European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes tuesday August 20,1991 twins outfielder Dan Gladden Flics into Oakland Catcher Terry Steinbach while scoring sunday on a double by Chuck Knoblach. Twins mount another rally Send a s to 7th loss in Row by the associated press Minneapolis a the Minnesota twins rallied for the third consecutive night against the Oakland athletics scoring three runs in the eighth inning for a 6-4 Victory sunday that sent Oakland to its seventh straight loss. Minnesota remained 316 games ahead of Chicago in the american league West while third place Oakland the three time Al champions fell seven games Back. The a a had not lost seven straight since june 29 to july 5, 19s6. The twins rallied from a 4-2 ninth inning deficit Friday and a 4-1 deficit saturday before winning 12-4, this time they trailed 4-1 before scoring two runs in the seventh and routing Rick Honeycutt 2-3 in the eighth. American league Chili Davis led off the eighth with a single and scored the tying run on Brian harpers triple. Shane Mack followed with a go ahead single and Mike Pagliarulo a single chased Honeycutt. Gene Larking sri group Dout off Steve Chitren scored the innings final run. Carl Willis 7-2 allowed one run and two hits in five innings in Relief of Willie Banks. Rick Aguilera pitched a perfect ninth for his 32nd save and completed the four hitter. In other late games sunday Brewers 2, orioles 1 Milwaukee a Bill Spiers hit a go ahead double in the eighth and extended his hitting Streak to a career High 13 games As Milwaukee finished a three game sweep. Bill Wegman 8-6 allowed eight hits in eight innings struck out three and walked one As Milwaukee won for the fifth time in six games. Doug Henry finished with a one hit ninth for his fourth save. Angels 4, mariners 3 Seattle a Jim Abbott matched a career High with his 12th Victory and Gary Gaetti drove in two runs with a Home run and a double As California won for the fifth time in six games. Abbott 112-8 matched his Victory total from 1989, when he was 12-12. He allowed eight hits and two runs in Ivi innings struck out seven and walked two. Bryan Harvey got four outs for his 29th save. Lifts cubs Over by the associated press Chicago a Ryne Sandberg singled for his fourth hit of the game stole second and scored on Shawon Dunston a single with two outs in the 10th inning sunday to fuel the Chicago cubs to a 7-6 Victor Over the Philadelphia Phillies. With one out Sandberg singled off third baseman Charlie Hayes Glove. National league after Andre Dawson popped out  second and scored on Dunston a single Down the left Field line off Mitch Williams 6-4. Paul Assenmacher 6-4 pitched two innings for the Victory. In other late games sunday astros 8, dodgers 4 los Angeles a Steve Finley completed a productive weekend with a pair of run scoring singles As Houston beat los Angeles to split the four game series. Despite the loss the dodgers maintained a 116-game Lead Over Atlanta in the West. Finley the astros Lead off hitter finished the series with seven Quot hits and five Bis. He capped a three run second inning against Mike Morgan 10-7 with his first hit and put Houston ahead to stay in the sixth with a single. Padres 2, braves 1 san die it go a Andy Benes gave up one run in 716 innings to win his fourth straight As san Diego beat Atlanta. Benes 8-10 gave up six hits struck out three and walked two before Craig Lefferts relieved. Over the four game series san Diego pitchers held Atlanta to six runs in splitting the series. Reds 4, giants 3,11 innings san Francisco the reds won their third game in a Row their longest winning Streak in almost two months As Glenn Braggs scored from second base on Joe Oliver a infield single with two outs in the 11th. Braggs was hit by a pitch and with two outs stole second. Oliver then hit a 6 Rounder up the Middle behind Dave Rig Etti 2-5 that second baseman Robby Thompson fielded several Steps onto the Outfield grass. Braggs never stopped running and scored when Thompsons throw to Home hit him on the Side. Rob Dibble 3-2 was the Winner with three innings of scoreless Relief. Spending spree has braves on history s Doorstep by Michael Martinez the new York times Lovs Angeles a something is wrong with this picture september is close and so Are the Atlanta braves. The season has come Down to its final seven weeks but the braves who in recent years seemed to take a lease on last place Haven to wilted yet. Since the All Star break the braves Are 24-13. Of their last 47 games 26 Are on the Road but they also have the Best Road Mark in the division 29-26. A if the season ended today a Terry Pendleton  third baseman said a we would have to consider what we be done to be a Success. Fortunately for us its not Over  not with six games still left against the dodgers All of them coining in a 10-Day Span beginning sept. 13. But even if they fall Short the braves have still enjoyed their ride. A a it a a lot More fun to be at this Point and watch what the other teams Are doing Quot said Pitcher Tom Glavine whose 15 victories make him a candidate for the by Young award. A in the past we did no to have a bearing on the Pennant race. Now we do. Everybody is in the race so you pay attention to  but no team has earned More attention than the braves who have been near the Lead for most of the season after spending most of their past trying to escape last place. In each of the six previous seasons the braves finished either in fifth place or sixth in the National league West averaging 96 losses. At this time last year they were entrenched in last 231/2 games out of first. They finished in the cellar with 65 victories which is Only Uvo More than they have now. In modern Ina or league history no team has Ever gone from last to first in consecutive seasons. Thus the braves Are fighting both the dodgers and a lot of precedent. A a we did no to always know How to win a said shortstop Jeff Blauser who in three full seasons has endured a careers Worth of unsightly losses. A we did no to know How to do the Small things that it takes to win. When you re that far in a Hole its hard to see any kind of  but a Small beam began to break through last october with the addition of John Schuerholz As exec have vice president and general manager. The owner Ted Turner gave Schuerholz who had spent two decades As the Kansas City royals major mover an open Check Book for free agents and was rewarded handsomely although it Cost him $30 million. Last season the braves were last in the National league in pitching Fielding and stolen bases and 10th in hitting. This season they Are first in hitting and slugging second in runs scored and fourth in pitching. And even though they have committed More errors than every team but Houston their defense is markedly improved. A a we re not making the errors that beat ourselves like in the past a Glavine said. A we might be making As Many errors As last season but they re coming in games that Are blowouts. At crucial times we re making the  a lot of the credit for that goes to Pendleton who has been the braves steadying Force a a he a haying an map year with his Glove his hitting his leadership everything a manager Bobby Cox said of Pendleton. A i wont say that he a been a Surprise but we be gotten More from him than we  Pendleton who signed for $10.2 million Over four years came to the braves when his former team the St. Louis cardinals showed Little interest in re signing him. He is having a Superb season in Atlanta having hit a career High 16 Home runs. He is also third in the National league in hitting and is batting .345 with runners in scoring position. A a in a just trying to go unnoticed Quot Pendleton 31, said. Madonna would have a better Chance walking Down Broadway