THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 26, 1995 TAG: 9507260521
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
One night after Darryl Strawberry and the Columbus Clippers beat the Norfolk Tides, the Tides beat themselves.
Columbus took advantage of three errors and nine walks from the Tides to claim a 4-1 victory Tuesday at Harbor Park.
Strawberry, the former major league star trying to work his way up to the New York Yankees, was a non factor. He was 0-for-4, struck out twice and walked once.
He started in rightfield - he was the designated hitter in his previous 12 starts - but didn't touch a ball. Little wonder. Norfolk managed just five hits.
Columbus, which had 18 hits and five home runs Monday, had just four. But the Clippers didn't need many hits to score.
``Walks and errors, they're the kiss of death,'' Tides manager Toby Harrah said. ``Columbus made the plays when they had to and their bullpen did well.''
The loss ended the six-game winning streak of Jimmy Williams (9-3), Norfolk's 6-foot-8 lefthander. Williams pitched well through six innings, allowing just one run. He got himself into trouble in the seventh when he walked three of the first four batters to load the bases.
``I just lost my concentration,'' Williams said. ``I was trying to do too much. I was trying to catch the black (of the plate) instead of just pitching and letting the natural action of the ball take it there.''
With two runners on base, pitching coach Bob Apodaca went to the mound and tried to convince Williams to just rear back and throw.
``He told me to relax, and go after this guy with your fastball. He can't hit your fastball,'' Williams said.
But Williams walked Tony Perezchica to load the bases and was pulled in favor of Bryan Rogers.
Rogers gave up one run, but staved off major damage by forcing two Clippers to ground out.
Norfolk threatened in the sixth with two runners on and no outs, before flaming out with a double play and a strikeout. In the seventh, Ray Ordonez singled, then came home on Edwin Alicea's double to deep left field that halved the Columbus lead, 2-1.
The rally ended when Columbus reliever Dave Pavlas got Jay Payton to ground out, then struck out Omar Garcia, the league's second-best batter.
Columbus scored twice more in the top of the ninth, using three walks, an error and no hits.
Harrah said Williams' only fault to date has been giving up walks.
``Jimmy pitched well,'' Harrah said. ``But there are times when he's his own worst enemy. The fact that he gives up too many walks is the only thing holding him back from moving up. He doesn't get hit hard. He just walks more players than he's supposed to.''
The three-game series concludes tonight. Sport, formerly known as the Phillie Phanatic, will perform at Harbor Park.
Harrah hopes the Tides' bats do too, after two unproductive games in a row.
``Our bats have been a little silent lately,'' Williams said.
Harrah added: ``This time of year, baseball is like a marathon. All we can do is go out and get them tomorrow.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos by FABIAN MATZERATH, (left photo), and LAWRENCE JACKSON
(above)
Tides ball girl Lorraine Flores, left, keeps watch at hot Harbor
Park, seen through the tarp roll. Jimmy Williams, above, tries to
get untracked on the mound. He found trouble with walks in the
seventh.
by CNB