European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 12, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                T Friday August 12, 1994 sports the stars and stripes Page 33 in t if the strike holds White sox indians Are sitting pretty by the associated press if the regular season does not resume after a players strike the Chicago White sox probably won t mind. The same goes for the Cleveland indians., the Texas rangers May not be quite so Happy. Both the White sox and indians won wednesday to ensure themselves of spot sin the expanded playoffs should the remainder of the regular season be can celeb. Chicago s 2-1 win Over Oakland gave the White sox a one game Lead Ove Cleveland in the , a margin that can t be closed before a strike be cause both teams have today off. Texas meanwhile lost a Chance to Clinch the Al West when Seattle beat the rangers 3-2 in 10 innings. Texas is Only one half game ahead of the Oakland athletics who were to play Seattle on thursday in the last game before the players planned walkout. A Victory would put the athletics i Atie with Texas which also was off thurs Day. We knew Cleveland won and we knew we had to win Chicago s Jason Here said. We knew Oakland was going to play us Tough because they re in a race with Texas. We knew what was at  though Chicago s win locked the Indi ans in second place they clinched the wild card spot with a 5-3 Victory Over to Ronto. We played like it was the last game of the season said Cleveland s Dennis Martinez Friday s scheduled  i m going to keep in shape in Case we come  in other games indians 5, Blue jays 3 at Toronto Jason Grimsley 5-2 Wonfor the fourth time in five starts allowing seven hits and two runs Over six innings. Jim Thome had three hits Omar Viz Quel scored twice and Kenny Lofton stole american league his 59th and 60th bases for Cleveland. Juan Guzman 12-11 fell to 0-3 against the indians this season after going 6-0 against them in his first three seasons. White sox 2, athletics 1 a. At Oakland Julio Franco drove in Chi Cago s first run and scored the go ahead run on a wild pitch from Steve Ontive Rosin the fourth inning. Bere 12-2who has t lost since june18, went 5 2-3 innings pitching with run ners on base in every inning but the first. Ontiveros 6-4 pitched a five hitter but continued to suffer from Lack of run support. In his six starts since the All Star break Oakland has scored just 17 runs. Mariners 3, rangers 2,10 innings at Arlington Texas Mike blowers homered in the top of the 10th on a 2-0 pitch from Tom Henke 3-6. It was his ninth Homer of the year. Bill Risley 9-6 pitched 1v6 innings of scoreless Relief and Bobby Ayala pitched the 10th for his 18th save. Texas is 10 games under .500 for the first time since june 26,1990. Seattle playing its 19th straight Road game because of falling ceiling tiles at the kingdom has won a season High five straight and improved to 9-1 this year against Texas. Tigers 4, Brewers 0 at Detroit David Wells 5-7 pitched three hitter for his first career shutout and fifth Complete game this season an Cecil fielder drove in two runs. Wells previous Low hit game was a five hitter. Orioles 8, Yankees 1 at new York Rafael Palmeiro drove in five runs with four hits As Baltimore orioles third baseman Leo Gomez reaches into the crowd for a pop Fly wednesday. Routed Jimmy key 17-4. New York has lost four of its last five games. Twins 17, red sox 7 at Minneapolis Kirby Puckett drove in seven runs with a grand slam and a three run Homer. The twins have their first five game winning Streak of the year the red sox have lost four straight. Puckett tagged Scott Bankhead 3-2 for his sixth career grand slam to stake Jim Deshaies 6-12 to a big Lead. Rich Rowland homered twice for Boston. Angels 2, royals 1 at Anaheim calif., Gary Disarcina drove in both California runs including the game Winner with a single in the ninth. Chuck Finley 10-10 scattered eight hits in his seventh Complete game. Baseball has lots to lose if strike wins out by Ben Wal Kerap baseball writer imagine this Tony Gwynn is batting.391, Matt Williams has hit 43 Home runs and Frank Thomas has drawn 109  s mid August and All three players Are still on paces to reach baseball s big  then strike there Are Guys who have a Chance to break some records Cincinnati Pitcher Jose Rijo said. I want to see Guys of our generation with a Chance to break re  could be happened this season in one of the game s greatest years for of sense. Could have except for a players strike that seemed inevitable after talks broke Down wednesday and with no new talks set before today s strike deadline. A walkout that lasted through the world series could wipe out Cleveland s first postseason appear Ance in 40 years. Don Mattingly s first playoff appear Ance after 13 years. Dave Stewart s last Hurrah in the a  still dream about playing in a world series. I picture myself making the great play of diving for a Ball getting a big hit with men on base said Mattingly Leader of the first place new York Yan Kees. I have to set myself aside when i have to think about it. But i would be Dis Gwynn Williams Thomas Knoblauch appointed if we Don t  so might Gwynn who could reach .400. Ted Williams was the last to hit the magic Mark batting .406 in 1941. I m really not thinking about hitting.400 and to be honest i m not thinking about a strike Gwynn said. But it would be unfortunate if i was around .400 and there was a walkout fans Are frustrated because records Are made to be broken. They want to see. Some of these records fall he said. If we walk out i la know in my mind that we re going out for the right reasons no question. If we sacrifice a run at .400 or Arun at 61 homers then so be it. There Are things More important than  while Gwynn has a Chance to make it to .400 before a strike Matt Williams Hajj title Chance of reaching the no record of 56 Home runs by Hack Wilson if a strike stopped play for too Long. And Williams Ken Griffey or. And Thomas would have no Hope of challenging Roger Maris re Cord of 61, you want to see Matty break the re Cord san Francisco Pitcher John Bur Kett said of Williams his teammate. That s a lot of Guys having great sea sons. Everybody has something to Sacri fice so that s just part of it. He knows what we have to do Chuck Knoblauch can still catch the record of 67 doubles that Earl Webb of the Boston red sox set in 1931. Knob Lauch already has 45 doubles and will need every game to have a shot at , i be gotten to know a lot about of Earl Knoblauch said recently. That would be a lot of doubles. I d probablvn6ed to rest a whole year if i  meanwhile might have been Able to break babe Ruth s record of 170walks in a season. He s also in the Ball Park for Ruth s Mark of 457 total bases although that s a Long Long Way off. Baseball analyst Bill James said this season has in some ways been almost a repeat of 1961, one of the Best season sever  in 1961 they had some something new expansion. Now it s the three division split James said. Then we had Maris chasing Ruth s record. Now we have Sev eral people chasing Maris record. But it s not just that. I for some Rea son am having More fun watching Chuck Knoblauch hit a double every Day hesaid/.-. A ".  strike could ruin Sorrie other players and teams  Cleveland indians Are bidding for their first postseason since 1954, but there a Chance that there will be no postseason. Texas is hoping to make its first Ever play off appearance while Colorado May make it in Only its second season. To play 150 games or something and not have a Pennant Winner that would be awful red manager Davey Johnson said. I can t think of anything