeles spurted to a 59-50 Lead with .2 34 remaining and held a seven Pool Edge at halftime. The lakers gelling their running game cranked up and playing solid defense took an 18-8 Lead in the first 4 i minutes of the game los Angeles went on to Lead by.26-12 eight i nulls into the first Quarter. The rockets came Back to pull to within 26-19, but the lakers spurted away again and cd 35-23 heading into the second period. Rockets Ralph Simpson winning shot at the Buzzer Chi sox Down jays Tor 7th straight win from press dispatches Chicago Pinch hitter Jerry Hairston singled Home Tim Huitt from third base with one out in the Bottom of the eighth inning wednesday night As the Chi Cago White son won their seventh consecutive Victory a 5-4 decision Over the Toron to Blue jays. The White so who rallied from a 4-1 deficit matched their longest winning Streak since july 1984 after Hulett started the eighth with a single off Toronto loser Jim Acker 1-3, Hulett then took second on a passed Ball by Ernie Whitt and was sacrificed to third by Wayne Tolleson. Mark Eichhorn relieved Acker and Hairston Hilling for John Cangelosi got his first Pinch hit since May Al Roundup 2 with a line single to Center. Gene Nelson 41, who pitched the final two innings for the Victory. After the White sox took a 1-0 Lead on Harold Bains rib single in the first the Blue jays knocked out Chicago starter Neil Allen with a four run second. Cliff Johnson smacked a three run Homer his sixth of the year and fourth in his last six games. Singles by Bobby Borilla Tolleson and Cangelosi Cut the Chicago deficit to 4-2 in the second. Cangelosi s third straight hit a single off shortstop Tony Fernandez s Glove set up Chicago s third run off starter Doyle Alex giants tall 7-4 under in the fifth. Canglosi stoic his 21st base 13th in a Row took third on Whin s wild throw and scored on Ozzie Guillen s ground Ball. Chicago tied the score 4-4 in the sixth after Alexander Hii Lead off Man Ron Kittle. Acker who relieved Alexander gave up an infield hit to Huitt before Kittle scored on two group dolls. In other Al action orioles 2, Angels 1 Baltimore Cal Ripken hit a two run Homer with two outs in he seventh inning As Baltimore beat California. Mike Witt 3-4, had allowed Only one hit a bouncing single by Fred. Lynn in the fourth before Lynn singled again with one out in the seventh. One out Bier Ripken homered. Yankees 10, a s 4 new York Dan Pasqua just Back from the minors homered and doubled to drive in four runs and Lead new York past Oakland Pasqua starting in right held in place of resting Dave win Field hit a two run Homer off Eric plunk in he third inning and Dou bled in two More off plunk in the fifth. Joe Nickroo 5-2, scattered five hits Over seven innings. Tigers 4, mariners 4 Detroit Larry Herndon Homer and rib double helped Detroit rally in beat Seattle and get Back to the .500 Mark. Herndon lied the score 4-4 with a Lead off see Al on Page 23 abets bats do it for Darling by the associated press san Francisco watching Ron Darling Pilch is not always a pleasant experience for new York mets manager Dave Johnson but the result More often than not is satisfactory. Walty Bac Kraan had three hits two Dou Bles and a single in the first three innings us the mets built a 7-1 Lead for Darling and went on loft 7-4 Victory wednesday Over the san Francisco giants it s really Tough on a manager watching your Pitcher go to a 3-2 count on almost Iver Thaler when he has a big Lead John son said. I did t think be Tad he real Good stuff and i think he could have thrown More strikes with the bad Bluff the mets 25-9 for the season have won All right games Darling has started this season and the right hander has won 11 of his 2 decisions since last aug. 19. He s 5-0 Liis season. No Roundup cookie Wilson s Icador walk and Back Man s double started the first inning. Tour run rally. A walk to Keith Hernandez loaded the bases. Darryl Strawberry hit a two run double to left Field after Gary car Ter popped Oul. With two out Howard Johnson delivered another two run double Baukman the second baseman who missed almost two weeks of play Early this month because of a pulled hamstring has 21 hits in his last 12 games. He s batting .477 Over that stretch and j82 for the sea son. In other National league games pirates 2, astros 1 Houston Rick Rhoden pitched a five Hitler and Sid Bream homered and doubled 10 Power Pittsburgh Over Houston Bream doubled and scored on Jim Morri son s single in the second and homered off Mike Scon 4-3, in the fourth. Rhoden 3-3, struck out six and walked three in snapping his three game losing Streak cardinals 8, hols 3 St. Louis Andy Van Styke hit his Lisl Home Ron of the season to key a four run sixth inning rally helping St. Louis snap a six game losing Streak. The Victory was Only the seventh in 27 games for the cardinals Van Slyke two run Homer and ensuing doubles by Terry pc Lelon and Mike Heath came off starter John Denny who carried a Ihrck Hilier and a 3-1 Lead into the cardinals sixth. Braves 9, Cuba 8 Atlanta reliever George Frazier walked Andres Thomas on four pitches to Force in the winning run with one out in the 13th inning As Atlanta edged Chicago. It sea my on Page 26