THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 4, 1995 TAG: 9505040542
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
Much about Wednesday night at Harbor Park was business as usual: The Norfolk Tides got two more quality efforts from their starting pitchers in a doubleheader against the Pawtucket Red Sox.
The unusual part was that the Tides, who entered with a six-game winning streak and the best record in the International League, lost the first game, 2-1, and were three outs from dropping the second by a shutout. That was before a stunning last-inning rally, after a night of offensive futility, enabled them to pull out a 4-3 victory.
The Tides sent six men to the plate, all of whom reached base, and created a triumph out of thin air. With only two hits to that point, and just five for the night, the Tides (16-9) gave no indication that anything was still in their tank.
But after Jason Satre walked Derek Lee to start the seventh, Chris Jones and Ed Alicea singled, the latter scoring Lee to cut the deficit to 3-1. Butch Huskey then drilled a two-run double to tie it.
Chris Hill entered and intentionally walked pinch-hitter Omar Garcia. Bill Wertz, who had killed a Tides threat in the first game, then came on to face pinch-hitter Aaron Ledesma. After fouling off a few pitches on a 2-2 count, Ledesma bounced a chopper over the head of third baseman Tony Rodriguez, and Huskey scored the winning run.
``I thought it was going to happen the first game, too,'' Ledesma said. ``This team is so deep. There are a lot of weapons.''
Still, Greg Graham's single to start the fourth was the last hit the Tides had managed.
``That just goes to show the composure of this team,'' Huskey said. ``It takes a lot of guts to win a game like that. It was getting late, we've got a day game (today). A lot of teams would have folded and said let's get out of here. But we were going to play till the last out was made. And the first out was never made.''
Tides manager Toby Harrah said, ``It came out of nowhere. We're down, 3-0, and all of a sudden we score four runs and we didn't have anybody out yet. That was a great rally, but it doesn't really surprise me because these guys can do that. It was nice.''
The Tides have trailed entering the last inning 10 times; this was the first time they've won. They nearly did it a game earlier, but Wertz retired Jarvis Brown on a foul pop with runners on first and second to end it.
Righthander Paul Byrd wasn't outstanding in the opener, but on many nights he would have been good enough to win. The Tides got only three hits, though. He gave up runs in the first and third but retired 13 of the last 15 batters he faced.
Likewise, Dave Telgheder shook off Pawtucket's two runs in the third before giving up another run in the sixth. At the time, though, it seemed three would plenty for Pawtucket.
Appearances, however, were deceiving.
NOTES: The Tides picked up reserve catcher John Orton from Richmond for a player to be named. Orton, 29, a strong defensive player, spent parts of the 1989 through 1993 seasons with the California Angels but last year was a backup in Richmond. He hit .123 there in 36 games, and was batting .180 in 17 games this season. To make room for Orton, catcher Tony Tijerina was sent to Double-A Binghamton. . . . Reliever Bob Stoddard, 38, was released. Stoddard was a replacement player in the spring whom the Mets signed to a minor league deal. He got to pitch only 2 2/3 innings, however, with the Tides. Stoddard's departure leaves the Tides with 23 players, two under the maximum this season. assigned to Binghamton from extended spring training. . . . The Tides and Pawtucket complete the homestand today at 1:15 p.m. Mike Birkbeck (3-2, 1.09) pitches for the Tides vs. Brian Looney (0-0, 0.00). ILLUSTRATION: Color Staff photo by Beth Bergman
Pawtucket shortstop Randy Brown responds to a call of safe as the
Tides' Edwin Alicea steals second base in the first game of
Wednesday's doubleheader at Harbor Park.
by CNB