THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407170215
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Suddenly, membership in the Norfolk Tides' bullpen is a prescription for inactivity. Though that's bad news for a handful of pitchers, nothing bodes better for the Tides as they begin their assault on a playoff spot in the International League West.
On the heels of Joe Roa's seven-hit, complete-game victory over the Richmond Braves on Friday, Eric Hillman worked the same magic over the same team Saturday night at Harbor Park.
The 6-foot-10 lefthander, staggered by three consecutive poor starts that inflated his earned-run average from 1.80 to 5.11, rendered the relievers idle with his own seven-hitter and a 5-0 shutout.
Hillman's third shutout in his eight-year minor league career - he has one in the big leagues - pushed the Tides to 46-48. It was their ninth victory in 11 games and left them closer to the .500 mark than they've been since April 10, when they were 1-3.
``This is just a nice wave we're riding right now,'' said Hillman (3-1). ``I'm sure the bullpen appreciates it, too. They get two days off and now they'll be nice and strong, and if we need them they'll be ready to go with their best stuff.''
Well, maybe not. Remember that the back-to-back complete games, which moved the Tides into the league ERA lead at 3.59, came after the three-day All-Star break.
``Now they'll be stale,'' manager Bobby Valentine grumbled. ``That's OK. There'll be plenty of time in the next 48 games for the bullpen to get work.''
It appeared as though a relief call might go out early when the first two Braves reached base in the first inning. But Hillman, who was tagged for eight home runs and 16 runs in 12 innings over his last three outings, got out of trouble with a double play, one of three the Tides turned.
Hillman, in fact, had no one reach second past the sixth inning. He walked two, hit one and matched his season high with six strikeouts against the club that handed him his worst pounding - eight hits and six runs in three innings on June 30.
``After the way I embarrassed myself last time, I wanted them bad,'' Hillman said. ``I just really wanted to go out and show those guys that hey, the guy who showed up last time, a different guy showed up today.''
It was a different fate as well for Mike Birkbeck, who blanked the Tides over six innings on July 3. Hurt by a walk, an infield hit and two ground ball singles through the infield, Birkbeck (8-3) yielded three runs in the first. Overall, Birkbeck gave up eight hits and four runs in six innings and lost for the first time since May 11.
Tito Navarro, Brook Fordyce and Aaron Ledesma, who has 17 hits in his last 35 at-bats, each had two of the 10 hits collected by a club that has gone 15-8 since June 21.
``I don't think there's a team in the league better than we are,'' third baseman Butch Huskey said. ``We didn't play to our capabilities and that made it tough on us. Now we're in a groove and playing proper baseball.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI/Staff
The Tides' Aaron Ledesma tags out Braves runner Buddy Moore. The
Tides have gone 15-8 since June 21.
by CNB