TUESDAY JULY 4. 2000 INSIDE: Sports Classified 4-B 2-B 5-6-B 3 Hunt helps hurl Martinsville to 5-4 win By CHRIS DOLLARHITE I Special To The Bulletin In a season where it appears like the Martinsville Astros are riding a roller coaster full of high and low points, Jordan Hunt did his part Monday evening in putting the Astros on a winning track. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound right hander from Vancouver, Hunt pitched five innings of seven-hit ball in his premiere outing to pick up his first professional win here in Martinsville. His fine performance on the mound and Craig Petulla's second save of the season helped the Astros (5-5) edge out the Kingsport Mets 54 in front of 1,034 fans at Hooker Field. Martinsville's offensive unit came out banging in the bottom of the first, chalking up four runs on two hits including RBI singles by Jay Perez and Mark Hamilton.
The hitting barrage would soon end though, with Martinsville's only other run coming in the fifth inning off of an Anthony Acevedo RBI single that plated Hamilton and took the score to 5-3. With Martinsville's last five games reading like yo-yo (win. loss, win loss, win), Astros' manager Brad Wellman realizes that his. team's most glaring weakness as of right now is lack of consistency. "We're continuing to make mistakes on the basepaths and it's costing us a lot of runs," he said.
"We're not playing consistent ball right now, but we're learning. I look for things to improve as the season rolls on." Kingsport rightfielder Noel Devarez's second inning solo blast and See HUNT, Page 3-B White Sox win home and away By The Associated Press team is that they keep battling back," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. Jorge Fabregas hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs for the Royals. In other AL games, Toronto beat Baltimore 64, Boston downed Minnesota 11-8, Seattle stopped. Anaheim 8-6; Texas topped Oakland 83 and Detroit defeated Tampa Bay 54 in 10 innings.
Ray Durham had four hits for the White Sox, driving in two runs and scoring two along with two steals. Frank Thomas had three hits, including a homer, and drove in three runs." For all its hitting. Chicago began its comeback in the fifth with a leadoff walk to Magglio Ordonez. "We had good at-bats," Manuel said. "I think that was initiated with a walk to Magglio Ordonez, who got behind 0-2.
He battled back. That was an indication Home or road, it never seems to matter to the Chicago White Sox. 1 Paul Konerko and Chris Singleton each had two hits during an eight-run fifth inning Monday night as the AMERICAN White Sox their rallied LEAGUE to win 12th straight road game, 14-10 over the Kansas City Royals. Chicago's streak is the longest in the majors since Detroit started 1984 with a 17-0 record on the road. The White Sox are 28-14 away from Comiskey Park.
The White Sox trailed 9-3 entering the fifth. They wound up with 22 hits, and every starter had at least one hit and scored once. "One of the characteristics of this Martinsville shortstop Eric Bruntlett attempts to turn a double play as Kingsport's Forrest Lawson slides underneath him. (Bulletin photo by Mike Wray). AP Photo.
Orlando Cabrera (right) is congratulated by Wilton Guerrero after hitting a 3-run shot. Expos embarrass Braves 17-1 By The Associated Press The way Jose Vidro and Orlando Cabrera hit, it was hard to believe they were playing the Atlanta Braves. Vidro and Cabrera both homered twice as the Montreal Expos had NATIONAL 18 hits Monday LEAGUE night in a 17-1 rout of the NL champions. "It was just a rough night for everybody," Braves manager Bobby Cox. whose team was coming off a split in a high pressure four game series against the New York Mets.
Terry Mulholland (88). 174 against the Expos after winning in Montreal runs seven earned and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings. The 17 runs are the most Atlanta has allowed since losing to Baltimore 22-1 on June 13, 1999. The 18 hits against the Braves were a season high. Cabrera, 4-for-5 with four runs, had never hit two home runs in a "major league game, doing it six years ago in a winter league.
"That was the only time in my life I had done it until tonight." he said. "I can't explain it. I guess I just got lucky:" Rookie Tony Armas Jr. (4-5) beat the Braves for the second time in a week and stopped Montreal's four game losing streak. The son of former major league outfielder Tony Armas also got In other NL games.
it was Florida 2. New York 0: Cincinnati 3. Arizona 2. Colorado 3, San Diego 1: Chicago 3. Pittsburgh 0: and Philadelphia 5, Milwaukee 3.
At Turner Field, the switch hitting Vidro homered from both sides of the plate for the first time in his major league career. Cabrera drove in a career high five runs in his first twohomer game and Rondel! White added a three-run homer as the Expos stopped a four game losing streak. "I did it in winter ball in 1996." Vidro said. "It's my first time in the United States, Marlins .2 last Wednesday. was pounded for nine his first major league hit and RBI.
See EXPOS, Page 3-B See WHITE SOX, Page 3-B Popp is Britain's last hope for Wimbledon title WIMBLEDON. England (AP) Britain's only remaining hope at Wimbledon is a German. Surprise quarterfinalist Alexander Popp holds both British and German passports and lives in Germany. He played in obscurity before making a big splash in his Wimbledon debut. The 23-year-old Popp advanced to the final eight by beating Marc Rosset 3-6.
46.6-1 Monday. A few hours later. eighth-seeded Tim Henman. long touted as the best bet to end England's drought at Wimbledon. lost to marathon man Mark Philippoussis 6-1, (9.63.64.
