European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 30, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday May 30, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary slap hitters join Home run follies when Pittsburgh pirates Pitcher Rick re Uschel reached the scats at Cincinnati s riverfront stadium last week he tried to look properly nonchalant because he was after All experienced with this sort of thing. He had already hit three other Lio Mersin his previous 896 major league Al bats. Teammate Brinn Fisher another Pitcher was so impressed with Rousche s feat that two nights later he got his first major league i. It was of course a Home run. You a petted something less in this season of the Long Hall through thursday the Nal Ronal league had played 270 games this season in which 533 Home runs had been hit including those by Fisher and re Uschel. Al the same Calendar Point last year in 253 games no hitlers had produced 416 homers. In the american league s first 308 games this sea son 711 Home runs were hit compared with 598 a year ago after 307 games. Included in the 1987 total was a three Homer game by Cory Snyder of Cleve land and unprecedented consecutive lefty right Homer games by switch hitter Eddie Murray of Balti More. Snyder and Murray Are supposed to be sluggers though. What has raised eyebrows around baseball Are the Muscles being flexed by some less Likely hit lets. Philadelphia s Luis Aguayo had eight Home runs in his first 85 Ai Bais astounding numbers for a Guy who hit four in 133 Al bats last year and six in 165 swings the year before. Aguayo never hit More than nine homers in a season but  happened Only against new York Penn league and american association pitchers nol in the National league. Then there is the Case of Lenn Sakala Utility in fielder with inc new York Yankees he hit two Hom ers in his first 25 Ai Bals a ruthian Pace which projects to 40 dingers in a Standard 500-swing season. Sakai hit two All Oftas year in 399 at bats at Taco Mao Lac Pacific coast league going into 1987, Bob Dernier of the chicag cubs had 13 homers in his career and just one in 469 at Bals two years ago. But he hit three in his firs 51 swings this season. One of those beat Cincinnati s John Franco and was the first run the Cincinnati reliever had surrender All year. Len Dykstra and cookie Wilson who platoon in Center Field for the new York mils Are both  with a Spray hitter s image. But they had a combined 10 homers in the first 44 games com pared to 17 Between them All oblast season Veteran Manny Trillo who has never hit More than seven homers in a season since reaching the majors in 1973, had three in his first 41 no Bals for the cubs this year. Seattle shortstop key Quinones who crushed two in 312 swings last season had five in 149 this year. The Litany goes on and on. Balls arc flying out of major league Parks with remarkable regularity sparking suspicion especially among the pitching fraternity that the manufacturer is juicing up he product. La s just not so said Ted size More vice presi Dent of baseball development for raw limbs sporting goods and a former major league infielder. There arc no changes in the Ball not in the material and not in the manufacturing process. Its the same we manufactured 10 years ago when we got the contract. We would never tamper with the Ball. The last change was when baseball decided it was All right to use cowhide instead oho Schide. That was about 1971 or 72." size quire can give you chapter and verse about the construction of baseballs from the Cushion Cork Cen Ter to the league presidents signatures. His credentials As a Home run expert May be suspect however since he hit Only 23 in 12 major league  is Only 19 behind him now. The attic salad Purtil plot Tang talc pieces together the materials of a baseball Are made in the United states and assembled in Haiti. A baseball begins with Cushion Cork a red Pellet Core that is encased first in a layer of Black rubber and then in a layer of red rub Ber shown at left this Pill or nucleus is covered by three wrap pings of 300 Yards of Wool Yam Gray White and Gray and one wrapping Over that of pol Cotton Yam. A coat of rubber Cement is placed on the Yam and finally the cowhide cover is sewn on with 108 stitches. Specifications Call for balls to weigh from 5 to 5 4 ounces and measure irom 9 to 9i inches across two seams. . Improves Home record to 15-3 Yankee homers sink mariners 5-2 by the associated press new York Gary Ward Rickey Henderson and Dave emf Tell homered for the Yankees thursday night As new York beat the Seattle mariners 5-2. Rick Rhoden 6-3, gave up 10 hits. Me lost his shutout bid in the ninth inning when Ken Phelps hit a two run Homer his 14th, with no outs. Dave Righello Ihen relieved for his 12th save. Ward hit a two Nin Nowr his seventh of the season in the first inning after Don Mattingly Drew a walk from Mike Moore 2-6. Henderson hit his 10th Homer in the fifth and Winfield hit his Lelih in the eighth both Solo shots. New York s other run came in the sixth when Dan Pasqua singled Winfield walked and Mike Pagliarulo singled. Seattle loaded the bases in the sixth with three infield singles but failed to score. Harold Reynolds was nicked off first base by Rhoden Phil Bradley grounded out and Phelps struck out. The Yankees improved their Home re Cord to 15-3, the Best in the major leagues. In other games thursday Al Roundup athletics 4, Blue jays 3 Toronto slugger Jose Canseco squeezed Home the tie breaking run in the seventh inning and Dave Stewart pitched three hit Bill before getting Relief help in the ninth leading Oakland by Toronto. Stewart 6-4, struck out a career High 10 and walked one in winning for the sixth Lime in his last eight decisions. He retired 17 straight Bailers before Tony Fernandez Ted off the ninth with a Dou ble. Twins 13, Imren 1 Minneapolis Tom Brunansky s two run Homer capped a six run first in Ning and Juan Berenguer pitched seven shutout innings As Minnesota rolled Over Milwaukee. Brunansky added an rib single in Minnesota s five run third inning and Gene Larkin Kirby Puckett Tim Laudner and Mark Davidson chipped into Bis apiece in a 14-hit stuck As the twins completed their first three game sweep since the season s opening be rfcs. The Brewers who began the season with a 1j-0 record have lost five in a Row and 17 of their last 19. Berenguer 3-0, allowed four hits struck out five and walked none in seven innings. He continued his solid performance since being promoted to the Rota lion two weeks ago. Mark Portugal finished and gave up three hits including Greg Brock s Rhi double with two out in the ninth. Red sex 11, Indium 8 Boston Dwight Evans drove in is runs with a Homer and two singles and Boson beat Cleveland despite threesome runs by the indians Joe Carter. Carter hit a three run Homer in the first inning and Solo shots in the fifth and ninth giving him ii this season. Carter who also singled has hit three homers in a game twice a i Fenway Park. Jim Rice had three hits including the go ahead single in a four run sixth in Ning in helping the red sox Complete a sweep of the four game series. Pat Tablor hit a three run Homer and Julio Franco had four of i Hie indians 15 hits. Orioles 8, Angels 7 Baltimore Mike Young fouled off two bunt attempts and then hit his second Home run in extra innings a two run shot in the 12th, As Baltimore beat California. Young s first two homers of the season helped the orioles to their Siik Victory in a Row and sent California to its sixth straight loss. Larry sheets Hil two homers and Cal Ripken or. And Rick Bureson also connected for Baltimore which leads the majors with 76 homers. The orioles set a major league record with their i fish Homer in May and have Hil 48 in their last 19 games. Yanks recall Meacham to beef up infield new York a the new York Yankees announced that infielder Bobby Mem Ham has been recalled from the Columbus clippers of the class a a International league. Mcacham who was the Yankees regu Lar shortstop in 1985, but lost his Job last season was hiding .273 with three Hom ers am 22 Kab in 40 games. Keith Hughes a Reserve outfielder who was Holless in four Pinch hit appear ances was optioned to Columbus tomake room for Meacham on the Yan Kees 7-4-Man roster