European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 4, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Jays win Al East title by Mike Nadel Toronto a the Toronto Blue jays weren to going to lose. Not on this night. Not with More than 50,000 fans a including the 4 Millionth of the season a in attendance. Not with the Al East on the line. A we did no tavant to have to worry about what Boston did. It was important to get ready on a High note a Roberto Alomar said. And that they did. Toronto came Back with two runs in the ninth inning wednesday night and beat the California Angels 6-5 on Joe Carters ninth inning single to wrap up the Al East championship. A this team has been called Choker in the past a said Alomar who set up the winning run by stealing third. A but that does no to fit this team. There Are too Many new faces around All three players who contributed to the ninth inning rally weren to with the Blue jays last year when theother Al games on Page 30 team lost the division title on the final Day. Devon White who led off with a single off Bryan Harvey was acquired from California. Alomar who reached on second baseman Kevin Floral a throwing error that allowed White to score and put him at second came in a big Trade with san Diego. And Carter had languished in Cleveland and san Diego the previous two seasons. A the three Guys we got Over the Winter were involved in our final two runs and that makes me feel Good a Toronto general manager Pat Gillick said. A things just fell into place. It was very exciting. It was Good we could win at Home and not have to Back into it. It was important to win it before the 4-Millionth fan and Send everyone Home the sky dome finale Drew a crowd of 50,324, which raised Toronto a season total to 4,001,526 a making the Blue jays the first team in sports history to reach the 4 million Milestone. A nobody can say we backed in. We put Back a Challenge by Detroit when they got close and we did the same with Boston a said Candy Maldonado an August waiver acquisition. Added White a you can t ask for any More than 50,000 fans every game. The Best Way we could repay these fans was to bring them another Toronto has won two division titles in three years. Since 1985, the Blue jays have won three division titles and were eliminated twice on the seasons final Day. The Blue jays will play the West Champion Minnesota twins in the Al playoffs which begin tuesday at the metronome. It will be the first time two teams playing in domed stadiums will meet in the postseason. The stars and stripes october 4, 1991 b Page 32 it s All even in no West Nicks Deal to Cheeks to Atlanta new York a four time Allstar Maurice Cheeks was traded by the new York kicks to the Atlanta Hawks wednesday for Tim Mccormick in an Aba Deal that filled both teams need for backup players. Cheeks a 13-year Veteran who is the Aba career Leader in steals and is fifth in assists became expendable when the kicks drafted Greg Anthony no. 1 and coach Pat Riley said Mark Jackson would be the starting Point guard. Cheeks 35, is expected to Back up re meal Robinson for Atlanta which traded Doc Rivers to the los Angeles clippers in the of season. A we made this Trade to fill a void in our backcourt a Hawks general manager Pete Babcock said. A Maurice brings a lot of experience to the position and a positive winning the kicks needed Mccormick As a backup Center after they declined to resign Eddie Lee Wilkins last seasons Reserve in the Middle. A this gives us a solid Reserve Center behind Patrick Ewing a said Ernie or in Feld new York s director of player personnel by the associated press Cincinnati a Champagne corks popped in Atlanta a clubhouse for Tom Glavine a 20th win. Then the braves headed Home with a Chance to celebrate something even bigger a an no West title. Glavine scattered five hits Over eight innings to become the major leagues first 20-game Winner and the braves moved into a tie for first place in the no West with a 6-3 Victory Over Cincinnati on wednesday night. The braves turned the tables on Cincinnati with six first inning runs and their sixth consecutive Road Victory tied them with los Angeles which lost to san Diego 9-4. A we knew if we were even or one game behind there a going to be a Good Chance of at least forcing a playoff a Glavine said. A a it la be Sweet to go Back Home and get in first place or maybe Clinch the braves went Home for a Day of rest before their final three game Home series against Houston. The dodgers also Are off thursday before wrapping up the season with three games in candlestick Park against the giants. Atlanta had a lot to savor on the flight Home from a perfect Road trip. A a it a impossible to have a better one a manager