THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 11, 1994 TAG: 9407110180
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY BUMP, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: ROCHESTER, N.Y. LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
The wind was blowing out. The result: six home runs, and 18 runs across the plate. But in the final analysis, defense and relief pitching spelled the difference Sunday in the Norfolk Tides' 10-8 victory over the Rochester Red Wings.
``You wouldn't think a game like this would be decided by defense from the way the ball was carrying, but this one was,'' said Tides manager Bobby Valentine.
The player who was happiest that defense ruled the day was Tides leftfielder Doug Dascenzo, who went 3-for-6, scored twice and twice crashed into Silver Stadium's fence to take away run-scoring extra-base hits.
``(Saturday) I dropped a ball that helped Syracuse win the game,'' he said. ``I felt bad all night long, and I made it a point that I wanted to show people I am a better player than that.
``Today I thought the way the ball was carrying, that the first one (Manny Alexander's two-out drive with a runner at third in the fifth inning) was going to be close to going out. All three of us, me and the wall and the ball, were coming together. I was going headfirst into the wall, but I decided I was going to catch that ball no matter what.''
He did.
In the top of the next inning, Dascenzo's single drove in the go-ahead run as the Tides broke through for four runs to take a 10-6 lead, making a winner of reliever Kenny Greer (1-0). Pete Walker retired all seven Red Wings batters he faced for his second save.
The teams head into the two-day All-Star break after tonight's 7:05 game. Tides lefthander Kevin Morton (3-7) is scheduled to oppose Rochester righthander Kevin McGehee (4-7). by CNB