Sutton Makes Return After Major Surgery

Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton returned to work as an Atlanta Brave broadcaster Monday, less than a month after he had surgery to remove a cancerous kidney.

A growth was discovered during routine tests in May, and doctors later discovered it was malignant. Sutton was supposed to miss four to six weeks but returned earlier than expected because his recovery was going so well.

“Having an organ removed is a major surgery,” he said before Atlanta played the Montreal Expos. “I was prepared to hurt for a long time, but I haven’t. In my mind, that in and of itself is a miracle.”

Sutton won 324 games in his 23-year career, mostly with the Dodgers, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. The four-time All-Star retired in 1988 and joined Atlanta’s broadcast team a year later.

He arrived in the booth about three hours before Monday’s game, exchanging handshakes and hugs with the TBS production crew. He rejoined regular partner Pete Van Wieren.

Former Atlanta second baseman Mark Lemke filled in for Sutton on the radio broadcasts, and Joe Simpson was the regular TV analyst. Simpson rejoined regular partner Skip Caray in the radio booth.

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Mitch Williams, who struggled with his control as a reliever for the Philadelphia Phillies almost a decade ago, became manager of the minor league Atlantic City Surf. He replaced former Cincinnati infielder Tommy Helms, who resigned after two seasons under what General Manager Mario Perrucci called a mutual agreement.

Williams joined the Surf, of the independent Atlantic League, last spring as pitching coach and has pitched occasionally for the team.

In 11 appearances last year, he was 4-3 with a 3.85 earned-run average. On June 19, he picked up a victory, giving up five hits in a five-inning appearance against the Newark Bears. He probably won’t pitch anymore now that he is the manager, team spokesman Chuck Betson said.

Helms, 61, a former National League rookie of the year with the Reds, will take a front-office job, advising the team on baseball operations and evaluating talent, Perrucci said.

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Attendance for interleague games was up almost 20% from levels for in-league contests.

Figures released by the commissioner’s office showed total attendance of 8,022,524 for 251 games between the two leagues, an average of 31,962 per game and 19.7% higher than the season average of 26,705 for non-interleague games.

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Frank Castillo dropped his appeal of a five-game suspension and isn’t expected to miss a start for the Boston Red Sox. Castillo pitched Sunday before the Red Sox began a four-day, five-game series Monday night against Toronto.... Infielder Ricky Gutierrez was activated off the disabled list after going three for six for the Cleveland Indians in an exhibition win over their triple-A affiliate at Buffalo, N.Y. Monday’s game was Gutierrez’s first appearance since being put on the disabled list on June 16 because of a strained groin.