Bobby Cox said. No. 6 was a near replay of the previous one when the reds scored six first inning runs Only to watch the braves rally for a 7-6 win in the ninth inning. But Glavine 20-11 made sure the similarities would end Long before the ninth. The left hander occasionally struggled in his third try for no. 20, walking three. But the braves turned four double plays to scuttle threats and Alejandro Pena got the last three outs for his 14th save and his 10th in 10 chances with Atlanta. Afterwards the braves popped open a few bottles of Champagne to celebrate Atlanta a first 20-game Winner season since Phil Niekro went 21-20 in 1979. Pendleton went 2 for 4 to wrest the no batting Lead from Cincinnati s Hal Morris who did t play. Pendleton is hitting .3189 to Morris .3182. San Diego a Tony Gwynn is third at .3169. National league lakers acquire Seattle s Threatt Inglewood Calif. A the los Angeles lakers acquired guard be Dale Threatt from the Seattle supersonics wednesday in Exchange for three second round draft choices and waived Center Mychal Thompson and guard Larry Drew. Threatt 30, is an eight year Aba Veteran who had his Best season last year averaging 12.7 Points and 3.4 assists. A a we re wry Happy to add Sedale Threatt to our Laker general manager Jerry West said. A a he a a very solid player and is coming off his two Best seasons. A the can play both Point guard and of guard and will help help us with his defense shooting and play making its expected that Threatt will among other things Back up magic Johnson at Point guard for the lakers. With the subtraction of Threatt a starter in 57 games last season the zanies Atlanta a Tom Glavine. First to win 20 in other games wednesday padres 9, dodgers 4 los Angeles a in a Battle of wins and wills Down the stretch los Angeles blinked first and lost to san Diego falling into a first place tie with Atlanta. Despite another Home run by Darryl Strawberry the dodgers were demolished by the padres strange six run eighth inning to snap a 3-3 tie. For the fourth straight night the dodgers took the Field knowing the braves had won. Atlanta beat Cincinnati 6-3 for its sixth straight Victory. Los Angeles beat san Francisco two out of three in their series at dodger stadium last weekend. And giants manager Roger Craig says it would Salvage the season to decide the race. If the dodgers and braves finished the regular season tied the teams will have a one game playoff monday night at dodger stadium. The padres upended the dodgers with perhaps the strangest a a big inning of the season. San Diego parlayed two bunt singles three infield hits two singles to the Outfield a groundnut and a throwing error by first baseman Eddie Murray into six runs. The padres six run outburst came against reliever Kevin Gross 10-11. Oscar Azocar Pinch hitting for Winner Greg Harris 9-5started the bizarre rally with a bunt single to open the inning then finished it with a run scoring dribbler up the first base line. In Between Bip Roberts singled to Short Jack Howell loaded the bases with a bunt that died on the third base line and Darrin Jackson singled to make it 4-3. Fred Mcgriff grounded to first and Murray threw wide to the plate. Benito Santiago greeted reliever Roger Mcdowell with an rib single and Thomas Howard drove in a run with a groundnut. Craig Shipley then singled off Mcdowell a Glove for another run and Azocar the 10th padre to Bat in the inning beat Scios Ciao a throw to first base out a single up the first base line for san Diego a sixth 1, Phillies 0 Philadelphia Greg Maddux pitched a three hitter and drove in the Only run with a single As Chicago beat 6, expos 4 St. Louis a Felix Jose hit a three run Homer and Lee Smith recorded his 47th save to extend his no record for saves As St. Louis beat 7, giants 5 san Francisco Craig Biggio and Andujar Cedeno each drove in two runs As Houston beat san Francisco. The last place astros won the series 2-1, tying the season series at 9-9. S a mets 9, pirates 6 Pittsburgh Kevin Mcreynolds hit a three run Homer in the 11th inning off Bob Patterson to lift new York Over Pittsburgh. Will move Ricky Pierce in As Seattle a starter at shooting guard this season. Coach . Jones said Dana Barros who was unhappy with his minutes last season will become pierces backup. Jones said he was not concerned about pierces age or health. Pierce 32, was the a bad Stop sixth Man in 1987 and 1990 at Milwaukee. He came to the sonics from the Bucks in a Trade for Dale Ellis. The supersonics will receive second round picks in 1994, 1995 and 1996.inside sports Hunt begins for nil franchises a Page 25 College football scores schedules a Page 26 flu Miami picked to win big a Page 29 Fenway Park silenced again a Page 30
