Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 12, 1990                   TAG: 9007120256
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: CHRIS BACHELDER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: PULASKI                                 LENGTH: Medium

BRAVES WIN 5-4 WITH RALLY IN NINTH

When the heavy smoke cleared - after a blue Pinto burned in the parking lot during the seventh inning - Pulaski rallied to a 5-4 victory over Johnson City in Appalachian League baseball.

The Braves appeared to be finished, trailing 4-2 with two out and nobody on in the bottom of the ninth. But they rallied in a flurry of big hits and cooperation from their opponents.

After Cardinals pitcher John Kelly struck out Jamie Crump and Troy Hughes to start the inning, catcher Wallace Gonzalez lined a double to the gap in right-center field.

Brian Kowitz then popped a routine fly to short-left field, but left fielder Tremayne Donald dropped the ball and Gonzalez scored.

Then, Pulaski second baseman George Virgilio, who entered the game hitless in 20 at-bats this season at Calfee Park, hit a single to center to tie the score at 4.

Kelly then balked, sending Virgilio to second.

The next batter, Trent Mongero, hit a line drive to left field and Donald again misplayed the ball, allowing Virgilio to score the winning run.

"This is a super win," said Randy Ingle, Pulaski's first-year manager. "Any time you can come back, especially in the last inning, it's big."

Despite the pressure and the home hitting slump, Virgilio said he was not nervous batting with the tying run on in the ninth.

"I'm starting to hit the ball solid," said the 19-year-old from New Jersey. "Before, during the slump, I was thinking and pressing too much.

"Tonight I just relaxed. I feel I can take the pressure. I'm going to start hitting the ball now."

Ingle said he never lost faith in his second baseman.

"George is a lot better player than 0-for-20," the manager said. "He makes contact as a hitter and gets it in play. He's going to start playing up to his capability."

Virgilio finished the game with two hits and two RBI, including a run-scoring double in the fifth inning.

Johnny Walker, Armando Rodriguez and Gonzalez also had two hits each for the Braves.

The big inning for the Cardinals was the fourth, when they scored three times on consecutive RBI singles by Joe Aversa, Ben Ellsworth and Donald.

Ingle said Tuesday's rare off day (for the major leagues' All-Star Game) helped the players regroup from a doubleheader loss to Burlington on Monday night.

With the victory, Pulaski (14-7) is a half-game behind first-place Elizabethton, which was rained out Wednesday. Johnson City is 8-11.

Pulaski and Johnson City meet tonight at Calfee Park to wrap up the two-game series.

Johnson City 100300000-4103 Pulaski 100010003-5103

Gonzalez, Baker (6), Norris (8), Kelly (8) and Dempsey; J. Roa, Shepherd (7), Ford (9), Place (9) and Gonzalez. W-Place (1-0). L-Kelly (0-1).