THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 9, 1995 TAG: 9507090160
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Six inches separates Reid Cornelius from the inconsistent pitcher he was before he came to the Norfolk Tides and the steady force he has become. Minor tinkering with the righthander's landing point, which directs his body more toward the plate, has turned Cornelius into a demon, to which his former team, the Ottawa Lynx, can attest.
Cornelius faced Ottawa for the third time in four starts Saturday at Harbor Park and stuck to a familiar script. He blanked the Lynx on four hits over eight innings, then got last-inning relief from Paul Byrd as Norfolk took a 2-0 decision, the Tides' 11th shutout of the season.
Cornelius' effort pushed his record with the Tides to 3-0, lowered his ERA to 0.85 and continued his dominance of the Lynx. He has worked 23 innings against Ottawa, allowed two runs, won twice and took one no-decision.
Working with pitching coach Bob Apodaca, Cornelius has started to throw less across his body, and it has improved his control and pitch movement, he said.
``I've gone the last two games without walking anybody, and I don't think I've ever done that before,'' said Cornelius, who came to the Mets organization in a trade for David Segui on June 8. ``As long as I'm keeping it in play and not walking anybody, we have a chance to win.
``There's really no difference in intensity against (Ottawa). Every time out I'm trying to keep the team in the game and give us a chance to win. I don't care if it's against Ottawa, Toledo or whoever it is.''
Cornelius locked up with Joe Magrane, who outpitched Cornelius through the first six innings. The former National League ERA champion - Magrane had a 2.18 ERA with the 1988 St. Louis Cardinals - had a no-hitter until Jesus Azuaje lined a single through the middle to start the sixth.
That was the only hit allowed by Magrane, who left the 0-0 game after six innings because of a pitch count, having walked two, struck out two and frustrated the Tides with his off-speed deliveries.
``I don't have the velocity I used to have but there are a lot of pitchers in the big leagues who are successful throwing fastball-change-up,'' said Magrane, whom the Montreal Expos signed for Ottawa on June 24. Magrane had major arm surgery in 1991 and another operation in the winter of 1994 before surfacing with the California Angels last season.
But the Angels released Magrane in spring training, then the Chicago Cubs took a quick look at him and decided they too had no room.
The Tides (58-32) were pleased to see him depart, though, and took immediate advantage of Barry Manuel in the seventh. Singles by Omar Garcia and Butch Huskey got it going, then Manuel moved the runners up with a wild pitch. After Derek Lee was intentionally walked, Manuel walked Alberto Castillo to force in Garcia.
Huskey then scored when second baseman Kevin Castleberry, attempting to touch second base and throw to first to complete what would have been an inning-ending double play on Carl Everett's grounder, dropped the ball at second.
Though Cornelius retired 14 of his last 15 batters, and 10 in a row in that stretch, he was lifted in the ninth for Byrd, who navigated a suspenseful finish. He got two outs before Mark Grudzielanek, who had three hits and is batting .650 in five games with the Lynx (46-40), singled and Garcia booted Junior Felix's ground ball to first.
But Byrd jumped ahead of Yamil Benitez, who has 12 home runs, with two strikes and got him to fish for an outside fastball to end it. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MARK MITCHELL/Staff
Ottawa's Kevin Castleberry throws after forcing Tracy Sanders. He
dropped a double-play chance in the seventh as a Tides run scored.
by CNB