The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 71

SPORTS The Atlanta Journal The Atlanta Constitution G3 Friday, August 9, 1991 BASEBALL BRAVES GAME REPORT Mahler released; Reynoso to start Sunday aft Do you have a question about the Braves, the players, the games or the pennant race in general? Our staff will try to get an answer for you. Call 222-2031 and leave your question. We'll publish the best daily. still think Rick can pitch. It's just we want to see Armando." NOTEBOOK ON THE BRAVES -1 By IJ.

Rosenberg Staff writer Rick Mahler's second stay with the Atlanta Braves ended Thursday when they released the veteran righthander and promoted pitcher Armando Reynoso from Class AAA Richmond. Reynoso, who was 10-6 with three shutouts and a 2.61 ERA at Richmond, will move into the Braves' fifth-starter role and make his major league debut Sunday against Houston. Mahler, 38, who pitched for the Braves all or part of the 1979-88 seasons and was claimed off waivers from Montreal in mid-June, had problems with consistency, although the Braves were 2-0 in his starts. Against San Francisco on Tuesday, he lasted only two innings, allowing three MORE PROBLEMS WITH BREAM: The concern about Sid Bream's right knee continues to grow. For the second time this week, the first baseman had to have the knee drained of fluid.

Bream has been off the disabled list for a week but has just two pinch-hitting appearances. If the condition doesn't clear up quickly, he will have to be put back on the disabled list. In his first appearance since being sent back to Richmond, righthander Jeff Parrett allowed four runs in 2V3 innings Wednesday nights After stealing two bases Thursday, bringing his total to "62, league leader Otis Nixon now has 12 more steals than his closest competitor, Montreal's Marquis Grissom. Reynoso, 25, throws a variety of pitches, including a knuckle-ball. But, according to director of player development and scouting Chuck LaMar, "He mainly goes with the fastball, slider, change-up and breaking ball.

He's a real competitor. He does all the little things that keep you in the ballgame." Reynoso was signed as a free agent out of the Mexican League, where he was 20-3 with a 2.60 ERA for Saltillo last season. "I finally reached my goal," Reynoso said through an interpreter. "I'm going up there to stay. I'm very much surprised.

I thought it would be very hard coming from another country and not being able to speak runs and four hits. The Braves won the game 10-6. Mahler's final numbers with the Braves were a 1-1 record with a 5.65 ERA in 13 appearances. He did not appear upset by his release and even got in a last game of spades with several teammates before his departure. "You get to a point in your career where stuff like this happens," he said.

"The organization is looking to their future. It's disappointing to leave, but I'm at a point now where it has been fun for me in the last couple of years to go to Cincinnati and play, and Montreal and back here." Said manager Bobby Cox, "I Ql When will David Justice re- turn to the lineup? Al Justice, who has been on the disabled list since June 27 with a strained back muscle, has just begun taking batting practice jjj this past week. Though no exact date has been set for his return, he says the pain has lessened i greatly and he hopes to play in a couple of weeks. 6 Ql When do the Braves next play the Dodgers? i. Al The Braves play L.A.

again Sept. 13, when the Dodgers come to in a three-game Stadium. The Braves go to LA. once more this season, Sept. 20-22 (Friday-Saturday-Sunday) for a three-game series.

Ql Has any team ever gone from last place to first place in consecutive seasons? Al No. If the Braves win their division, they would become the first team to accomplish that feat. Q. What do the initials JWM that the Braves wear on their sleeves stand for? Al The initials are a tribute to John W. Mullen, the longtime Braves executive who died April 3.

series (Friday-Saturday-Sun- 3 dav) at Atlanta-Fulton Countv A ni A1nHi THE GAME Organist Carolyn King encourages tomahawking 'Wave' into a ripple By Terence Moore Staff writer I admired Carolyn King even before she became the organist for the Atlanta Braves. We first met during the mid-1980s, when r. MM I The best exchange between SportSouth announcers Ernie Johnson and Chip Caray on Thursday concerned the $5 million 5 defamation lawsuit umpire Gary Darling and his union filed against Reds manager Lou Piniella: i Caray: "It strikes me as ridiculous. I'm not saying what Piniella said was right. But I don't see how the umpire's reputation and name have been injured because most of the fans who watch think the umpires are jerks and wrong, anyway." Johnson: "I don't know if I agree with that." Caray (after commercial break): "It's a tough job, and I think the umpires do a good job But Piniella apologized.

To take it to court is rather trivial." Among the anecdotal material used by the announcers: Giants A pitcher John Burkett aspiring to join the pro bowlers tour after his career; how Braves outfielder Lonnie Smith is nicknamed "Skates" because he "slides around out there." Said Caray after a shot of heavyweight champion Evander Ho- lyfield, who was in attendance, "Wonder if Holyfield punched his way in?" Replied Johnson, "He can do anything he wants." is It she was a member of our youth group at Eben- ezer Baptist f--- Church. She has 7 't-: f'r f. fJVCfn.4 been one of the church's accompanists since she was 12. whiz prentis Kogers The bats There was little offense after the first inning, when the Braves scored their only run on two hits. Otis Nixon stole two bases, giving him 62 for the season.

Jeff Blauser and Terry Pendleton each had two hits out of the club's total of eight. Pendleton is hitting .338. Brian Hunter has gone 10 at-bats without a hit. Keith Mitchell got his first major league pinch hit. Gant, who went l-for-3, needs a hit in his first at-bat tonight to raise his average over .270 for the first time since April.

The arms Starter Tom Glavine had his second-worst outing of the season, allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings. He came into the game having walked 30 batters in 163 innings but granted six passes, two intentional, Kent Mercker was shaky, allowing four earned runs in 1 innings as his ERA shot from 2.11 to 2.87. Dan Petry pitched 2V3 Scoreless innings, only the second time this season in nine appearances that he has not allowed either an earned run or an inherited runner to score. (, The defense In the first inning, the Giants' Darren Lewis sent a ball into deep left-center that Lonnie Smith and Ron Gant let fall between them for a triple. The Braves had just one error in the four-game series.

The record This year: 56-50 second place, 4Vi games back. Last year: 40-66, sixth place, 21V2 games back. Home: 31-27. Road: 25-23. Vs.

righthanders 39-39. Vs. lefthanders: 17-11. One-run games: 11-17. Two-run games: 11-10.

Extra-inning games: 3-4. Shutouts: 2-5. Day: 13-11. Night: 43-39. Grass: 43-37.

Artificial turf: 13-13. Games decided in last at-bat: 7-6. 1 IJ. Rosenberg Rich MahanStaff At 21, Carolyn King, a student at Clark Atlanta, is in her fourth season as the organist for Braves games at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Position: Catcher (uniform No.

10) Birthday (age): Sept. 6(30) Batsthrows: rightright Residence: Edina, Minn. Contract status: Signed through '91 Family: Married to the former Lisa Fore; one son, Ryan William Career: Second year in majors, both in Atlanta. Only Brave selected for All-Star team in 1990. She is a wonderful student at Clark Atlanta.

She is respectful of her elders. She brushes her teeth twice a day. But more important, she is stifling "The Thing That Won't Die." Thanks to Carolyn, "The Wave" is fading into "The Ripple" this season at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. I'll take some credit for this. After all, I've encouraged Carolyn to play "The Tomahawk Chop" whenever groups of fans leap to their feet and scream for no apparent reason.

"I'm able to stop it "The Wave" three times out of five by hitting the A and keys which produce "The Tomahawk says Carolyn, 21, in her fourth season with the Braves. "During one of the two times that I don't stop it, the other team is batting, when I'm not allowed to play. During that other time, it is so out of hand that I can't do anything about it." she neither copied it from FSU nor decided to play it this season in honor of Sanders. "I started using it about two years ago, because it sounded as if it would go with a team called the Braves," she says. "Back then, only a few people would get into it.

Then, about the end of May and the beginning of June of this year, everybody started getting into it." you have a topic you'd like to see addressed, call our Sound-offline at 222-2031 or FAX it to us at 526-5977. Whatever, with Carolyn striking those A and keys when the Braves are batting, and with Braves fans responding by chopping the air with their right hands, one of the most refreshing fads in the majors happens nearly a dozen times a game. "We even do it in the dugout," said Braves outfielder Lonnie Smith. "The Tomahawk Chop" was born at Florida State, and Braves fans began doing it en masse this season, the first as a Brave for former Seminole Deion Sanders. But Carolyn says Update: Began season as backup to Mike Heath but has worked back into role as top catcher.

He is batting .270 with five homers and 29 RBIs. Free time: Usually spends four or five days pheasant hunting in Minnesota during the offseason. He also likes to ice fish. During the season, he finds time for golf (10-handicapper). In the clubhouse: One of the biggest card players on the team and can be seen before every game playing spades with pitchers Charlie Leibrandt and John Smoltz.

The stakes are moderate, and the payoffs come after every road trip. I.J. Rosenberg b.m.'ij:.'hi.m.bi iiiur. Batttr ab DM Batter tb Nixon rl Treedway2b Pendleton 3b Gantd Petry LoSmithrl ON DECK: BRAVES VS. ASTROS Lewis 4 McGeeif 4 Felderrf 1 WCIark lb 5 Mitchell II 3 MWiHms3b RThmpsn2b 2 Litton 2b 1 Manwarmgc 4 3 110 4 0 0 0 4 0 2 0 3 0 11 10 0 0 4 0 0 0 4 0 2 0 4 0 0 0 3 0 10 10 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 3 2 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 3 3 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (13 I Uribess The Braves drew 29,428 Thursday, the largest crowd of the four-game series against San Francisco.

