Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 24, 1990 TAG: 9007240170
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: NEW RIVWE VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
After repeatedly failing to bring the run home from third - five times with less than two out - the Braves' Wallace Gonzalez came up with a foolproof method. He cued a two-strike, two-out hit to the gap between first and second to deliver Brian Kowitz from third with the winning run as the Braves rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 3-2 victory over Princeton on Monday.
Nobody in Calfee Park was anymore relieved by that development than Braves manager Randy Ingle.
"Somebody had a rope tied on our base runners," he said. "We were ready to try just about anything to score."
They just about did in this Appalachian League baseball encounter, including sending the runner from third with a man on second and one out and a ball hit to third. He was nailed at the plate. The same fate awaited Juan Williams, who bolted for home on a ninth-inning squeeze play by Anthony Graffagnino with the bases loaded, one out and a 3-1 count.
"I kind of took that play [executing the bunt] for granted in that situation," Ingle said. "We'll go over that again tomorrow. "If the pitch is so bad, then it's ball four. Anything close, you bunt."
Thus, the game was dumped in the lap of Gonzalez, who had tripled off the top of the wall in the sixth to halve the Patriots 2-0 lead.
Gonzalez quickly accumulated two strikes from Mario Garcia, the fourth of Princeton's pitchers.
"With two strikes, I always choke up on the bat, shorten my swing and just try to make contact," said Gonzalez, who has 11 extra-base hits among his 19 total. "I was looking for anything close; with two strikes, you can't look for a specific pitch."
Gonzalez level-headedly fouled off three straight pitches before finding the one that suited him. "That was one hellaciously quality at-bat," Ingle said.
The Braves had nine hits, three by leadoff man Brian Kowitz, who doubled twice and scored two. But it was Gonzalez who pulled hard-luck pitcher Joe Roa off the hook and gave undefeated Mike Place his second victory.
\ BRAVES NOTES: Left-hander Brian Bark was admitted to Pulaski Community Hospital last week with a severe sinus infection and considerable swelling in his face. He is expected to stay there for at least the rest of the week. . . . Trent Mongero's girlfriend, Sandra Jackson of Durham, N.C., accepted when he proposed marriage to her at home plate Saturday. Mongero was out of the lineup Monday with an ailing back. His status is day-to-day. . . . Barry Chiles (2-0) pitches against Princeton's Bill Stohr (1-3) as the eight-game homestand concludes tonight.
Princeton 000 020 000-2 5 4
Pulaski 000 001 101-3 7 2
Adamson, Mannichia (8), Hammond (9), Garcia (9). Roa, Place (7th). W - Place (2-0). L - Garcia (2-2).
by CNB