THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 19, 1995 TAG: 9506190118
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
If this makes any sense, it seems to be getting even easier for Jason Isringhausen.
Sunday, the latest start for the Norfolk Tides' righthander from another planet was one more stroll through the ballpark, and an opposing lineup. Left in the wake at The Diamond were the baffled Richmond Braves, 11-0 pushovers to 13 Norfolk hits and Isringhausen's effective, efficient deliveries.
Giving Isringhausen 11 runs is overkill in one of its highest forms. Even on a day when he came less-armed than in nearly any of his previous seven Triple-A appearances.
Everybody agreed Isringhausen's big curveball was nowhere to be found until late in the game. He only threw a few changeups. Thus, Isringhausen produced his second consecutive complete-game shutout, and his third such gem in eight starts, by throwing mostly fastballs.
Still, he needed only 90 pitches to five-hit the Braves, improve his record to 7-0, lower his ERA to 0.56 - it has never been above 1.00 - and extend his streak of scoreless innings to 21.
``Consistency is what they want from me, and that's what I'm trying to give them,'' said Isringhausen, who walked no one for the first time and struck out four, tying his Triple-A low. ``They were swinging early in the count. I really didn't have time to strike anybody out. And with a big lead, I could let them hit it. More than anything I wanted to get the win.''
Not a problem. It was all but in the bag after the Tides, who regained first place in the West Division, put up a pair of runs against ace lefthander Brad Woodall in the first. The lead was 4-0 after three, then ballooned in the seventh and eighth, when the Tides scored four and three times, respectively, to make it a rout.
Four of those runs came against righthander Kevin Lomon, a Rule V draft acquisition by the Mets who was recently returned to the Atlanta organization from the Mets' bullpen.
Three Tides - Carl Everett, Aaron Ledesma and Rey Ordonez - had three hits apiece, and the latter two knocked in three runs.
In a season that goes beyond the mere sensational, the last run Isringhausen allowed came on a home run by Pawtucket's Cory Snyder in a 6-1 victory June 8. In a 1-0 three-hitter vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last Tuesday, he allowed only singles, and did the same Sunday.
Kevin O'Connor and Mike Warner had two each, and Warner was the only Brave to reach second base. That was in the first, when Warner singled and moved up when Isringhausen bounced a curveball past catcher John Orton.
Isringhausen promptly picked off Warner.
``When he found his curveball late in the game, it was lights out,'' said Gerry Hunsicker, the Mets' assistant vice president of baseball operations, who watched from behind the backstop. ``The only thing about today is I would've liked to have seen his curveball for most of the game. If he can show a consistent fastball and curveball, that's the last piece of the puzzle here.''
Just when the picture will be complete and Isringhausen will leave Norfolk remains open to interpretation. Isringhausen said he's done worrying about it: ``When they think I'm ready, I'll go up,'' he said.
Hunsicker just smiled.
``He'll be up there before too long,'' Hunsicker said. ``(Bill) Pulsipher was the first to go, and Izzy won't be far behind him.'' by CNB