Since it was a 5:40 p.m. start, there were few large groups. A large number of senior citizens in field level got in for half price. The Braves expect to sell out Saturday night's game against Houston and draw more than 100,000 for the three-game series with the Astros. Total home attendance: 1,403,612 through 56 dates (avg.

Needed to reach 2 million: P96.388 with 23 dates to go (avg. 25,930) last year's attendance: f.16,818 through 56 dates (avg, Ticket prices: $11 (club, dugout), $9 (field), $6 (upper, pavilion), $4 (adult general admission), $1 (under 12, general Hunter lb Olson Glavine Gregg ph Mercker KMchellrl Benjamin ss Burnett Bassph Brantley Total Totali 33 1 1 1 San Francisco ..100000 000-1 Atlanta Double plays: San Francisco 1. Lett on basr. San Francisco 13, Atlanta 6. Doubles: MaWdliams (19).

RThompson (18), Uribe (4). Triples: Lewis (2). Noma runs: WCIark (22). Stolen bases: Lewis (4), Nixon 2 (62). Caught stealing: McGee (7).

Sacrifices: Burkett, Sacrifice flies: Manwaring. SAN FRANCISCO The games: At Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, tonight at 7:40, Saturday at 7:10 and Sunday at 2:10. TVradio: TBS (Channel 17) will televise the games tonight and Saturday, while SportSouth will show Sunday's game. WCHK-FM (105.7) will carry tonight's game, while WSB-AM (750) will air the Saturday and Sunday games. Astros update: Houston may be in the division cellar, but behind some strong pitching the Astros swept Los Angeles last weekend, holding the Dodgers to three runs in three games.

They have had their problems on the road, where they are 17-33, and are last in the league in fielding and ninth in hitting (.246 average). Catcher Craig Big-gio continues to be their best hitter with a .307 average. Tonight's matchup: Steve Avery (12-5) vs. Jim Deshaies (4-8). Avery has won his last five decisions and is 0-1 against the Astros this season.

Deshaies has the highest ERA In the Astros' rotation (4.81) and is 0-1 against the Braves this year. Saturday's matchup: John Smoltz (7-12) vs. Pete Hamisch (6-7). Smoltz has pitched well against the Astros in two starts but does not have a decision. Hamisch, who has a 2.37 ERA and is holding opponents to a .203 batting average, has been superb against the Braves in three starts but is only 1-0.

Sunday's matchup: Armando Reynoso (0-0) vs. Darryl Kile (5-6). Reynoso will be making his major league debut, having just been called up from Class AAA Richmond, where he was 10-6 with a 2.61 ERA. Kile has been both a starter and reliever and has had problems with control, walking 53 in 94 innings while striking out 59. IJ.

Rosenberg Pitchers Ip at bb so Player nicknames You know the names on the backs of their jerseys, but the Braves often call their teammates by other names. A sampling: 6 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 5 1 Burkett (W.9-5) Brantley Mark Grant Mud Coach Clarence Jones CJ ATLANTA Pitchers Ip at bb so Crash Rafael Belliard PacMan, Webster, Tatoo Tommy Gregg The General coach Leo Mazzone Juan Berenguer Wee Wee 5 7 4 4 6 6 1 4 4 2 2 21 1 0 0 0 0 Glavine (L.14-7) Mercker Petry JeffBlauser Trouble man Asst. trainer Jeff Porter Bubba MarkLemke Potsie Scooter Greg Olson Cxsie Lonnie Smith Bobby Cox Skates Mike Heath Rat boy David Justice ROY (Rookie of the year) G5 K'd Francisco Cabrera Steve Avery Statistics for Braves, Astros Franky TP Coach Pat Corrales O.K. Ccrrales jerry Pendleton Braves: 8-1 loss to Giants moves deficit to 4V2 Continued from Gl reliever Dan Petty with runners at first and second and two out. "But the series was successful." However, if the Braves are going to push the Dodgers for the division title, they must win at home, especially when lefthander Tom Glavine is pitching.

Glavine (14-7) hardly resembled a Cy Young candidate. When he left after the fifth inning, he had thrown 108 pitches, allowed four runs on seven hits and walked six, matching a career high. "You can't go up and walk six guys against this team and do a very good job," said Glavine, who came into the game walking just 1.4 batters a start. "It wasn't like I was all over the place. I was missing a little bit, and when I do that my game is off." Said pitching coach Leo Mazzone, "Tommy was out of gas after the fifth.

The command of his fastball was off." Glavine has had trouble in his last five starts, of which he has won one and given up an average of three earned runs. In his first 18 starts, he allowed an average of 1.4 earned runs. "There have been a couple of games this half where I certainly haven't been as sharp," he said. "But in the same sense, there were some games in the first half of the year where I was fortunate to come out on the winning end. Now wins are a little tougher to John Smoltz Coach Jim Beauchamp Beach Big Dave Trainer Dave Pursley Compiled by U.

