European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 3, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday june 3, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 21 sports rockets Stop celts 106-104 by William r. Barnard Houston a the Boston cel tics plans for a 3-0 Lead in the Aba finals were foiled by a relative midget in a Forest of skyscrapers. Mitchell Wiggins a 6-Fopl-3 Reserve guard leaped from among a swirl of players at least six inches taller and tapped in a rebound for the winning Basket in the Houston rockets 106-104 Victory sunday cutting Boston s Lead in the Best of seven championship series to 2-1. I saw an opening saw the Ball and knew where it was coming Wiggins said. If 7 4 Ralph Sampson had by n there he prob ably would have gotten a Dunk instead of a lip like i  the Rockow rallied from an eight Point deficit in the last three minutes to win heir first game of the series. Twice before the rockets had wilted at Boston Garden in the second half. This time Boston scored Only two Points in the final three minutes. A rebound Bas Ket by Kevin Mihalc had Given the celtics a 102-94 Lead with 3vi minutes to play. Seven foot Akem Olajuwon who scored 23 Points then started the comeback with a three Point play making the Kujore 102-97 with 3 06 left. A Hook shot by Sampson who led the rockets with 24 Points and 22 rebounds a Layup by Wiggins and two free throws by Olajuwon gave the rockets a 103-102 Lead with 1 07 left. A Corner jumper by Danny Ainge gave Aba playoffs Boston its last Lead at 104-103 with 45 seconds remaining. Olajuwon s missed Hook shot bounced High above the rim but Wiggins perfectly timed leap tip Sank the Ball with 31 seconds left. We were going inside to either Ralph or Kacem Wiggins said. ". Dennis Johnson relaxed on the off Side. I saw a crack of Daylight and tipped the shot instinctively. It must have been the first time . Did t Box me out All Day but it Felt  Wiggins said the rockets shocked Boston with their lightning comeback. We gave out selves a Chance when Ralph and Akem kept getting defensive re Bounds Wiggins said. I saw the look of fear on the celtics  but celtics Forward Larry Bird was not that impressed with the comeback Victory. They were awfully Lucky and they know they were awfully Lucky to beat us said Bird who was held to two Points in the fourth Quarter despite finishing with 25 Points 15 rebounds and ii assists. If a couple of Calls go the other Way we  Houston saw it differently. Our Speed and our ability to run is a Little better than theirs i think Sampson said. I was very confident All along in the series but we just had to get Over the Hump Knepper hurls 9th win from press dispatches Houston with Houston hitting the Ball Well Bob Knepper knew his Job was just to keep the astros close. So that s what he did sunday against the Montreal expos. Today i got a lot of runs in a game i did t pitch real Well Knepper said after becoming the National league s first nine game Winner with an 8-4 Vic tory Over Montreal. Knepper 9-2, went six innings and gave up four runs on six hits but got support from 13 Houston hits. Glenn Davis homered and drove in four runs helping Knepper lie Boston s Roger Clemens As the top Winner in the major leagues. You can t worry top much about winning and losing said Knepper. I just had to keep the team in the game for a while Charlie Kerfeld and Dave Smith combined to shut Down the expos Over the final three innings to preserve the Victory Knepper who is 5-1 this season at Home including three shutouts started quickly but could not stay Sharp. In other National league games Sun Day Phillies 16, padres s Philadelphia Juan Samuel hit a three run double and Solo Home run and Glenn Wilson and Darren Maullon each hit three run homers As Philadelphia ripped san Diego for its sixth straight Victory. Giants 7, mels 3 new York Mike Krukow pitched 7v4 Strong innings for his second Victory Over new York in 10 Days. Dan Gladden had three hits and drove in two runs As san Francisco beat the mets. Cubs 7, Brates 3 Chicago Gary Matthews fh0 photo Bob Knepper. Did t pitch real Well wind blown two run triple highlighted a three run first inning that sparked Chi Cago and Rookie Pitcher Guy Hoffman Over Atlanta. Pirates i. Dodgers 3 Pittsburgh Jim Morrison clubbed a double a triple and a grand slam Home run to drive in a career High seven runs sunday and Lead Pittsburgh s Romp Over los Angeles. Cardinals 2, reds 1 Cincinnati Danny Cox earned his first Victory of the season and singled Home the same winning run As