Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.sports From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: sports Wed, Apr 15 1992 Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 05:42:41 EDT Message-ID: 04-15 0000 DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update April 15, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network PIRATES BEAT CUBS: The Pittsburgh Pirates, who have won the NL East the last two years, moved back to the familiar spot of division-leader Tuesday, beating the Chicago Cubs 3-2. The win, combined with the Montreal Expos' 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, put the Pirates on top. Other NL games: Cincinnati 5, Atlanta 4; New York 8, Philadelphia 5; Los Angeles 6, Houston 2; San Diego 4, San Francisco 0. ROYALS GET FIRST WIN: The Kansas City Royals won their first game of the season 3-1 over Oakland Tuesday, but it wasn't easy. The Royals were held hitless by Ron Darling for seven innings, but managed to score on three sacrifice flies, two wild pitches and their only hit of the game. In other AL games: Toronto 12, New York 6; Cleveland 8, Detroit 7; Milwaukee 11, Minnesota 1; California 8, Texas 1. ROCKIES WANT TO HOST POPE: The Colorado Rockies are hoping for some divine intervention in their first season, at least for one weekend in 1993. The National League expansion team has asked the league to schedule them to play at home in Denver Friday and Sunday, around a Saturday, Aug. 14 visit from Pope John Paul II. Team President Steve Ehrhart said, "We'd be honored to have the pope as our guest." FILL-INS ARE BIG HITS: Some fill-ins are doing far more than that in the first two weeks of the baseball season. Atlanta's Deion Sanders has been starting in center while Otis Nixon serves the remainder of a 60-day suspension and is hitting .441. Also, Philadelphia outfielder Ruben Amaro, playing in place of injured Lenny Dykstra, has scored eight runs and is tied for the NL lead. DAVIS PLACED ON DL: First baseman Glenn Davis, who missed 105 games last year due to a nerve injury, was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday, retroactive to April 7, because of a rib-cage strain suffered opening day. Davis also missed two months in 1990 with an unrelated rib injury. The team said Davis will receive therapy twice a day until his return. KNICKS STAY ONE GAME AHEAD: The Knicks beat Washington 93-90 Tuesday to stay one game ahead of Boston in the Atlantic Division. Elsewhere: N.J. 105, Miami 100; Boston 99, Philadelphia 94; Cleveland 115, Chicago 100; Golden St. 122, Minnesota 100; Indiana 123, Charlotte 96; Houston 108, Portland 96; Detroit 98, Milwaukee 94, OT; San Antonio 120, Dallas 108; Sacramento 103, LA Clippers 97; Phoenix 122, Seattle 100. BORG ENCOURAGED DESPITE LOSS: Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg was encouraged Tuesday despite a first-round loss to Frenchman Olivier Delaitre at the ATP Nice (France) Open. "I haven't played for so many years, competition is what I need to get better," Borg, 35, said after the 7-5, 6-2 defeat. Delaitre, ranked No. 48, needed only 78 minutes to beat Borg, who got many of his points on unforced errors. COURIER BEATS KUHNEN: Jim Courier battled his way to a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 victory against Germany's Patrik Kuhnen in the opening round of the Salem Open at Hong Kong Tuesday. It was Courier's first start since regaining the No. 1 computer ranking. Also, Third-seeded MaliVai Washington beat unseeded Jan Apell 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the $250,000 USTA Men's Clay Courts of Tampa. RANGERS, PENGUINS MAY BATTLE: This year's top NHL team, the New York Rangers, may face last years top team, the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins, in the playoffs. The Penguins are fourth in the Patrick Divison, which would match them against the Rangers in the first round. Tuesday's scores: Quebec 7, Buffalo 3; Detroit 7, Minnesota 4; St. Louis 5, Chicago 3; Winnipeg 6, Edmonton 2; Vancouver 3, Los Angeles 2. SOCKERS TOP BLAST: The San Diego Sockers claimed their ninth win in their last 10 games in Baltimore, with a 5-4 overtime win over the Blast Tuesday in the Major Soccer League playoff semifinals. Kevin Crow had the winning goal at 5:14 of overtime. The Sockers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, which resumes in Baltimore on Thursday. GRAND PRIX PROMO WEDNESDAY: IndyCar drivers Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan and Emerson Fittipaldi will be on hand at the New York International Auto Show Wednesday, promoting next year's inaugural Grand Prix of New York. The race will be run on the southern tip of Manhattan circling the World Trade Center. MARINOVICH DENIES ALLEGATIONS: Los Angeles Raiders quarterback Todd Marinovich denied through agent Tom Condon that he failed a substance-abuse test after last season and went through a six-week treatment program. ESPN, citing unnamed league sources, reported the story Tuesday night. Marinovich is tested five times weekly because of a prior drug arrest. VILLANOVA HIRES LAPPAS: Villanova hired Manhattan's Steve Lappas as basketball coach Tuesday. Lappas, who was an assistant at Villanova from 1985-88, takes over for Rollie Massimino, now the coach at UNLV. Also, St. Louis hired Charlie Spoonhour away from Southwest Missouri State. 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Sports Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Sports Editor: Jason P. Smith. (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. 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