BARCELONA ’92 OLYMPICS : Spain Still Playing Catch-Up Against Team USA : Baseball: Alkire pitches 7 1/3 innings and Tucker hits home run in U.S. team’s 4-1 victory.

This was the game U.S. baseball Coach Ron Fraser feared.

Team USA opened the Summer Games against Spain on Sunday before 4,800 partisan fans at brand new L’Hospitalet Stadium. The fans cheered wildly when the U.S. team grounded out. They roared on foul tips. They chanted “Espana, Espana” throughout the game. And they tried, unsuccessfully, to do the wave.

But in the end, the Spanish lived up to their reputation as the Cleveland Indians of Europe.

Left-hander Jeff Alkire pitched seven-plus innings and designated hitter Michael Tucker hit a two-run home run in the third inning to lead the United States to a 4-1 victory in the preliminary round.

Afterward, Fraser let out a sigh of relief. Team USA, which stranded nine runners in scoring position, had escaped ultimate embarrassment.

“I’m always scared the opening night of any tournament,” said Fraser, whose team will meet Taiwan today. Taiwan defeated Italy, 8-2. Cuba, the favorite to win the gold medal, beat the Dominican Republic, 8-0, and Japan was a 9-0 winner over Puerto Rico.

“It’s a difficult time because anything can happen,” Fraser said. “We’re going to have to play better if we’re going to win against better teams, but I’m glad to get this one out of the way.”

Spain’s program has developed under Coach Jake Molina, an assistant at the University of San Diego, but the team still lags far behind Cuba, the United States and Japan.

In the 1988 World Championships, Spain was outscored, 160-9, and lost all 11 games. The country has a pool of only about 750 players from which to chose for a national team.

Even Molina, who became the coach in 1989, concedes that if Spain weren’t the host country of the Olympics, the team probably would not have made the eight-team field.

He was concerned about playing full games during the Olympic competition and avoiding the international “knockout rule,” which requires that games be stopped any time after seven innings if one team leads by 10 runs.

“We have 20 players on our roster, and that’s about the number of quality players we have in the country,” Molina said. “But I’m pleased the way we played tonight.”

Spain had three hits, and allowed three passed balls and five stolen bases.

The United States, which batted .290 during its 29-game pre-Olympic tour, had five hits.

“Give (left-handed reliever Juan Damborenea) credit, he pitched well, and we didn’t adjust,” Fraser said.

Alkire gave up three hits and struck out 10 in 7 1/3 innings. Alkire gave up Spain’s only run in the fourth inning, then retired 10 of 12 before Daron Kirkreit relieved with two on and one out in the eighth.

“I haven’t pitched in two weeks, so I didn’t know how my arm would react,” Alkire said. “Overall, though, I’m pleased.”

The United States took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when right-hander Felix Cano threw a wild pitch that allowed Chris Wimmer to score from third.

With none out and Jeffrey Hammonds at third, Tucker hit his home run against Cano to right field.

Hammonds’ two-out single in the fourth scored Calvin Murray.