ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, June 19, 1996 TAG: 9606190042
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
THE CAROLINA LEAGUE and California League end their matchup in a 2-2 tie after 11 innings when both teams run out of pitchers. |Staff report| RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - Unbelievable. Unfathomable. Call it whatever one wants, but this was one All-Star game folks won't soon forget.
And so much for the saying that baseball games don't end in a tie.
The inaugural matchup between the California League All-Stars and the Carolina League All-Stars finished in a 2-2 tie after 11 innings as both teams ran out of pitchers to complete the event held in front of a record crowd of 6,671 at The Epicenter.
The California League ran out of pitchers first after the 10th inning and coaches of that team wanted to stop the game then but officials ruled to continue. To resume the game - and add to the uniqueness, or bizarreness - starting second baseman Joe Urso, who plays for Lake Elsinore, took the mound. With the crowd chanting ``Joe! Joe! Joe!'' he retired the side in impressive fashion.
The Carolina League took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first off California League starter Ken Cloud. Durham's Andruw Jones walked with two out and Sean Casey of Kinston singled. Jones scored on an error by the right fielder for an early one-run lead.
Ron Wright of Durham then singled and Casey came around to score on an error by the center fielder for a two-run lead. Casey, who went 2-for-4, was named most valuable player for the Carolina League in the game.
The California League scored in the seventh when Keith Kimsey, who leads the California League with 17 homers, doubled to lead off the inning. Drew Williams singled and Kimsey scored on a throwing error by Jones to cut the lead to 2-1.
The California League tied the score in the eighth when Melvin Rosario smacked a solo homer off Frederick's Russ Herbert. Rosario, who went 2-for-3, was named most valuable player for the California League.
The Carolina League had chances to win after putting runners in scoring position in the ninth and 10th innings, but could not score.
The Salem Avalanche sent two players - pitcher Doug Million and shortstop Kyle Houser - to the game. Million pitched two innings and gave up no runs on two hits. Houser was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a groundout.
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