Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 30, 1990 TAG: 9006300279
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Grebe pitched well for six innings, but was victimized by a couple of unearned runs and a lack of run support in taking a 5-1 loss to the Princeton Patriots in Appalachian League baseball Friday night at Calfee Park.
"I walked a batter in the sixth, we have an error, they have a base hit and two unearned runs score," the 19-year-old right-hander said. "Tough to lose on unearned runs. But [it] happens."
The Braves (6-3), who were tied for the league lead coming in, lost for only the third time in nine outings. Princeton, a co-op team with mostly Philadelphia Phillies farmhands, improved to 5-4.
Pulaski had seven hits but scored no more runs after Trent Mongero singled and scored on Pat Dando's sacrifice fly in the fifth. Through the last four innings, Princeton's left-handed reliever David Hammond held Pulaski to one hit.
"We got pretty good pitching and they got pretty good pitching, but they found the holes," Braves manager Randy Ingle said. "We hit some balls hard, but right at them."
Baserunning mistakes were expensive lapses for Pulaski. Two runners were cut down at the plate. In the fourth, Juan Williams and the trailing Jimmie Pullins got bunched up at third and Williams had to be sent to his doom on a relay from center to short.
The Patriots scored three times in the eighth on a two-run single by Francisco Tejada and a sacrifice fly by Steve Hollins put the game out of reach. That was the second run-scoring sacrifice fly for Hollins in the game.
Grebe, who signed in 1989 after being drafted in the ninth round, struck out six and walked two while scattering four hits. He said his most effective tool was the curveball.
"He had a real good one tonight," Braves pitching coach Cloyd Boyer said. "He's a good prospect, good kid - works real hard. He's got a chance to make a lot of money. You got to like him."
Grebe has had a big year. So far in the past 12 months, he has graduated from high school in Huntington Beach, Calif., signed a contract, gotten married and had a son.
Now, 1-1 as a pitcher, he also is learning to deal with occasional misfortune.
\ BRAVES BRIEFS: Atlanta scouting director Paul Snyder and ace scout and former Pulaski hitting instructor Smoky Burgess were at the ballpark Friday. . . . There was a season-high 781 fans in attendance, bringing the average for five home dates to 525, well ahead of last year's pace of 313.i
Princeton 000002030-572 Pulaski 000010000-172
Repoz, Hammond (6) and Rusk. Grebe, Ford (7), Place (8) and Gonzalez. W - Hammond (1-1). L - Grebe (1-1).
by CNB