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Show B6 t Page THE DAILY HERALD, (www.HarkTheHerald.com), Provo, Utah, Sunday, April 2, 2000 ' !r0)i3i) dDDimos Molls TuTD lb ft" 1 9 li-l- . g ?l FERNANDO LLANOThe Associated Press t ' Mr. Rocker, Mr. Rocker! Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker, who made offensive comments against gays, minorities and foreigners this winter, " has received a positive reaction from fans so far in the preseason. 'Mouth of the South' can ex Dectro ugh road Cincinnati Reds reliever Danny Graves, the first Vietnamese-borplayer to reach the major leagues. Rocker, 25, believes the whole situation has been blown out of proportion by the media, pointing to the overwhelming cheers he received every time he pitched at the Braves' spring training home in Kissimmee, i Fla. "I go out in public and people from all walks of life it doesn't matter what race or color they all want autographs and pictures," he said. Rocker has been standoffish with reporters since reading an apology at his first day of spring training. Recently, while standing in front of his locker, he was asked what kind of reaction he expects from fans around the country. "I'm not going to answer any of those questions. I'm tired of questions," he said. "Just wait and see. It just keeps the suspense going." ATLANTA (AP) So, John Rocker thought the fans of New York were tough on him last n year? .. Imagine the reception awaiting the Atlanta Braves reliever when he returns to Shea .Stadium in late June. The Mouth of the South will be off easy if all he has to do is listen to some insults about his heritage and dodge a few cups of get-"tin- g beer. don't want to be sitting next to him in the bullpen," teammate Eddie Perez said with a slight grin, only Rocker, suspended until April 18 for his disparaging comments, against gays, minorities and for: eigners, g6t a sample of what he can' expect when he was booed witn passion during a spnng training series in Venezuela last month. I hat c the rpennnco ho lilro- ly provoke on every road trip even it keen his this season mouth shut. "I hope they boo him," said "I . half-kiddin- 11 1 By The Associated Press SPRING Kenny Lofton's surprising comeback to the field was a success. So was Shawn Green's return to Toronto. Lofton returned to the field Saturday less than four months after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder, starting in center field in Cleveland's final exhibition game. 'This is the last hurdle," Cleveland general manager John Hart said, "It's been amazing (his recovery). The doctor said it was something that just doesn't happen. It's a medical miracle." The Indians said it was likely Lofton would start in Monday's opener at Baltimore, but a final decision would not be made until Sunday. "If he feels like this tomorrow, we'll open the season with him," Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. Lofton had appeared in three exhibition games, all as a designated hitter, before with a Saturday. He is stolen two and run home bases. with a Lofton went walk and two stolen bases in loss to the Cleveland's Braves in Atlanta. "I feel OK," Lofton said. "I didn't get any balls. It depends on how I feel tomorrow. If it feels as good as it did today, I can go ahead and play." Green, traded from the Blue. " Jays to Los Angeles for Raul Mondesi in the offseason, home- - TRAINING red and had an RBI double as the Dodgers won at Toronto "It's definitely a good way to end things because I had just had great time up here," said Green, who spent five seasons in Toronto. "I just didn't want to be gone without returning here for a long time. It's nice to come back right away." Green asked out of Toronto so he could play in his home town. The Dodgers then signed him to a six year, $84 million contract extension. A couple of fans yelled "Traitor!" during his plate appearances. "There were some mixed reactions but I felt good about the responses," Green said. "In my position you hear the boos a bit more because you pay more attention to that and those fans are the ones who are more aggressive in the. Vk 2-- , ' stands. "But definitely there were a lot of cheers and it felt good to hear that support." , ROYALS 7 TWINS 2 f-- - -- - homered twice and drove in and David Segui hit hompr as Houston lost for the first time in three, games at its new home, Enron allowed two runs in five innings to win for the fourth time in five spring decisions. r five runs, a three-run TIGERS 15 DEVIL RAYS 4 Field. At Lakeland, Fla., Juan Guzman, who hadn't pitched since March 18 because of tightness in his upper back, gave up 11 runs and eight in 3 innings. 2-- DIAMONDBACKS 12 RED SOX 8 Luis Gonzalez had three hits, including two home runs-o- ff Jeff Fassero, as Arizona beat visiting Boston. 3 WHITE SOX PHILLIES At Haines City, Fla., Mike homer Sweeney hit a three-ruin a sixrun seventh inning to r lead Kansas City. : n 6 4 At Las Vegas, Frank Thomas and Paul Konerko each homered, and James Baldwin -- - pitched five scoreless innings. RANGERS 9 ASTROS 3 EXPOS 11 PIRATES 4 At Jupiter, Fla., Carl Pavanb BREWERS 9 MARINERS 6 Leadoff hitter Royce Clayton Lyle Mouton hit a three-ru- n homer off Arthur Rhodes with two outs in the ninth after sec" ond baseman Willie Bloomquist's error prolonged the inning, leading visiting Milwaukee. Kite takes Tradition lead with one to go V 1 K V two-sh- GARY I. ROTHSTEINThe Associated Press Good contact: Martina Hingis returns serve against Lindsey Davenport Liit lihojuii wjjcii mi in the women's singles final of rcy uioayiic, ria. Hingis wins over Davenport KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) Martina Hingis sent a backhand past Lindsay' Davenport on championship point, then skipped to the nefand grinned as she consoled her opponent with a pat on the back. It wasn't long before Davenport was smiling, too. Hingis left the Ericsson troOpen with the phy. Davenport graciously settled for the No. 1 ranking. ERICSSON ID CM 'i 1.11 very well. But it's different being No. 1 and No. 2. It's different pressure. Now I'm the hunter again." Davenport, who had won 21 consecutive matches' since January, becomes No. 1 for the third time in her career. "It's a great consolation," this business, Funny women's tennis. Hingis, who said Davenport, smiling often had lost five consecutive during her postmatch news matches to Davenport, ended conference. "It's been pretty the streak Saturday with a exciting the past few weeks victory?' Because the with ' the race between rankings are based on results Martina and me." from the past year, Davenport Hingis' victory was her first will bump Hingis from No. 1. against Davenport sine the next week. Chase in Championships "She really deserves the No. November 1998. Davenport spot right now," said Hingis, won their previous three meetwho led the rankings for most ings this year, all in finals. of the past three years. "So far "It's going to go back and this season, she has playeoL forth many more times in our first-plac- e 6-- 6-- 2 1 career," Davenport said. "I'll beat her again someday." Hingis played almost flawless tennis Saturday, committing 10 unforced errors in 99 points. She shook off a blatantly bad line call on set point in the first set, coolly closing out the set two points later. And she shook off the memolead ry of a blown against Davenport in the final at Indian Wells two weeks ago. .This time there was no comeback by the tall Californian, and Hingis won the final five games for her second title in 2000. 6-- t received $175,000. In the men's final Sunday, Pete Sampras will seek his third Key Biscayne title against Kuerten. Gustavo . Kite took the lead for good with a spectacular blast out of a trap that set up a birdie putt on No. 12, made five straight pars and birdied the last hole for a 71 and a total of 208. "It's so nice to get in conr tention," said Kite, a cirplayer on the cuit who hasn't won since pie 1993 Los Angeles Open. "You the know, that's the thing way I've played poorly the last that I've missed couple years , 54-ho- so much." L North, an ESPN golf analyst who chose to make his tour debut at the year's first Senior PGA major, had five birdies irt round of 67 to quian error-freetly move into contention for his first solo win in 15 years. "I think it's kind of neat when no one is paying atten- tion to you," he said. Nelson was to start but shot 75 to fall back to third e at 211. The day's outcome set up a final threesome of U.S. Open' . ' vf y . . , RESULTS, B7 winners Kite, who won it in 1992, Nelson (19.83) and North (1978, 1985). Joe Inman and Ed Dougherty were at 213, a shot ahead of Bruce Fleisher, a winner this year, and defending champion Graham "Marsh, who won the only Tradition ever played after snowstorms wiped out two rounds last year. Saturday's lightning-and-raidelay was 1 hour, 7 minutes, compared with nearly four hours of play suspensions Friday that forced 21 players to complete the second round early Saturday before starting the third. . Kite and Nelson were among them. Nelson, who completed 15 holes the day before, had a birdie finish for 136 at the midpoint. Kite was tied with him but started off with two bogeys before a par and then his first birdie of the day in his on No. 18 going holes. four last . if two-tim- e 36-hol- . n par-boge- y BELLSOUTH CLASSIC Nicklaus is DULUTH, Ga. back in the lead on a Georgia golf course and this time it isn't Jack. Jack's son, Gary, shot a 68 Saturday and grabbed a share of the lead with Phil Mickelson after the third round of the BellSouth Classic. "Keep calm and be patient," Nicklaus said of his approach to the final round in his quest to win his first PGA Tour title. His previous best finish was a tie for 2Cth at this year's Honda Classic 1 . Mickelson had a 69 that left the leaders at 1 under 205 for three trips around the hills of the 7,259-yarTPC at Sugarloaf course. lead They held a two-sh: . third-roun- d d I vV.V l ROY DABNKR (he Associated Press e first-yea- 4-- 2 Despite the distractions, Hingis didn't lose a set en route to her second Key Biscayne title. She earned $350,000 and Dav.'-ipor- Brazilian pace. . j GOLF Tradition, he couldn't help but like his effort. "I was leaking oil out there pretty badly," he said after barely bettering par and still lead over opening a Andy North on Saturday. "I was pleased with the way I hung in there. I was really pleased with the way I fought hard." No one but North lit up the exacting Cochise Course at Desert Mountain, where a thunderstorm interrupted play for the second straight day. But Kite, who started one stroke behind Larry Nelson, fared as well as most. - Jim Ahem, who led the first round, shot a wildly 72, allowing Heber City's Bruce Summerhays (71) and Tom Watson (70) to catch him at 212 four shots off Kite's ' V - By The Associated Press If SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Tom Kite wasn't proud of his play in the third round of the riw Associated Press F.I.AINK THOMPSON Fish lips: Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Aaron Sele makes a face as he throws against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. -- 6-- 3 - - Get in the hole: Tom Kite putts on the eighth hole during the third round of the Tradition Saturday in Scottsdale, Ariz. over Kenny Perry and Harrison Frazar, both posting 70s Saturday. "I think I have played it pretty well," Nicklaus said. "I t think I have been I and think it sets up pretty-patien- well for me." He said he had talked with his father, who is playing in The Tradition, after each of his first two rounds. Was there any message? "Keep playing well," Gary said. Someone suggested to Mickelson after his round that he could be put in the role of the bad guy on Sunday facing the son of one of golf s most popular players, especially coming on heels of snapping Tiger Woods' winning streak at the Buick Invitational earlier this year. Mickelson grinned and said: "Well, I am not trying to be the bad guy. I am just trying to win a golf tournament. It just so happens that those players played well the same week. "Again, tomorrow I am not going to be out there trying to steal a win from Gary," he said. "That is certainly not the. case, but I certainly want to win myself. That is going to be the goal tomorrow. That is going to be the intent and that-igoing to be what I will be focusing on." - s |