THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 23, 1996 TAG: 9605230523
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 58 lines
Make it two nights in a row for Gary Thurman.
After ripping a home run that helped win a game for Norfolk on Tuesday, Thurman came up with a 12th-inning single to lead the Tides over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 8-7 Wednesday night.
Thurman's bloop single to right scored Andy Tomberlin, and ended a near 4-hour marathon that began as something of a pitchers' duel.
The Tides started Mike Gardiner, who had a 24-inning scoreless streak coming into the game. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre wasted no time in snapping that streak, touching Gardiner for two early runs.
In the end, the outcome was the same as every other game Gardiner has started this season: a Norfolk victory.
This one was more circuitous than the usual Gardiner outing. He was chased in the eighth inning, but the Tides got clutch relief pitching from Rick Trlicek, who struck out six and allowed no hits in three innings.
Gardiner had been cruising until the eighth, when Kevin Sefcik reached on an error and David Tokheim singled.
Derek Wallace entered and got Gene Schall to ground out and then fanned pinch-hitter Rick Wrona.
But with Howard Battle up, Sefcik scored from third on an error by Matt Franco.
Then, Doester hit a two-out, three-run homer that put the Red Barons up 7-6.
The Tides responded in the bottom of the eighth as Gilbert singled and took third on a throwing error by Doster.
With Jason Hardtke up and the squeeze play on, Gilbert came charging from third and scored as pitcher Ricardo Jordan's throw was low. That tied it at 7.
It wasn't the only instance in which aggressive baserunning paid off for the Tides. With one out in the sixth, Gilbert and Kevin Flora pulled off a double steal. Hardke struck out on the play, but the next batter, Matt Franco, singled to right, scoring both runners.
Alberto Castillo had scored earlier on a fielder's choice by Gilbert, so the Tides had a three-run inning that gave them a 6-2 lead.
That looked like it would be enough to sustain the Tides. But Scranton scored one run in the seventh on a pair of doubles by Battle and Doster. Then Doster deposited a Wallace pitch in the leftfield picnic area and changed the course of the game.
NOTES: The Tides were without leading hitter Alex Ochoa, who strained a hamstring Tuesday night and is listed as day to day. . . . The first 5,000 fans over age 21 tonight (7p.m., WTKR) will receive Miller Lite baseball caps. A fireworks display will follow Saturday night's contest with Richmond. ILLUSTRATION: GARY C. KNAPP
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's Jon Zuber barely beats Matt Franco's tag,
sliding into third with a triple. The Norfolk Tides defeated the Red
Barons 8-7 at Harbor Park.
BOX SCORE
STANDINGS
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.] by CNB