THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 3, 1996 TAG: 9608030574
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LOUIS DAIGNAULTS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: OTTAWA LENGTH: 36 lines
Norfolk's Hector Ramirez survived a shaky first inning and registered a win in his first career Triple-A ballgame as the Tides nipped the Ottawa Lynx 5-4 Friday night in the opener of a doubleheader.
Ramirez, a 24-year-old righthander compiled a 1-5 record with two saves and a 5.57 ERA in 33 relief appearances this season for Double-A Binghamton before being called up on July 25. He has been a starter for most of his career, with 104 starts in 119 minor league games coming into this season.
The Lynx greeted Ramirez with three runs in the first capped by Rick Schu's two-run home run. But Schu may have never made it to the plate if not for Shawn Gilbert's error at second with one out and one on. All three Lynx runs were unearned.
Ramirez, who allowed five hits and struck out five, demonstrated a lot of poise as he shut out the Lynx until he was relieved by Bob MacDonald in the fifth with two out and two runners on.
Gilbert redeemed himself in the fifth with a mammoth solo home run to left-center, his seventh this season, which put Norfolk ahead 4-3.
Benny Agbayani also hammered his seventh homer of the seaon, a two-run shot in the third to tie the game 3-3. Robert Pentagine brought home the winning run in the seventh with a two-out single. Matt Franco went 3 for 4 and out Norfolk ahead 1-0 with a one-out single in the first.
The Lynx threatened in the bottom of the seventh, scoring once but Tides reliever Rick Triclek who entered the game with one down in the sixth was able to muffle the comeback for his fifth save.
Jose Paniagua started for Ottawa and pitched five innings, allowing four runs on six hits.
The teams play another doubleheader Saturday. Joe Crawford (3-3, 3.68) and Padro Martinez (3-2, 2.89) start for Norfolk. by CNB