THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 25, 1995 TAG: 9504250408
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY AARON PORTZLINE, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Bill Pulsipher is human.
Columbus Clippers on Monday night proved that Pulsipher, who had been overpowering in his first three starts of the season, could be had just like any other pitcher in the International League.
Norfolk manager Toby Harrah gave Pulsipher every opportunity to reclaim his dominance but the Clippers wouldn't allow it, cruising to a 7-4 victory before 1,778 at Cooper Stadium.
``He's been really tough so far this season,'' Harrah said. ``He wasn't on as much tonight, not as sharp. He made some mistakes, and he hasn't done much of that to this point.''
Pulsipher stifled Columbus on April 18, pitching eight innings and allowing just five hits in an 11-1 victory. He entered Monday night with a 3-0 record and a 1.17 ERA.
Monday night wasn't nearly as smooth. He lasted seven innings but gave up 12 hits, seven runs - four earned - and four walks. He also had a balk.
``He hung some pitches, and some of the mistakes he made forced him to throw 20 or 25 pitches more than he should have,'' Harrah said. ``That eventually will catch up with you.''
Harrah said the problem wasn't just with Pulsipher's pitches but with his all-around performance. In the sixth inning, Pulsipher fielded a grounder that might have rolled foul and let a popped-up squeeze bunt fall in front of him, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
Those mistakes opened the door for a three-run inning that put Columbus ahead, 6-4.
Pulsipher, pitching for the first time on Astroturf, said he didn't adjust well: ``I would said I wasn't as sharp as I have been the last couple times. A couple bloops here and some weird turf bounces there and that's all it took.
``That bunt, I probably should have had. My catcher (Alberto Castillo) thought I was going to get it and I thought the same with him. I froze, call it a brain cramp.''
The Tides took a 3-1 lead by the third inning thanks to five walks by Columbus starter Tim Rumer (3-0). Columbus tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the third and scored three runs in the sixth for a 6-4 lead. A final run off Pulsipher (3-1) in the seventh sealed it.
The second of a three-game series will start at 7:05 tonight. Righthander Mark Carper (0-2) will start for Columbus against lefthander Chris Roberts (1-1).
PLAYER MOVES: The Tides brought their roster to a full 25 players Monday by demoting third baseman Chris Saunders and pitcher Mark Fuller to Double-A Binghamton and picking up righthander Phil Stidham off waivers from the Detroit Tigers.
Stidham, 26, spent most of last season at Toledo, where he was 3-3 with three saves and a 3.13 ERA. In 4 1/3 innings with the Tigers, he had no record and a 24.92 ERA.
Saunders, the Tides' regular third baseman until Aaron Ledesma was sent down from the Mets, batted .232 with three home runs and seven RBIs. Fuller had one save and a 2.08 ERA in 4 1/3 innings. ILLUSTRATION: BOX SCORE
STANDINGS
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB