THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 29, 1996 TAG: 9606290397
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 56 lines
NORFOLK - While Roberto Petagine was a happy camper following his ninth-inning, game-winning home run Friday night, his glee was matched by Norfolk Tides pitcher Juan Acevedo.
After some first-inning hiccups, Acevedo settled down to pitch his second complete game of the season as the Tides topped the Ottawa Lynx 4-3 at Harbor Park.
The Tides improved to 47-31 with their 11th victory in 14 games.
Acevedo went the distance for the second time in his last three outings with 120 pitches, 80 for strikes.
But his night's effort appeared in jeopardy when Lynx shortstop Chris Martin deposited his first pitch of the ninth into the picnic area beyond left field.
``After that home run I had to show that I still had plenty of strength,'' said Acevedo, who struck out eight and walked one while improving to 4-5. ``I've got to give the guy credit. I tried to intimidate (Martin) in some earlier at-bats, but it didn't work.''
Acevedo finished the ninth inning without further incident. But the Lynx didn't. With two outs, Jim Buccheri chopped a ground ball to third that Matt Franco threw wide of first and into foul territory. But when Buccheri turned to go to second, his right knee gave and Petagine tagged Buccheri out while he lay in the outfield grass after the ball was returned to the infield.
Petagine then clubbed his 10th home run of the season off relief pitcher Curt Schmidt.
``We were all wishing Juan would get out of the (ninth) inning and we could get him the win,'' Petagine said. ``He's worked hard. He's improved a lot.''
The Lynx got a quick start to the evening with Buccheri and Kevin Castleberry singling to open and Tony Barron following with a run-scoring double to right. But Acevedo settled, striking out Yamil Benitez, Ryan McGuire and Martin to escape the inning.
Norfolk struck for three runs in the third, beginning with Gary Thurman's one-out home run to left. Shawn Gilbert then tripled off the wall in the left gap and Franco followed with a bouncing single up the middle through a drawn-in infield. Franco later scored on a two-out single to center by Terrell Lowery for a 3-1 lead.
The Lynx cut the margin to 3-2 in the fourth when Acevedo hit Rick Schu to start the inning, Schu went to second on a groundout by Martin and scored on Lynx starting pitcher Anthony Telford's single through the left side.
From the fifth inning on, Acevedo didn't allow a runner beyond first base until Martin's home run.
``Hell's bells, Juan deserved that win,'' Tides manager Bobby Valentine said. ``After that first inning, he got through the rest of the innings with about 10 pitches an inning. He was throwing great.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MIKE HEFFNER, The Virginian-Pilot
Tides shortstop Luis Rivera slides into third with a triple as
Ottawa's Rick Schu misses the throw in the bottom of the second.
Roberto Petagine's homer in the ninth sealed the win for the Tides. by CNB