European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 29, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday september 39,1987 the stars and stripes Page 21sports giants spoil Niekro Farewell rip braves to Clinch tie in West by the associated press Atlanta while inc hell is cd to come for the san Francisco giants Phi Niekro made his Farewell to baseball sunday. The giants clinched a tie Tor he National league Wesl title spoiling Nick to s final game by routing he atlant braves 15-6 As Candy Maldonado Hil a grand slam and drove in six runs. San Francisco Cut its magic number to one Over second place Cincinnati which beat Houston 4-2. The giants can c in Cut their first playoff berth since 1971 by winning monday night in san Diego or if inc reds lose to Atlanta in Cincinnati. The giants also put a disappointing end on Niekro s career. The 48-year-old knuckle Bailer signed to Pilch one final game Tor the braves but he wound up allowing five runs on six hits with six walks in three plus innings and got a no decision. Niekro failed to hold a 5-0 Lead and led inc Mound with his head bowed to a four minute standing ovation his Sci. Chm of in Day from 26,019 tans on at Lanta s final Home Date of inc season. I could t think of a belter Way to retire than with an a on my Cap said Nickroo. Who has already accepted a front office Job with the braves. I was not embarrassed because i got beat around. I be done that before Nickroo is 12th on the ail Lime Victor list with a 318-274 record and holds most of Atlanta s career pitching Marks. He went 7-11 earlier mis season for Cleveland and then 0-2 for Toronto be fore being released by the Blue jays aug. Til Roundup the giants chased 48-year-old Phil no Cora from the Mound for he last time. 31, ending his Hope of pitching in the world series for inc first time. " was hoping he would go five innings and gel the win bul my heart was set in not letting him gel the loss Atlanta manager Chuck Tanner said. In other games sunday cub 7, cardinals 3 Chicago Hob Dernier a last minute replacement in the Starling line up had a Home run double and scored twice to Lead inc Chicago cubs Over St. Louis As the cardinals magic number for clinching the my Easl title remained at five. The toss coupled with new York s 12 3 Victory Over Pittsburgh reduced  Lead to 2 i games. The cardinals Lead third place Montreal by three games and Start a four game series with the expos tuesday at Busch stadium. Homers by Dernier Rafael Palmeiro Keith Moreland and Andre Dawson gave tast Ptack Chicago a league leading 20 homers this season. It marked the first time in major league history that four teams Hil 200 or More in the same , Dir ii and Toronto reached the Mark earlier in the american league. Expos 5, Phillies 3philadelphia Tim Raines hit a Bloop double that was lost in the Sun and scored on a wild Pilch to break an eighth inning tie and Montreal went on to beat Philadelphia to stay alive in inc no East race. The score was lid a 3 when Raines led off the eighth against Mike Jackson 3-9, with a routine Fly to Center Field that Mill Thompson lost in he Sun and Raines wound up at second base Milch Webster Ilien beat Oul a bum sin Gle advancing Raines to third and Raines scored when reliever Kent the Kulycz s 0-1 pitch sailed past Catcher Lance part Irish mels 12, pirates 3new York Bob Ojeda won h is first Start since coming off the disabled list on sept i after missing three months and Kevin Mcreynolds drove in four runs anew York Defeated Pittsburgh reds 4. Astros 2 Cincinnati buddy bed s two run triple highlighted a four run eighth inning sunday that earned Cincinnati past hous ton keeping the reds slim chances in the National league West  4, padres 3 los Angeles John Shelby hit bases loaded double with two outs in the eighth inning o lift los Angeles Over san Diego As the padres Benilo Santiago extended his Rookie record hitting Streak to29 consecutive games. Twins rouf royals 8-1, near title by the associated press Minneapolis a rare third or second to Home double play gave the Minnesota twins a mental lift sunday that brought them to the Brink of their firs american league West title since 1970. Kirby Puckett Gary Gaetti and Kent Hrbcek homered in the twins five run first inning after second baseman Al Newman s Stellar defensive play at second base in the top of the inning got Minnesota out of a Jam. The twins went on to rout the Kansas City royals 6-1 to Clinch a tie for first place with six games to play. Bert Blyleven walked Lead Oft Batter Willie Wilson and gave up a single to Kevin soil