Popp was joined in Wednesday's quartertinals by three other surprising survivors Jan-Michael Gambill, Byron Black and qualifier Vladimir Voltchkov, all unseeded. Only Black has been a Grand Slam quarterfinalist before, and that was five years ago. Four favorites remain, too. Top-seeded Pete Sampras and No. 2 Andre Agassi are two rounds from a rematch of last year's final.
and Philippoussis and No. 12 Patrick Rafter are consid ered threats to win their first Wimbledon title. In the women's draw. Venus and Ser. ena Williams were one match away from a sibling showdown in the semifinals.
Tuesday's quarterfinals matched top-seeded Martina Hingis against No. 5 Venus Williams. and No. 8 Serena Williams against unseeded American Lisa Raymond. The winners meet Thursday.
with the Williams sisters possibly playing each other for only the second time in a Grand Slam tournament. "We'd like to have that opportunity." Venus said. "At least one Williams would be in the final." In the men's quarterfinals Wednesday. Sampras will face fellow American Gambill. Agassi will play Philippoussis.
Black will meet Voltchkov and Popp will take on Rafter. "It'll be fun playing him." Popp said. "For me. it's great, this tournament. I just know all these guys from television." Somehow.
even standing 6-foot-7. Popp has managed to go largely unnoticed until now. He's playing in his first grass -court tournament and earned his first victory in a Grand Slam match in the opening round. The late IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR A STORY, CALL 'THE SPORTS DEPARTMENT AT 638-8801. 1 1 BASEBALL Players come to rescue MIAMI -Florida outfielder Mark Smith pulled a man from a smoke filled car on Sunday, hours after hitting two homers in the Marlins' 2-1 victory over the Montreal Expos.
Smith and Marlins pitcher Brad Penny were driving from Fort Lauderdale Airport following their flight from Montreal on Sunday night when they saw a car swerve off the highway, over a median and onto a grassy knoll. The players got off at the next exit and returned to the scene of the accident where other passersby had already stopped to help one of the passengers get out. "The car was smoking under the hood and in the window, when I saw a guy trying to kick out the back window," said Smith, who homered twice for the first time in his career earlier in the day. "I did hesitate at first. I was scared to death.
Then I was; 'Yes, Ep, go go!" Twins re-sign ace Radke MINNEAPOLIS The Minnesota Twins signed pitcher Brad Radke to a new four year contract Monday, keeping the right-hander with the club through 2004. The Twins were in last place going into Monday night's games. Radke's deal reportedly is worth $36 million. Radke, who joined the Twins in 1995, would have been eligible for free agency at the end of this season. He already is the highest-paid Twins player with a $3.5 million salary this year.
The deal reportedly would pay Radke an annual average of about $9 million, more than Kirby Puckett's highest salary of $7 million in 1996. The club's payroll is a major league-low $16.5 million this year. Mets place Abbott on DL MIAMI The New York Mets put infielder Kurt Abbott on the disabled list Monday and purchased the contract of infielder David Lamb from Triple A Norfolk Abbott, batting 210 with three home runs and seven RBIs, is out with lower back inflammation. The move was made retroactive to June 30. Lamb, claimed on waivers from Tampa Bay in February, was hitting 230 with two homers and 27 RBIs at Norfolk.
He hit '226 in 55 games for the Devil Rays last year. The Mets also transferred shortstop Rey Ordonez to the 60-day disabled list. He is, sidelined for the rest of the season because of a fractured left forearm. BASKETBALL MVP Cooper will retire HOUSTON Cynthia Cooper, who won the MVP award at the WNBA finals all three years of the league's existence, plans to retire at the end of this season to go into broadcasting or coaching. "This is my last year in the league," the Houston Comets star said Monday night.
"I will retire after this year. One of the WNBA's two oldest players, Cooper, 37, was the league's scoring champion in its first three seasons and the regular season MVP in 1997 and 1998. In this year's season opener, she became the first player in the league to reach 2,000 career points. But she grew increasingly disgruntled this season about her reduced role in the Comets' offense. With the emergence of Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson and Janeth Arcain as more potent weapons, Cooper felt her role with the Comets was changing.
OLYMPICS Biathlete killed in attack VALCARTIER, Quebec A 24-year-old biathlete was killed in an apparent bear attack while running on a training course. Police identified the woman Monday as MaryBeth Miller of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. There was a bite mark on the of Miller's neck' when" her body was discovered just before midnight Sunday in the heavily wooded area just northwest of Quebec City, Capt. Johanne Bournival said. Black bear tracks also were spotted near her body.
"At first sight it seems she was attacked by a bear," Bournival said. An autopsy will be conducted Wednesday, Sarah Coup-Fabiano, a spokeswoman for the Haute-StCharles police department, said. From Wire Reports BEST BET ON TV. BASEBALL: 8 p.m., Arizona Diamondbacks at Houston Astros (ESPN, cable). 6 WA bloomer is ranked 114th.
an improvement of 300 places since January 1999. No Englishman has won Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936. With the Oxford-born Henman eliminated. support for Popp at the All England ('lub is sure to increase. luck to him." Henman said.
"He's playing well." "Maybe some of the people think I'm trying to get into British tennis," Popr said. "I'm not really doing that." Popp said he would consider playing for the British Davis Cup team if asked but he's not sure he's ready. "I want to prove that I'm good ench to play and beat the great guys before I really go into playing for a country he said. See WIMBLEDO.N. Page 3-B.
