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Monday 2010 Les Schwab Tires Red Bluff Pro-Am, 8 a.m. Track — Chico, Foothill at Red Bluff Golf — Mercy at Fall River Valley, 11:30 a.m. MLB— Rangers at Athletics, 7 p.m., CSNCA NBAPlayoffs — Celtics at Cavaliers, 5 p.m., TNT NBAPlayoffs — Spurs at Suns, 7:30 p.m., TNT Sports 1B Monday May 3, 2010 America Legion honors past, future Daily News photos by Rich Greene (Left) Mike Weibling gives a thank you speech, Saturday night, after being inducted into the Red Bluff American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame. (Top) Red Bluff High School’s EJ Stanton and Dante Garaventa along with Mercy High School’s Cameron Vietti receive a scholarship donation. (Bottom) Red Bluff Bulls coach James Bonomini inducts Donnie Button into the Hall of Fame. By RICHGREENE DN Sports Editor On a night where Red Bluff American Legion Baseball recog- nized its past and its future, one common thread stood out as bind- ing it all together — coach James Bonomini. Todd Ross, Mike Weibling and Donnie Button were inducted in the Red Bluff American Legion Hall of Fame, Saturday, for their time with the Bulls. All played for a coach, who preached fun alongside funda- mentals and left a lasting impres- sion. “The memories, the stories, SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jim you go out to the ballpark there’s something new every time you go out,” Button said of what his induction and baseball meant. Button played second base for the Bulls, was a past president of Red Bluff American Legion and a fall ball coach. Bonomini described him as a good hitter who could turn a dou- ble-play with the best of them. Weibling was another player who gave back to the Bulls after his playing career. He played for the Bulls from 1991-1993 and is about to enter his second stint as a Bulls assistant coach. In between Weibling walked on at the University of Southern California as a pitcher and helped lead the Trojans to a NCAA Divi- sion I World Series in 1998. “He always threw strikes,” Bonomini said of why he knew Weibling would be able to make the USC team. In his thank you speech, Weib- ling said regardless if it was play- ing or coaching he has always had a great experience with the Bulls and looks forward to doing it again. The third former player induct- ed, Saturday, was one of the best third baseman in Bulls history, Todd Ross. “He knew the game top to bot- Tracy has always liked Jhoulys Chacin’s potential, and the Col- orado manager has told the pitcher so many a time. The Rockies also were straight with their young right-hander this spring: figure out your fastball to stay in the major leagues. Chacin allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings for his first major league win, Melvin Mora hit a two- run single and the Rockies avoided a three-game sweep by beating the San Francisco Giants 4-1 on Sun- day. ‘‘He always told me, ’You can do it’ and ’I’m confident in you,’’’ Chacin said, recalling his conversa- tions with Tracy even before he was promoted from bench coach to manager last May. ‘‘They told me I had to throw my fastball for strikes.’’ Chacin (1-0) struck out seven TORONTO (AP) — A second straight ‘‘terrible’’ start left Ben Sheets feeling like a raw rookie. The Oakland starter was tagged for nine runs, three homers and eight extra-base hits in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 9-3 victory over the Athletics on Sunday. ‘‘My location was terri- and didn’t allow a hit until Matt Downs’ two-out double in the fifth, one of only a couple of well- struck balls he gave up as he kept attacking hitters deep into the game. ‘‘He was really tom,” Bonomini said. Ross went on to play at Shasta College, Lassen College and then in Louisiana. With a new job in the Glenn County Sheriff’s Department, Ross was unable to attend Satur- day’s event. The night featured a dinner and silent auction and was highlighted by another former Bull, Matty Maiocco, who covered the San Francisco 49ers for the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Maiocco shared just some of the several hundred stories about playing for Bonomini. “You develop friendships that will last your entire career,” he working the outside corner, nibbling off the plate away,’’ San Francisco’s Aubrey Huff said. ‘‘He wouldn’t give in.’’ Paul Phillips drew a bases- loaded walk from Jonathan Sanchez (2-2) in the fourth to put Colorado ahead 1-0 and Ryan Spilborghs also singled home a run in the four-run fifth. The Rockies snapped their season-worst three-game losing streak. Huff homered for the second straight day, leading off the ninth with a drive against Manny Corpas. The Rockies earned a rare victo- ry in the Giants’ waterfront ball- ble,’’ said Sheets, who dropped to 1-3. ‘‘You can’t throw balls over the middle of the plate in the big leagues. I don’t think I could throw it over the middle of the plate in Little League right now.’’ Fred Lewis, Alex Gon- zalez and Aaron Hill homered to help Toronto right-hander Shaun Mar- park, where Colorado won for only the third time in the last 12 games. The 22-year-old Chacin walked three in his second career start and 11th big league appear- ance, shutting down a San Fran- cisco lineup that scored 11 runs in the first two games. The right-han- der, in the rotation because of all the injuries to the Rockies’ pitching staff, made his major league debut against the Giants in the ninth inning last July 25 at Coors Field. He was hoping to get the sou- venir game ball from his first win, saying, ‘‘I’m very happy.’’ Chacin combined for 18 wins at two levels in the minors in 2008 — and has always had impressive off-speed stuff. He routinely got strikeouts with his slider on Sunday. See GIANTS, page 2B Marcum finally wins as Jays rout Athletics 9-3 cum (1-1) win for the first time since 2008. ‘‘It’s good to have him back and it was good to get him the run support and get him his first win,’’ Hill said. Hill went 3 for 4 with a walk and the Blue Jays pounded out 10 extra-base hits to win for the seventh time in nine games against the Athletics. Oakland has lost nine of 13 and saw its starting pitchers go 1-5 with an 11.96 ERA on a six-game road trip. Sheets, who sat out the 2009 season after elbow surgery, gave up eight runs and nine hits in five innings in his previous start, April 27 at Tampa Bay, and was hit even harder in this one. He allowed nine runs and 10 See ROUT, page 2B said of what American Legion baseball means. Later in the evening, Bonomini was awarded a plaque of his own and a watch, thanking him for his time leading young men since 1977. The night ended with a glimpse of the future as four current Bulls players were awarded scholar- ships honoring their academic work in high school and commit- ment to continue playing baseball after graduation. The scholarship nominees were Corning’s Cody Fox, Red Bluff’s Dante Garaventa and EJ Stanton and Mercy’s Cameron Vietti. Chacin delivers in 2nd start, beats Giants Tehama Tracker Cardinals baseball Despite two homers from Caleb Johnson, Friday, the Corning Cardinals fell 7-3 to Yreka. Johnson drove in three runs and Casey Cleland picked up two hits. Corning fell to 6-2 in the Northern Athletic League and 15-5-1 overall. Spartans track and field At the highly competitive Meet of Champions in Sacra- mento, Saturday, Red Bluff’s Taylor Hickson placed fourth in the high jump. hurdles. Hickson also took a 15th place finish in the 110-meter Colin Dahlberg was 10th in the long jump for Red Bluff and Devin Shoop was 20th in the 800 meters. In the freshman-sophomore division, Jonah McInnis placed fifth in the high jump and 12th in the triple jump. Cody Lehman was ninth in the 110-meter hurdles and Ty Smith was 12th. Zach Iverson was 10th in the 400 meters and Dominic Lightfoot took a 10th place finish in the discus and was 13th in the shotput. Spartans golf The Spartans played a great Front 9, but fell apart on a difficult Back 9, Thursday, in the fourth of five Eastern Ath- letic League meets. Red Bluff won the Front 9 at Canyon Oaks with a 203 — two shots ahead of Chico. However, on the Back 9, Red Bluff placed fifth, shooting a 240. “We had a rough day on the Back 9. It’s a tough course with hazards on almost every hole. It’s the nature of the game though. We all have our bad rounds. I have confidence that they will rally together and play well next week at Gold Hills,” coach Elena Tomasetti said. The Spartans will take a 3-point lead over Chico into the last EAL league match at Gold Hills. Pleasant Valley is also within striking distance in third place. Daniel Frantz tied for the second-low score at Canyon Oaks and leads the EALheaded into the meet. Frantz shot a 79 at Canyon Oaks. Brad Patchen was the next best Spartan with an 88.