Garrett Stephenson

Tuesday's stars: Barry Bonds, Giants, went 3-for-4 with two homers and five RBIs in a 16-2 rout at San Diego. Garrett Stephenson, Phillies, pitched a four-hitter as Philadelphia stopped a nine-game losing streak against Atlanta with an 8-1 victory.Pub Date: 7/17/97

ST. LOUIS - When Sidney Ponson pulled on his 1944 St. Louis Browns uniform yesterday, a few of his Orioles teammates had a little fun at his expense. One veteran said he looked like a bratwurst, covered in gray, and others thought he looked like the reincarnation of Babe Ruth. Nine innings later, Ponson's teammates were too busy praising him to laugh. On a day they desperately needed a stopper, Ponson was there, tossing his second complete game in his past three starts as the Orioles ended their four-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

BaseballOrioles: Signed P Kent Mercker to one-year, $2.825 million deal with an option year. Agreed to terms with P Garrett Stephenson (Linganore, Boonsboro). Roving minor-league hitting instructor Mike Easler resigned, effective Feb. 15.Red Sox: Agreed to terms with IF Luis Alicea on one-year contract.CollegeIndiana: Named Kit Cartwright quarterbacks coach.HockeyNHL: Suspended Blackhawks RW Bob Probert one game and fined him $1,000 for elbowing Blues' Tony Twist on Thursday.Kings: Traded F Pat Conacher to Flames for RW Craig Ferguson.

Scouting report: O's vs. Cardinals At Busch Stadium, St. Louis Day Time TV Starters Tonight 8:10 54, 66 Rick Helling (3-4, 5.82) vs. Brett Tomko (2-4, 4.44) Tomorrow 4:05 45 Sidney Ponson (7-3, 4.14) vs. Garrett Stephenson (3-4, 4.54) Sunday 2:10 13, 66 Jason Johnson (5-2, 3.63)vs. Matt Morris (7-3, 2.57) Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) Cardinals update For longtime St. Louis baseball fans, this series carries special significance as the first regular-season meeting between the Cardinals and the team formerly known as the St. Louis Browns.

Quote: "I'm not on suicide alert. I'm not about to heave myself off a bridge. There are more important things in life than me getting a hit."-- Former Oriole Mark Smith, who has gone 0-for-28 for the Pirates to start the season.It's a fact: Brewers right-hander Jeff Juden drove in four runs yesterday, but he also surrendered four bases-empty homers to the Reds, three of them in the third inning.Who's hot: Vinny Castilla, Larry Walker and Neifi Perez hit home runs for the Rockies, who won their fifth in six games.

HAGERSTOWN -- Jose Serra went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Roy Hodge went 3-for-3 with two runs scored as the Albany (Ga.) Polecats (1-1) defeated the Hagerstown Suns (1-1), 3-1, in a South Atlantic League game at Municipal Stadium yesterday.The Polecats, an Orioles affiliate, scored with two outs in the first inning when B. J. Waszgis doubled in Hodge. They extended the lead in the sixth when Waszgis again drove in Hodge, this time on a ground out.The Suns' only run came in the bottom of the sixth as Chris Harms grounded out to score Jose Herrera, who had doubled.

Scouting report: O's vs. Cardinals At Busch Stadium, St. Louis Day Time TV Starters Tonight 8:10 54, 66 Rick Helling (3-4, 5.82) vs. Brett Tomko (2-4, 4.44) Tomorrow 4:05 45 Sidney Ponson (7-3, 4.14) vs. Garrett Stephenson (3-4, 4.54) Sunday 2:10 13, 66 Jason Johnson (5-2, 3.63)vs. Matt Morris (7-3, 2.57) Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) Cardinals update For longtime St. Louis baseball fans, this series carries special significance as the first regular-season meeting between the Cardinals and the team formerly known as the St. Louis Browns.

ST. LOUIS - When Sidney Ponson pulled on his 1944 St. Louis Browns uniform yesterday, a few of his Orioles teammates had a little fun at his expense. One veteran said he looked like a bratwurst, covered in gray, and others thought he looked like the reincarnation of Babe Ruth. Nine innings later, Ponson's teammates were too busy praising him to laugh. On a day they desperately needed a stopper, Ponson was there, tossing his second complete game in his past three starts as the Orioles ended their four-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

BOWIE -- The Bowie Baysox were in danger of falling 14 games below .500 for the first time this season, but they quickly perished the thought last night.They scored 10 runs in the first three innings and went on to a season-high runs total in a 16-1 rout of the Norwich Navigators at Prince George's County Stadium.Bowie (29-41) also had a season-best 19 hits with Jim Wawruck singling five times.Norwich, whose six-game winning streak ended, pitched in by walking eight Baysox batters, hitting two with pitches and committing two errors.

Quote: "It'll be a tough assignment, no question. Arizona is a good club and Randy, obviously, is a good pitcher." - Atlanta pitcher Tom Glavine on facing Randy Johnson Friday in a quest for his 20th victory. It's a fact: The Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates are the first three major-league teams to be eliminated from postseason competition. Who's hot: St Louis pitcher Garrett Stephenson (16-8) won for the fifth time in his last six decisions last night. Who's not: Pedro Astacio gave up six runs on six hit in 1 1/3 innings in a loss Sunday.

Opinion: If you saw the same 'ol Bobby Knight on TV last week, you know Indiana is going to get what it deserves for not having the guts to just up and can him. He doesn't believe he was wrong, he can't adhere to some of the restrictions imposed on him (such as treating the media with even a modicum of respect) and he's going to test the limits. He's going to be a huge headache. Fact: Yes, the Garrett Stephenson who is 8-1for the Cardinals is the same Garrett Stephenson the Orioles traded to the Phillies along with Calvin Maduro in 1996, getting Pete Incaviglia and Todd Zeile in return.

Braves: Atlanta pitchers struck out 14. Andruw Jones singled in the eighth and is 21-for-56 (.375) during a career-best 14-game hitting streak.Cardinals: Garrett Stephenson is 3-0 with a 1.36 ERA in five starts since being recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Aug. 6. He had two complete-game victories against the Braves in 1997, when he was with the Phillies.

BaseballAngels: Optioned OF Norm Hutchins, P Geoff Edsell and C Bret Hemphill to Triple-A Edmonton. Optioned P Mark Harriger and P Ramon Ortiz to Double-A Erie.Astros: Assigned P Tony McKnight, P Wade Miller, P Derek Root, P Brian Sikorski, C Pedro Lopez, C Marc Ronan, IF Julio Lugo, IF Chris Truby, IF Carlos Villalobos and former Orioles OF Brent Bowers to minor-league camp.Blue Jays: Assigned C Josh Phelps, OF Ryan Freel and OF Patrick Lennon to minor-league camp.Brewers: Assigned P Hector Ramirez, P Ryan Henderson and P Tim VanEgmond to minor-league camp.