THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506040188
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIK HARDEN, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: COLUMBUS, OHIO LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Four Norfolk pitchers combined for a record 20 strikeouts against Columbus batters in a 15-inning game Saturday night, but it wasn't enough to prevent a loss by the Tides.
Columbus catcher Jeff Livesey's two-out RBI single to shallow center off reliever Phil Stidham scored Don Sparks from second base in the bottom of the 15th as the Clippers (22-32) defeated the division-leading Tides, 3-2, at Cooper Stadium.
Norfolk manager Toby Harrah, however, had nothing but praise for his pitching staff afterwards.
``I was happy with their performance tonight. They really worked their tails off,'' Harrah said. ``Our pitching has been solid all season. Our pitching is what's going to get us to the top; not our hitting or defense.''
Starter Jason Isringhausen (4-0) went nine innings, striking out 12 and giving up only two runs on five hits, but failed to pick up his fifth straight win.
Columbus scored first with a two-run fifth inning, keyed by Bubba Carpenter's bases-empty home run, his fifth on the season.
Carpenter, who nearly hit for the cycle in Friday night's game, drilled Isringhausen's 1-2 pitch over the fence in rightfield for his fifth of the season. Livesey then walked with two outs and scored on Carlton Fleming's RBI-double that bounced over the head of a charging Carl Everett in leftfield.
``Except for that one changeup on the home run, he (Isringhausen) pitched excellent,'' Harrah said.
The runs ended Isringhausen's stretch of consecutive innings without allowing an earned run at 14, and were only the second and third earned runs given up by him in 35 innings pitched.
The Tides (35-20) cut it to 2-1 in the top of the eighth when Ed Alicea scored from third on Omar Garcia's sacrifice fly to deep centerfield off reliever Matt Dunbar.
Columbus stranded runners in scoring position in the ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th innings before scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 15th.
Clipper relievers got out of numerous jams late in the game, leaving Tides in scoring position in the 10th, 11th, 12th and 15th innings.
Stidham was pinned with the loss, evening his record at 1-1 on the season.
Tim Rumer (5-4) pitched the final four innings for the Clippers, allowing four hits and striking out four to get the victory.
Carpenter went 3 for 6 with an RBI and a run scored to lead the Clippers.
Harrah said he didn't mind playing a third straight extra-inning game.
``I like playing in them, they're exciting,'' Harrah said. ``Of course, they're more exciting if you win.'' by CNB