Rosenberg I it 4 DODGERS REDS DAY BRAVES (TV) at Giants at Padres vs. Astros, 7:40 p.m. (TBS) Today at Giants at Padres vs. Astros, 7:10 p.m. (TBS) Saturday at Giants at Padres vs.

Astros, 2:10 p.m. (SS) Sunday Hit by pitch: by Petty (Mitchell). Wild pitch: Glavine. Umpires: Home, Gregg; First, West; Second, Runge; Third, Winters. Time: 3:18.

Attend: 29,428. HOW THEY SCORED Giants First: Lewis tripled to led center. McGee singled to right, Lewis scored McGee caught stealing, catcher Olson to shortstop Blauser. Clark singled to right. Mitchell died out to left tielder Smith.

Williams struck out to catcher Olson. Glanta 1, Braves 0. Braves First: Nixon walked. Treadway lined ou to right tietder McGee Nixon stole second Pendleton singled to second, Nixon to third. Gent singled to third, Nixon scored, Pendleton to third.

Smith bnect out to second baseman Thompson. Blauser grounded out to third baseman Williams. Braves 1, Plants 1. Giants Second: Thompson doubled down the left field line. Manwaring struck out.

Uribe singled to left, Thompson to third. Burkett struck out Lewis walked, Uribe to second. McGee walked, Thompson scored, Uribe to third, Lewis to second. Clark Hied out to left lieldw L.Smilh. Giants Braves 1, Giants Fifth: Clark walked.

Mitchell struck out. Williams doubled to cenlet, Clark scored. On Gla-vlne's wild pitch, Williams to third. Thompson intentionally walked. Manwaring hit sacrifice fly to center fielder Gant, Williams scored, Thompson to second.

Uribe Intentionally walked. Burkett struck out: Giants 4, Braves 1. Giants Sixth: Mercker pitching, batting 9th. Lew-is walked. Lewis stole second McGee struck out.

Clark singled down the left field line, Lewis scored; Mitchell Hied out to right fielder Nixon. Williams sin gled to left center, Clark to second. Thompson walked, Clark to third, Williams to second. Manwar- Ing struck out Giants 6, Braves 1. Glanta Seventh: Uribe doubled to center.

Bur-kett sacrificed, third baseman Pendleton to second baseman Treadway, Uribe to third. Lewis singled to left, Uribe scored. McGee grounded out to first baseman Hunter, Lewis to second. Clark homered to right on count. Lewis and Clark scored.

Petry relieved Mercker, barling 4th Nixon to center tiold lor Pelry, batting 1 si. Mitchell to right field tor Petry, batting 9m Mitchell hit by pitch. Williams popped out to second baseman Treadway. Giants Braves 1. vs.

Reds at Dodgers at Giants, 10:05 p.m. (TBS) Monday vs. Reds at Dodgers at Giants, 10:35 p.m. (TBS) Tuesday vs. Reds at Dodgers at Giants, 3:35 p.m.

(no TV) Wednesday come by. I'm not worried about it. The main thing to me is everything feels fine and I'm throwing the ball good. I'm not panicking. I'm not going to change anything." But Glavine was hardly the only one to blame Thursday.

The 5:40 p.m. game opened with the Giants' Darren Lewis sending a long fly ball to left-center, which Lonnie Smith and Ron Gant converged on. Gant said Smith called for the catch, but neither touched the ball. When the play was over, Lewis was at third with a triple, and he scored on Willie McGee's single. The Braves had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the inning off John Burkett (9-5) after scoring one run on a single by Gant.

But with runners at first and third, Smith lined out to second and Jeff Blauser grounded to third. From there, it was a nasty mess as the Braves advanced only one more runner to second against Burkett, who pitched eight innings. Trying to hold the Braves' deficit to 4-1, reliever Kent Mercker gave up four runs in Wi innings. That led to the eighth, when Cox decided not to pinch-hit for Petry unusual considering how many times this season the Braves have come back to win. "Everybody in the bullpen needed a rest," said Cox.

And it seemed like the rest of the club also decided to take the night off. I BRAVES DODGERS REDS Day-to-day Sid Bream (knee) None None 15-day DL David Justice (back) Alfredo Griffin (cheek) Scott Scudder (arm) Doug Sisk (arm) Jeff Hamilton (knee) Mariano Duncan (side) Eric Davis (exhaustion) 60-day DL Nick Esasky (vertigo) None None Mark Grant (arm) 1 Mike Heath (elbow) Braves update: Bream available for pinch-hitting; justice has started taking batting practice; Grant, Heath out for season; no progress on tsasky 8 condition. 1.