European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Nixon apologizes to team fans kids Atlanta a Otis Nixon the Atlanta braves outfielder suspended for it l Days for failing a drug test apologized to his fans thursday As he spoke publicly about the suspension for the first time. Quot i want to apologize to my teammates the fans and the kids for letting them Down at this time a Nixon said in a statement released by his agent Joe Sproha in Richmond a. Quot it is Lough for me right now but i have made the right decisions and the problem and situations at hand Are being dealt  the braves Are locked in a race with the los Angeles dodgers for the no West trailing by one half game going into a weekend showdown in . A i would like the team to continue winning and concentrating on the Pennant Quot Nixon said. Nixon a career .228 hitter was batting .297 and leading the major leagues in stolen bases with 72 when he was suspended. He was suspended monday by baseball commissioner Fay Vincent after testing positive for cocaine on sept. 7 in a urinalysis test. He also tested positive for the drug on july 13, but Vincent gave the outfielder a second Chance rather than suspend him after that test. Vincent said Nixon bad passed More than 200 urinalysis tests Over four years As part of his aftercare program for a 1987 drug related arrest when he was in the Cleveland indians organization. There is no known precedent of a player Najt being punished for a positive drug test a the Best statement i can make to you is i made a judgment Quot Vincent said this week �?o1 think it was at least appropriate and i Don t really regret making it. A i think people in this position have to make judgments like that. I was hopeful that it would turn out to be what i thought it was. The fact that it turned out otherwise is  braves general manager John Schuerholz said he had not had any Contact with Nixon and does t plan to in the near future. Nixon s whereabouts have been unknown since he left the team monday in san Francisco. He was not at his Home thursday. The stars and stripes september 21, 1991 b Page 32 Ryan Abbott get victories in twin Bill by the associated press Arlington Texas a Nolan Ryan  Chuck Finley for his 313rd career Victory in the opener then California s Jim Abbott celebrated his 24th birthday by winning the second game thursday and giving the Angels to a Dou he hinder split with the Texas rangers. Dean Palmer Home red in both games sm6rlgao league re Tor Texas. The rangers took the opener 10-3 before California bounced Back to win 3-2. Ryan i 1-0 struck out seven in six innings. He allowed three runs on six hits while working in a Light Mist and 03-degree weather. Ryan is just one Victory away from tying Gaylord Perry for 13th on the All time win list. Finley 17-9 lasted Only four innings yielding five runs on six hits and six walks. Abbott pitched 7vs innings and gave up six hits including Home runs by Rafael Palmeiro and Palmer. Bryan Harvey finished for his 40th j save. Max Venable drove in two runs with singles Tor the Angels. Kevin Brown 9-11 was the loser. The opener was tied at 3-3 in the fifth when Finley walked Julio Franco and Ruben Sierra. They pulled off a double steal then Juan Gonzalez hit a two run single. In thursday s other game in the Al mariners 10, royals 5 sf1attle a Ken Griffey or. Hit his third grand slam of the season and Alvin Davis drove in four runs to Lead the mariners Over Kansas City. Seattle which trailed 5-1, erupted for six runs in the Bottom of the sixth inning highlighted by Griffey a slam his 21st Home run of the season off Tom Gordon 9-12. Rookie Dave Burba 1-2, pitched i innings of one hit Relief to pick up his first major league Victory and Bill Swift pitched two innings for his 14th save. Danny tort Bull went 3 for 4 with three Bis including his 29th Homer to Lead the royals. Braves dodgers win on eve of showdown by the associated press san Diego a David Justice singled Home the go ahead run in the 10th inning and the Atlanta braves beat the san Diego padres 4-2 thursday night to remain one half game behind los Angeles heading into their weekend showdown. The braves trailing the dodgers by one half game in the no West were to begin a three game series Friday night in los Angeles. Last weekend the braves won two of three in Atlanta against the dodgers. In the 10th, Lonnie Smith singled off Craig la alerts i stand first baseman Fred Mcgriffe double error on Vinny Castilla s bunt put runners on second and third. Terry Pendleton was intentionally walked Justice singled and Ron Gant followed with a sacrifice try. Mark Wohlers 2-1 survived a bases loaded Jam in the ninth getting Tom Lampkin on an inning ending groundnut. Alejandro Pena finished for his 10th save. In other games thursday dodgers 4, astros 3 los Angeles a Darryl Strawberry hit a two run Homer in the first inning and los Angeles held on to Del fat Houston for its fourth consecutive Victory. Kevin Gross 10-10 allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings struck out six and walked two. Tim Crews got two outs and Roger Mcdowell finished for his seventh save striking out Ken Caminiti in the eighth with two outs and the bases loaded. Mark Portugal 10-9 gave up four runs and six hits in seven innings. Pirates 5, cardinals 1 Pittsburgh Pinch hitter Curtis Wilkerson a grand slam capped a five run ninth inning. Pittsburgh Cut its magic number to four increasing its Lead in the no East to 121/ games its largest since sept. 16, 1972. Rookie Omar Olivares 9-ft took a two hit shutout into the ninth but Cecil Espy and Bobby Bonilla singled and Burry Bonds hit an rib groundnut off Boh Mcclure. Lee Smith relieved with the bases loaded and Wilkerson hit his first Home run since april 29, 1989. Stan Belinda 7-5 pitched a perfect ninth in Relief of John Smiley who allowed six hits in eight innings. Giants 4, reds 1 san Francisco a Cincinnati the defending world series Champion was pushed to the Brink of elimination As san Francisco scored three runs in the eighth helped by squeeze bunts from Dave Anderson and Jose Uribe. Francisco Oliveras ft-5 pitched a scoreless eighth and Dave Righetti finished Tor his 24th save As the giants won their fifth straight. Houston s Ken Comini i is a but at second bal Jan Samuel s throw to first is late. Phillies 5, expos 4 Philadelphia a Darrin Fletcher singled Home the winning run with two outs in the itch inning and Philadelphia heat Montreal in the rain. A crowd of 5,297 saw the game which was supposed to be played in Montreal hut w As switched last week after a 53-ton chunk of Concrete fell at olympic stadium. I he Start was delayed by rain for i hour it minutes and there was another Delav of i hour  minutes in the ninth inning. Rain in new York new York the game Between the Chicago cubs and new York acts w is rained oui. Heisman race missing a Leader a Page 25 Home dome favors the saints a Page 29 yellow jackets Edge Virginia Page 30 Leafs get oilers Fuhr in big Swap a Page 31