Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.sports From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: sports Fri, Jul 17 1992 Date: Fri, 17 Jul 92 05:16:17 EDT Message-ID: 07-17 0000 DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update July 17-19, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network PIRATES SHUT DOWN CUBS 2-1: Doug Drabek, one of baseball's best second-half pitchers, allowed three hits through eight innings and Andy Van Slyke homered as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1. In other National League games: Los Angeles 7, Philadelphia 5; St. Louis 5, Cincinnati 1; Montreal 7, San Diego 4; San Francisco 6, New York 4; Atlanta 4, Houston 2. RYAN WINS 318TH CAREER GAME: Nolan Ryan gave up two hits in seven innings to win his 318th career game and Rafael Palmeiro hit a tie-breaking homer as the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2. In other American League games: Chicago 5, Milwaukee 4, 12 innings; Minnesota 7, Boston 6; Kansas City 3, Cleveland 2; Toronto 7, Seattle 2; Oakland 4, Detroit 0; California 3, New York 2. FLOYD, PATE LEAD BRITISH OPEN: Ray Floyd turned back history's pages Thursday at Muirfield, firing a 7-under-par 64 to gain a share of the first-round lead of the 121st British Open with Steve Pate. Ian Woosnam was tied for the lead until he drove into a bunker at No. 18 and made his only bogey. His 65 tied him with George Brand Jr. Favorite Nick Faldo is tied at 66 with John Cook, Lee Janzen and Ernie Els. TAGLIABUE CONSIDERS SETTLEMENT: NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue met Thursday with lawyer and former players union president Tom Condon as speculation about a settlement of the current free-agency litigation continued to grow. Tagliabue is said to want "a global settlement" of the 22 lawsuits. NFL owners meet Monday and Tuesday in Dallas. Freeman McNeil's free-agency trial resumes July 27. LEMOND STILL IN BATTLE: The next three days of cycling's Tour de France - the most difficult stages of the three-week race - will determine whether the USA's Greg LeMond, now in fourth place, can win his fourth Tour or if he will even have enough stamina to finish the 2,479-mile race after Thursday's rest day. Friday's stage, 160 miles from Dole to St. Gervais, is the longest of the three-week race. INKSTER, GOLDEN LEAD AT 66: Juli Inkster, who has won 14 LPGA tournaments, shot 5-under par 66 at Wykagyl Country Club to start Friday's second round of the JAL Big Apple Classic tied for the lead with rookie Kate Golden. Golden birdied the first hole, made three birdies in four holes coming home and led much of the day, until Inkster tied her. Nancy Lopez and Tracy Kerdyk are at 67 with five players at 68. RYPIEN STILL NEGOTIATING: Quarterback Mark Rypien was all smiles but was still unsigned as the Washington Redskins received Super Bowl XXVI championship rings Thursday. Rypien has a standing two-year, $6 million offer from the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and is reported to want $4 million a year from Washington. Rypien's agent, Ken Staninger, resumed contract talks with the Redskins this week. SHULA TO SIGN EXTENSION: Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, 62, is expected to sign a two-year contract extension Friday that will again make him the highest-paid coach in the NFL,according to two Florida newspapers. Shula is to earn $1.7 million for the 1993 season and $2 million for '94. Shula (306-145-6) needs 20 wins to pass George Halas as the winningest coach in NFL history. MADDUX TALKS OF FREE AGENCY: Greg Maddux, the ace of the Chicago Cubs' pitching staff for five years, told the Cubs Thursday that he and agent Scott Boras are breaking off talks and Maddux will file for free agency after the season. Neither side would talk dollars, but the Chicago Daily Herald reported that Maddux was seeking $32.5 million for five years and the Cubs were offering $28 million. WISCONSIN STRIPPED OF TITLE: An eligibility ruling has cost Wisconsin its overall championship at last month's Intercollegiate Rowing Association regattainSyracuse, N.Y. Judges decided the Badgers had to forfeit the trophy because its champion shell in the four without coxswain event competed with an ineligible rower. The trophy goes to Navy. ALLISON TRIES TO INCREASE LEAD: Davey Allison hopesto extend his lead, and defending NASCAR champ Dale Earnhardt hopes to narrow the gap in Winston Cup standings at Sunday's Miller Genuine Draft 500 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. JUDGE COULD HALT CUBS' MOVE: Commissioner Fay Vincent's powerwould be undermined if a federal judge halted the Chicago Cubs' move to the National League West, his attorneys said Thursday in response to the Cubs' July 7 lawsuit. STRAWBERRY IRKED BY BONDS: Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Darryl Strawberry wasn't pleased with the All-Star comments of Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Barry Bonds. Bonds questioned the direction of the Dodgers' organization, said Strawberry and Eric Davis have to be healthy and that Bonds wasn't interested in signing with the Dodgers in the offseason. "He's a joke anyway," Strawberry responded. 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Sports Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Sports Editor: Kate Coughlin. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM