THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 20, 1994 TAG: 9407200550
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
If there is a more productive .230 hitter and part-time player in the minor leagues than Jim Vatcher, the Norfolk Tides will have to see him to believe him.
Vatcher, who literally begged for an invitation to spring training and played his way into a contract, made his charmed presence pay off again by hitting his second grand slam of an amazingly clutch season Tuesday night at Harbor Park.
The sixth-inning blast off Keith Garagozzo lifted the Tides past the Columbus Clippers, 7-5, made a hero of Vatcher, a winner of Frank Seminara and gave the Tides the look of a bonafide playoff contender after virtually a season-long struggle toward the .500 mark.
At 48-49, the Tides are a half-game behind Columbus for third place in the West Division and could overtake the Clippers (48-48) tonight. With Richmond's loss, the Tides also are just 5 1/2 games out of second place and a playoff spot.
The remaining six weeks offer plenty of time for scoreboard watching. The previous four months, however, have afforded ample opportunity to marvel at Vatcher's uncanny contributions.
In 210 at-bats, Vatcher has nine home runs (tied for second on the team) and 36 RBIs (fourth) on just 48 hits for a .229 average. His first grand slam May 8 came in the bottom of the ninth and beat Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre. Ten days later, Vatcher's three-run home run fueled a 10-run, last-inning eruption that beat Scranton again in a game in which he, ironically, also was the winning pitcher.
On top of that, Vatcher was credited with his 12th outfield assist Tuesday, though catcher Joe Kmak dropped the throw that would have retired Jalal Leach at the plate.
``He hasn't wasted any of his home runs or RBIs,'' Tides manager Bobby Valentine said. ``It seems like he's a big-play player.''
The Tides trailed, 4-3, in the sixth when Aaron Ledesma singled, Jeromy Burnitz walked and Butch Huskey beat out a bunt to load the bases. Vatcher deposited Garagozzo's first pitch over the leftfield fence for his fourth career slam.
``It's a powerful feeling,'' said Vatcher, 29, once a Phillies prospect.``You know that you just drove in four runs with one swing of the bat and put your team up three runs.
``Definitely, I'm not wasting my hits this year, which is nice. If you're going to hit for a low average, you've got to drive in runs. If I was hitting
Instead, he and the Tides are on a healthy roll. They have won four of their last five, during which every starting pitcher has gone at least seven innings.
``We're playing great ball,'' Seminara said. ``Tonight, we're down a few runs, we come back, Jim comes through in the clutch and the guys played some great defense behind me. That's big when you're a sinker ball pitcher, you make them hit it on the ground and they're fielding everything. It makes your job a lot easier. Everything's coming together a little bit right now.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
RALPH FIZGERALD
Columbus' Billy Masse, left, and Jahal Leach say so, and the ump
buys it - the Tides' Joe Kmak dropped the ball, allowing in a run.
by CNB