THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 16, 1995 TAG: 9507160139
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
Paul Wilson, the Orlando native who was the top pick in the 1994 major league draft, will make his long-anticipated Triple-A pitching debut tonight for the Norfolk Tides against Richmond. But the Harbor Park crowd of 10,423 Saturday night didn't have to wait a day to see a sterling pitching performance.
Norfolk lefthander Jimmy Williams held Richmond to five hits in seven innings, escaped with minimal damage in two innings when he loaded the bases with nobody out and eked out a 3-2 victory over the Braves.
It was the fifth victory in a row for Williams (8-2), who is one victory away from tying his career high in 11 years as a pro.
``He showed he's a veteran tonight,'' said Norfolk manager Toby Harrah, whose Tides (60-35) had lost three of their last four games.
``He managed to pitch his way out of trouble a couple of times.''
Virginia Beach native Trey McCoy had a memorable first hit with the Tides - a line-drive home run that bounced off the back of the leftfield concession stand - and first baseman Omar Garcia was 3-for-4 and drove in the game-winning run.
McCoy gave the Tides a 1-0 lead in the second with his first hit in eight at bats, and the First Colonial High and Virginia Tech alumnus nearly homered again in the sixth, when he drove Richmond centerfielder Brian Kowitz deep into the warning track on a long fly out.
``The wind held that ball up,'' Harrah said. ``He hit it to the deep part of the outfield and the wind caught it.
``He's going to help us win some ballgames. . . . We need a legitimate power threat. His home run must have gone 430 feet and it was not a high ball. It was a rocket.''
Which could have described Williams' pitches whenever the Braves threatened to score. In both the fourth and fifth innings he loaded the bases but pitched his way out of trouble after allowing one run per inning.
``I knew I couldn't get freaked out in that situation,'' Williams said. ``I made good pitches when I had to. But I need to start making those good pitches before I get into that kind of situation.''
After McCoy's home run, Norfolk's bats were essentially silent until the seventh when, with one out, pinch hitter John Orton walked and centerfielder Jay Payton was hit by Richmond pitcher Terrell Wade.
Wade was then yanked in favor of reliever Tom Thobe, whose first pitch sailed wildly into the dirt, advancing the runners to second and third.
Rightfielder Carl Everett then drove in the tying run with adeep ground ball to shortstop Jose Munoz, who had no choice but to throw to first. Garcia was up next, and he drove Payton in for the winning run with a line drive single to center.
Dave Telgheder and Paul Byrd pitched a scoreless relief inning apiece to preserve the victory, which pushed Norfolk 10 games ahead of Richmond in the West Division standings one night after a frustrating 2-1 loss at Richmond.
``We know we're not going to score a lot of runs against Richmond with their pitching staff,'' Harrah said. ``We just have to play good baseball to beat them. And tonight we did.''
NOTES: Righthander Matt Murray (10-2, 1.75 ERA) starts tonight for Richmond. Game time is 6:15. . . . The Braves were without infielder Hector Villanueva and catcher Scooter Tucker. They were serving the last game of a two-game suspension for leaving their positions during an altercation last week in Charlotte. Infielder Gary Scott will start a two-game suspension today. . . . The first 5,000 fans will receive a poster of Everett. ILLUSTRATION: MARK MITCHELL
Staff
Virginia Beach's Trey McCoy made his first hit as a Tide count, as
his home run helped Norfolk win, 3-2.
BOX SCORE
STANDINGS
STATISTICS
SCHEDULE
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB