THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 4, 1996 TAG: 9607040697
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 44 lines
When the Norfolk Tides opened Wednesday's game with four consecutive hits resulting in three runs, it looked like it was going to be one of those nights when the scoreboard at The Diamond went wacky.
And so the evening went. But if any of the scoreboard lights burned out, blame the home team.
The Richmond Braves equalled the Tides' first and kept on swinging on their way to a season-high four home runs and an 11-4 victory.
With management promising a huge Fourth of July fireworks display tonight, the Braves gave the 5,325 on hand a preview.
Aldo Pecorilli homered twice, Juan Williams went deep and Joe Ayrault added a shot of his own as the Tides (50-33) lost for only the fifth time in 19 games.
``They're good hitters, but we didn't throw many good pitches tonight,'' Tides manager Bobby Valentine said after watching four Norfolk pitchers give up a season-high nine walks in only eight innings.
The teams close out this two-at-home, two-away series tonight at 7 p.m., with Richmond's Brad Woodall (8-5, 3.32) facing Norfolk's Rick Reed (4-7, 3.22).
The Tides' first five batters exploded to start the game, starting with a leadoff home run by Gary Thurman, singles by Shawn Gilbert and Matt Franco, a two-run triple by Terrell Lowery and a walk to Roberto Petagine, which added up to a 3-0 lead.
But Richmond starter Chris Brock settled down, surrendering only one more unearned run.
The Braves scored three runs of their own in the first. Pablo Martinez singled with one out and Williams homered to deep center with two down. After Pecorilli singled and Raul Rodarte walked, Pedro Swann delivered an RBI single to left off Tides starter Juan Acevedo.
Pecorilli homered to lead off the third and the Braves got two more in the fifth off reliever and losing pitcher Jason Bullard.
After Bullard walked Pecorilli and Rodarte to start the inning, Swann delivered a run-scoring single to right and Ayrault lifted a sacrifice fly to left for a 6-4 lead.
Ayrault's two-run blast in the seventh off Bob MacDonald and Pecorilli's three-run shot in the eighth off Joe Ausanio closed out the scoring for the Braves (37-48). by CNB