scr pulling runners on first and third with none out. But George Brett then grounded sharply to Gaetti Al third who went to Newman at second. Newman quickly fired a strike to the plate nailing Wilson forthe unusual double play. It was a key play far me said Blyleven 15-11,who pitched a five hitter. If he does t get Wilson at the plate it s 1-0 and Hal might have changed the mood of 1hc whole  that got the crowd into the game Newman said. When you be got first and Bird with George Brett at the plate you can Only expect the worst. If i Don t make the play i m the goal. I could t believe i made it  a play like Hal can make the momentum shift royals manager John Waihun said. Give Newman and the twins credit. It was just a matter of time with their Power til they Hil some  the Only run Blyleven allowed was Danny Tarta Bull s 32nd Homer in the fourth. Royals starter Charlie Leibrandt i in lasted 19 pitches in the first inning. The t ins just missed a fourth Homer when Newman doubled just inches from the top of the kit Field Wall. In other games sunday tigers 3, Bra Sta s2 Toronto Kirk Gibson s Juth inning single Al Roundup drove in the go ahead run and the Detroit Tiger stayed close in the american league East race by beat ing the Toronto Blue jays 3-2, averting a sweep in their four game series related Story picture on Page 25. The Blue jays magic number remained at live and their Lead Over the tigers dropped to 2 a games. The two teams finish the season with three games at de troit next weekend. Jim Walewander started the 13th with a walk off Jose Nunez 5-2, the fifth of six Toronto pitchers. A in wander went to second on Lou Whitaker s sacrifice and scored when Gibson s soft Fly Ball bounced off the artificial turf and Over Center fielder Lloyd Moseby s head. Mike Hencman 10-3, who had worked 1 h innings on saturday  Ivi innings for the Victory and Dickie Solcs got the last Oul for his second save. Darrell Evans led off the i Ullh inning with his 33rdhomer after Gibson tied the game i a with a Homer in the ninth Toronto winning Friday and saturday by scoring three runs in the ninth in both games rallied for an unearned run in the Bottom of the his off Doyle Alexander. Oriole 9, Yankees 5 Baltimore Rene Gonzales broke a 5-5 lie with a double to Baltimore rallied for five runs in the seventh inning to defeat new York and snap an eight game losing Streak. The rally came after the orioles whose Home record of 31-5 is the worst in baseball had fallen behind 5-1 in the lop of the seventh by allowing three unearned runs on two errors by shortstop Caj Ripken or. Pal Clements 3-3, yielded rib singlet to Carl Nich ols and Pete Stanicek tying the score at 5-5 in the seventh. Gonzales double put inc orioles ahead and Ray i Uigh added a two run single off Neil Allen. The orioles had Laken a 3-1 Lead in the fourth on a two run Homer by Larry sheets his 30lh. Rickey Hen Derson s 16th Homer pulled the yanks to within 3-2 in the fifth. Brewers 9, red sox 6 Milwaukee Robin Yount delivered a two run single for his loll a rib of the season capping a four run sixth inning that gave Milwaukee a Victory Over Boston. Boston led 6-1 in the fifth and took a 6-3 advantage into the sixth behind Rookie Jody Reed s three Bis but reliever Wes Gardner walked the bases loaded and was replaced by Bob Stanley 4-15. Paul Mollor who homered earlier singled to make it 6-4 and another run scored on Mike Felder s ground or. Youni s two run single made him the first Brewer since Cecil Cooper in 1983 to get 100 Bis. The Victory went to Milwaukee reliever Ray Burris 2-2, who look Over in the fifth for starter Teddy Higuera who was trying for i 19th Victory but was re placed after giving up eight hits and six runs. Angels ii indians 8 Cleveland Mark Mclymore drove in four runs with a pair of bases loaded singles and Don sul ton earned his 320th career Victory in his first Relief appearance since 19so As California Defeated Cleve land. Sutton 10-11, who is in 11 the place on the All Lime win list gave up of Csc runs and four hits in 4tt  sox 5, athletics 0 Oakland Calif. Dave a Point pitched a two hitter and Ivan Calderon hit two of Chicago s Home runs As Chicago blanked Oakland to Complete a four game sweep of the athletics. It was Lapoint s first shutout since May 5, 1985, when he pitched for san Francisco against St. Louis. Mariners 5, rangers 3 Seattle Pinch hitter Dave henge s three run Homer off Mitch Williams in the eighth inning gave Seattle a Victory Over Texas. It was the sixth conic Cutie loss for the rangers and third straight win for Seattle