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Van Horn Advocate

Sports

Tuesday, October 7, 1997

Eagles eye road victory in Andrews


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PECOS, Oct. 7 -- Having missed their chances at home to get past their
main District 4-4A rivals, the Pecos Eagles will try to see if they can
get better results on the road starting tonight, when they open the
second half of district play in Andrews against the Mustangs.

The teams will meet starting about 7:30 p.m., with Pecos hoping to
climb into at least a two-way tie for second in the 4-4A standings. The
Eagles fell out of a tie for first this past Saturday, thanks to a 15-9,
12-15, 15-13 loss at home to San Angelo Lake View.

Andrews almost was an upset victim themselves, dropping the first game
of their match to Big Spring, then holding on for a 17-15 win in Game 2.
But the Mustangs then blew out the Steers in Game 3, 15-1, to improve to
4-1 in district and 13-7 on the season.

District play opened for both teams last month in Pecos, with the
Mustangs rallying at the finish for a 15-13, 10-15, 16-14 victory, their
sixth straight over the Eagles in 4-4A play.

Coach Becky Granado said the Eagles were victimized by "gaps" in their
blocking on Saturday, and in a effort to counter that, moved 5-10
freshman Philonicus Fobbs up to the varsity for tonight's match.

"She's just going to be blocking right now, but if we have to set to
her we will," Granado said.

She added that the Eagles "had a good practice yesterday," and that
after struggling at times on Saturday, "Lori (Marquez) picked up her
game. She looked much better as far as hitting goes."

Marquez was the Eagles' only consistent hitter in last month's loss to
Andrews, while Ali Bane and Holly Fields provided Andrews with the bulk of their offense.

Indians win fight with Yanks, hunt Orioles next


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By KEN BERGER
AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND, Oct. 7 - After decades of chasing the New York Yankees, the
Cleveland Indians finally caught them.

Up next, a modern-day nuisance: the Baltimore Orioles.

Cleveland is going back to the AL championship series for the second
time in three years. This time, it's a surprise. Few believed the
Indians would get past the powerful Yankees for a shot at reversing last
year's first-round postseason loss to the Orioles.

After Cleveland advanced with a 4-3 victory in Game 5 Monday night,
believers suddenly abound.

``I think it's more of a relief celebration than a `We won something'
celebration,'' said Orel Hershiser, who won Game 4 to extend the season
one more day. ``We're relieved to win.''

The Indians won this one for Bob Feller and Bob Lemon and Jim Hegan -
and all those teams that kept losing to the dreaded Yankees.

Cleveland finished second to New York five times in the 1950s. In 1954,
the Indians won a record 111 games, but got swept in the World Series by
another New York team - the Giants.

Which is better? Beating the Yankees, or getting another shot at
Baltimore, which ousted the Indians in the first round last year?

``It's always nice to beat the world champions,'' said Omar Vizquel, who
won Game 4 with a ninth-inning single and drove the Yankees crazy with
his defense and baserunning the entire series.

``And I think we owe Baltimore something,'' he added. ``Last year, they
beat us at home, and it's tough not to get to where you want to go.''

Jose Mesa was on the mound when the Indians' postseason effectively
ended a year ago. Roberto Alomar hit a 12th-inning homer off the
Cleveland closer at Jacobs Field to send the Indians, winners of 99
games, out of the playoffs in four games.

Fittingly, Mesa got the final five outs Monday night for his first
postseason save since Game 5 of the 1995 World Series. Bernie Williams
flied out to Brian Giles in left field - where Albert Belle used to roam
- and Mesa dropped to his knees, pounding the ground. Alomar ran to the
mound and pounced on Mesa, perhaps the biggest reason the Indians went
to the World Series two years ago.

``It was real good for me to be out there for the last out in the ninth
inning,'' said Mesa, who talked with reporters for the first time since
being acquitted of a rape charge in April. ``After all that I've been
through, still the fans were there for me. I said to myself that I've
got to do it one more time for the fans.''

Before Mesa, Mike Jackson and Paul Assenmacher shut down the Bronx
Bombers, 21-year-old rookie Jaret Wright dazzled them again. Wright, who
won Game 2 at Yankee Stadium, beat Andy Pettitte and the Yankees once
more.

``I don't know if you would call me the star of the series,'' Wright
said. ``We've got 24 other guys in this ballclub.''

Now 2-0 and suddenly the ace of this pitching staff, Wright is off a
postseason start that brings to mind rookies like Mike Boddicker,
Fernando Valenzuela and Dave Righetti.

``A lot of things make him special,'' manager Mike Hargrove said. ``His
stuff is one of them. His demeanor is another. I think what I enjoy most
is seeing the spark in his eyes in a competitive situation.''

Wright allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings, walking three
and striking out five. He outdueled Pettitte, a playoff road warrior who
couldn't overcome a three-run third inning.

``I'm trying to think back on what I did wrong,'' said Pettitte, who was
brilliant in winning Game 5 of the World Series at Atlanta last year.
``I can't second-guess myself. It was the stinking last game of the
season, and I worked so hard, killed myself all year to get to this
position.''

The Yankees' quest for a second straight and 24th World Series title
ended in an unlikely place - Cleveland. New York was 15-5 at Jacobs
Field before dropping two of three and the series.

The Yankees might be moving on if not for brilliant defense and
baserunning by Vizquel and a diving play by Jim Thome that seemed to
tilt the game, series and season away from the Yankees.

Derek Jeter beat out an infield single - although the replays showed he
was out. Indian-killer Paul O'Neill hit a hot smash to Thome - a
converted third baseman at first - who dove to his right and threw out
Jeter from his belly.

``Thome's play was the kind that changes a game,'' said O'Neill, who
seemed to bury the Indians with a grand slam in Game 3. ``We threw
everything we had at them, but we're going home.''

Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail: news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP Materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing.

Copyright 1997 by Pecos Enterprise
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