St. Louis beat Cincinnati. Of playing these  we were playing with full intensity be cause we knew we had to win Olajuwon said. We could t make any serious mis takes. It gives us Confidence that we can come Back on these Guys. They can t just score at will on  the fourth and fifth games will be played at the Summit on tuesday and thursday nights. Just before a missed shot by Boston s Robert Parish referee Jake o Donnell blew an inadvertent whistle forcing a jump Ball Between the 7-0 Parish and Sampson. Sampson cleanly won and lipped the Ball to Olajuwon who was fouled and hit one free throw. Boston s last Chance to lie or win was ruined when an inbound pass was fumbled out of Bounds by Parish. Sampson finished with 24 Points and 22 rebounds for inc rockets while Olajuwon and Robert Reid added 23 and 20 Points respectively. Mchale finished with 28, Bird 25 and Dennis Johnson 20 for the celtics. The celtics who oils cored the rockets by a cumulative 64-36 in the third quarters of their two victories in Boston nearly did it again sunday scoring 17 of the first 20 Points of the second half to turn a three Point deficit into a 76-65 Lead with 5 44 left in the period. Mchale had nine of his 11 third Quarter Points during the run which saw Boston repeatedly take advantage of see Aba on Page 26 file photo  Mitchell wid ins. Out cups skyscrapers for Winner royals tie Texas for Al West Lead from press dispatches Kansas City to. The fans in Kansas City May is Librale a three game sweep that lifted the royals into a first place tie with Texas but not manager Dick Howser. You know me. I Don t get excited this Early in the season Howser said sunday following the royals 5-3 Victory Over the rangers. Texas hit town with a three game Lead in the american league West but left lied with the defending world series Cham pions at 24-24. It s Early. There s no meaning to it Howser said. But we re scoring runs and we re winning. It does t make any differ ence who we re playing. Everybody in this division is around .500 right now. We be been struggling and having trouble scoring runs. Now All of a sudden we be bounced Back and we re playing Well. Leibrandt pitched a Strong  Charlie Leibrandt a Veteran left hander gave up eight hits striking out seven and walking two in raising his record to 5-3. I had pretty Good stuff today he said. I made a big mistake in the fourth inning. It was a terrible pitch. I thought that one pitch might be the game but we battled Back and won a big game for  that one bad pitch made for a Memora ble major league debut for Ruben Sierra. Sierra leading the american association in Home runs and Bis when the rangers called him up on saturday planted Lei Brandt s mistake in the left Field bleachers for a three run Homer in his second big league at Bat. Gary Ward and Pete inca Viglia who had both been sidelined by injuries scored on Sierra s Homer. I want to play in the big leagues said Sierra 20, who also had a double. I want to stay Here and play Here All my  the royals scored their winning run in the seventh inning. Greg Pryor reached on a fielder s Choice and went to second on Al Roundup Frank White s Pinch single. Mitch Wil Liams relieved starter Jose Cuzman 4-6, and struck out Willie Wilson before Lonnie Smith tripled Inlo right  giving the royals a 4-3 Lead. Kansas City made it 5-3 on a Home run in the eighth by George Brilt his seventh this season and 200th of his major league career. It also gave Brett 1,000 career Bis. In other american league games Sun Day red sox 6, twins 3 Minneapolis Roger Clemens scattered seven hits Over eight innings to win his ninth game without a loss and spark Boston Over Minnesota. Yankees 7, a s 1 Oakland Calif. Tommy John and Al Holland combined on a nine Hitler and Dave Winfield drilled a two run Homer to Lead new York Over Oakland. Angels 7, orioles 4 Anaheim. Calif. Wally Jpyner belted his 17th Homer in the sixth inning to snap a tic and also singled during a five run eighth As California downed Baltimore. Mariners 9, tigers i Seattle Dave Henderson and Jim Presley homered and Billy Swift and Mark Huismann combined on a 12-Hilter to Lead Seattle Over Detroit for the mariners first three game sweep of the season. Indians 9, Brewers 7 Cleveland Rookie Andy Allan son tripled in two runs to break a 6-6 tie in the seventh inning and Lead Cleveland past Milwaukee. While sox 6, Blue jays 4 Toronto Wayne Tolleson belled a three run Homer and Greg Walker contributed a two run shot enabling Chicago to snap a seven game losing Streak with a Vic tory Over Toronto