THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 1996 TAG: 9607270401
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 76 lines
It wasn't a must win for the Norfolk Tides Friday night at Harbor Park, but it was close.
Meaning it was time to turn to the closer.
Relief ace Derek Wallace earned his team record-tying 20th save of the season when he pitched the final 1 1/3 innings of the Tides' 4-2 victory over the Columbus Clippers.
The win gives the first-place Tides (59-44) a one-game advantage over the Clippers in the International League West Division. They also avoided a two-game sweep by the red-hot Clippers, who have won 22 of their last 31.
Wallace struck out two of the four batters he faced and retired Tracy Woodson, who homered earlier, on a pop to first base to end it.
He equaled Wes Gardner's single-season team record for saves, set in 1984, with over a month left in the regular season.
``I didn't even know,'' said Wallace, who would have happily shared the save with Pedro Martinez and Rick Trlicek.
Mike Gardiner (9-2) tired after 6 2/3 innings, his longest start in over a month, and Martinez came on to face speedy Bubba Carpenter with runners at first and second and the Tides holding a two-run lead.
Martinez lured Carpenter into a slow roller to first baseman Roberto Petagine, then won the foot race with Carpenter to the bag to make the putout.
``That changed the complexion of the game,'' Tides manager Bobby Valentine said. ``If he doesn't beat (Carpenter) to the bag, then I have to go to Trlicek in the seventh with the bases loaded and the No. 1 and 2 hitters up.''
Norfolk got on the board in the first when Jay Payton walked, took third on Shawn Gilbert's single through the right side and scored when Columbus botched what could have been an inning-ending double play.
After Matt Franco struck out, Benny Agbayani grounded back to pitcher Brian Boehringer, but neither shortstop Matt Howard nor second baseman Robert Eenhoorn covered second. Payton trotted home when Boehringer threw to Eenhoorn, who was well behind the bag at second.
The Clippers tied it in the third on a double to the gap in left by Carpenter and a run-scoring single to left by Howard.
The Tides reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third, rallying for two runs with two out. Petagine, who'd gone 0 for his last 17, ended the slump with a double over first base. After Kevin Roberson walked, Terrell Lowery singled to left on a full count with runners on the move, scoring Petagine. Joel Chimelis, whom the Tides had signed earlier in the day, scored Roberson with a bloop single to right.
The Clippers again cut into the lead when Woodson homered deep into the visitors' bullpen to lead off the fifth.
But the Tides again answered.
Agbayani started the bottom of the fifth with a single up the middle and Petagine singled over short on a hit-and-run. Roberson's sacrifice fly down the leftfield line scored Agbayani.
``Petagine's a good hitter,'' Valentine said. ``Those last 10 or 12 at-bats (of the 0-for-17 slump) he still had a real stiff arm but was playing anyway. That hit with Benny going was really crucial.'' Petagine had been hit by a pitch Monday against Toledo, causing him to leave one game and miss another.
The Tides close out the current home stand with a three-game series against Ottawa.
ROSTER MOVES: The Tides acquired Chimelis from Oaxaca of the Mexican League, to shore up an infield that is still awaiting the recovery of second baseman Jason Hardtke from a knee injury. Chimelis, who turns 29 today, was hitting .331 for Oaxaca. . . .
Tides outfielders Kevin Flora and Gary Thurman have both been assigned to the Class A St. Lucie Mets. Flora (wrist surgery) was activated from the disabled list Friday and assigned to St. Lucie, probably for a week's worth of rehabilitation work. Thurman's assignment brought the Tides back in line with the IL's 23-player roster limit. . . . Also, relief pitcher Jason Bullard (0-3, 4.89) has been assigned to Double-A Binghamton. ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
The Virginian-Pilot
Norfolk's bemused Jay Payton walks in after being picked off, with
guest first base coach Mike Fyhrie behind. Payton did score a run in
a 4-2 win. by CNB