Game In Cleveland

For most of this season Orioles manager Davey Johnson has used his bullpen to protect his valuable starting rotation. Now who will save the 'pen?The New York Yankees forced the issue last night in a nationally televised 8-2 win over the Orioles before 47,264 at Camden Yards, denying the Orioles a clinch of at least a wild-card berth. The Yankees grabbed three of the series' four games by outscoring the Orioles 36-15. Of more concern, the Yankees again went wild once into the Orioles' bullpen.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. -- Lenny Webster still winces at the leftovers of last season's pain. Doctors inserted a screw to reattach his labrum to his left shoulder, the one that left him with a "lazy arm" for the season's last two months. It's only been two weeks since he's regained sensation in the last two fingers on his right hand, such was the severity of a stretched nerve near his elbow.These are strange sensations for a career backup catcher coming off a season that merited a guaranteed contract for the 1998 season.

Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas is preparing to shield his quarterback, Colt McCoy, from a Ravens defense that sacked San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith nine times in last week's win. He is also preparing to protect his ears from the barrage of insults sure to come from the Baltimore defense. “ They talk a lot ,” Thomas told The Canton Repository in Canton, Ohio. “Some of it is personal, but it's funny.” The chattiest, Thomas says, is Ray Lewis, who finished second behind Chad Ochocinco in a recent Sports Illustrated poll asking current players who was the NFL's funniest trash talker . (Lewis has missed the past two games and did not practice Wednesday, putting his status for Sunday's game in Cleveland in doubt.)

150 years ago in The SunOct. 6: The contract for building an iron bridge over Jones' Falls, at Madison Street, made on the part of the city by the city commissioners, has been ratified.Oct. 7: THE ELECTION TO-DAY -- After reading The Sun and eating their breakfasts this morning, it will become the duty of our citizens, to go forth to exercise the dearest privilege of freemen -- the suffrage of untrammelled political sentiment through the medium of the ballot.100 years ago in The SunOct. 6: ORIOLES FIELD DAY -- The field sports at Union Park which have been arranged for the benefit of the champions will be held next Saturday, provided Baltimore wins the first game in Cleveland.

Quote: "It feels like we won the World Series, just winning one out of four." - manager Tony Muser, after the Royals avoided a four-game sweep in Cleveland It's a fact: The Blue Jays failed to homer for the first time in 13 games. Who's hot: The A's lead the majors in runs (108) and walks (85) in May. Who's not: The Royals' Carlos Beltran, AL Rookie of the Year last season, is hitless in his past 22 at-bats. On deck: There could be an early preview of the AL wild-card battle when the Red Sox travel to Toronto for a three-game series beginning tonight.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kevin Healey knows this doesn't look good. But he also wants to make sure everybody knows the Blast's struggles aren't because of a lack of effort. The latest loss came yesterday, when his team led early, but eventually fell to the Kansas City Comets, 21-12. Baltimore has now lost seven of its last eight games, and is suddenly in a tight race with Cleveland for the MISL's fourth and final playoff spot. As a result of Cleveland's 20-12 win over Harrisburg yesterday, the Blast (14-20)

There are two pretty significant dates on Maryland women's basketball coach Brenda Frese's calendar. One of them is April 3, the night of the NCAA women's championship game in Cleveland. The other big date is May 4, the day Spider-Man 3 opens for wide release. "I'm a huge Spider-Man fan. I will be there at midnight," says Frese, whose love of films was probably bolstered by her 2005 marriage to videographer Mark Thomas, a University of Maryland alum. The couple live just outside Columbia.

Blast defender Angelo Panzetta will miss the remainder of the 1990-91 season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He also suffered torn cartilage in the knee and will undergo arthroscopic surgery tomorrow. Reconstructive surgery will be performed in the next few weeks.Panzetta, 23, suffered the injuries in the Blast's 9-6 win over Wichita Sunday. Team doctors say that he will not be able to return to soccer for eight to 12 months."We are all sickened by the news," said Blast coach Kenny Cooper.

Tight end Todd Heap and defensive end Tony Weaver were born in 1980. Free safety Will Demps and several other Ravens starters were born a year earlier, and any resentment over the fact that the Colts left Baltimore after the 1983 season, moving to Indianapolis, is lost on them. "For me, the Colts have always been in Indianapolis," Weaver said. "Them being here once, it doesn't matter much to me. I'd love to go beat them and get another win, but as far as a rivalry because they once played here, it isn't there for the players."

How the game was won The Ravens clinched their first playoff berth since 2003 by coming up with big plays. Dawan Landry's 37-yard interception return set up the Ravens' first score. Demetrius Williams' 77-yard touchdown catch and run broke a 17-17 tie. And Mark Clayton's 42-yard reception led to Matt Stover's 22-yard field goal that sealed the victory. Play of the game Three plays after the Browns came back to tie the game at 17 in the third quarter, Kyle Boller connected on a 77-yard play with Williams, who caught the throw at the Browns' 25-yard line and raced to the end zone.