MONTREAL (CP)--After a 7-game road trip during which they went 2-5, the
Royals returned to Montreal to earn their first victory of the season at
home. Kirk Rueter pitched 6 solid innings, but it was the Montreal offense
that paved the way for a 8-3 win over the Hartford Whalers.
Luis Andujar was the scheduled starter, but he was replaced the by Kirk
Rueter that morning after complaining about tightness in his shoulder.
"We're going to keep him in the pen for a while," said the skipper. "He's
been having these sporadic pains since the beginning spring training. We
don't want to take a any chances with a young pitcher like him."
The Royals took advantage of a poor start by Kevin Millwood, who lasted
only 2/3 of an inning. 11 batters came to the plate in the first inning and
scored 6 runs. Gary Gaetti and catcher Art Maupin hit 2- and 3-run homers
respectively in that inning.
Veteran firstbaseman Juan Samuel, who was largely a dissapointment last
year, has made a large turnaround since the beginning of the season. While
he did not get a hit yesterday, he reached on base twice, stole twice and
scored twice.
The top of the order continues to struggle. Greer and Lansing both went
1-for-4 and failed to score. The big three (Bonilla, Greer and White) are
batting a combined .228.
Joe Hetrick and Bill simas pitched the 3 last innings, allowing only 2 base
runners and no runners.
McCoy Notes
-After their 7-1 start, the Deadwood Outlaws have lost 3 in a row. They
cling onto a 1-game lead after they to the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-3, on a
2-run rally in the top in the ninth. The bullpen continues to give Deadwood
problems.
-The McCoy is still the tightest division in the PVBL. The last place team,
the Montreal Royals, are only 3 1/2 games back of the Outlaws.
-Edmonton's strengthened pitching rotation is the reason they are 1 game
behind the Outlaws. Edmonton starters are 10-for-11 in quality starts. Pete
Schourek, a 20-game loser last year, has only given up 1 run in 13 innings
of work.
-Greg Maddux has returned to the McCoy division, this time as a member of
the Deadwood Outlaws (he played for the 1997 Championship Hartford
Whalers). But Maddux has yet to show his form that earned him a Cy Young:
he is 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA.
-Rookie Brad Fullmer is batting .326 with 2 home runs, 5 doubles and 8
RBIs. He is currently DH-ing for the Outlaws.
