THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 10, 1995 TAG: 9506100420
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Give Norfolk Tides manager Toby Harrah this; his team might have fallen into a tie for the West Division lead Friday with a 4-3 loss to the Pawtucket Red Sox, but it wasn't for being timid.
Bucking the conventional, conservative wisdom regarding playing from behind, Harrah kept the steal and hit-and-run signs coming as the Tides tried to fight back from a 4-2 deficit after six innings. Both times the strategy worked, but only Rey Ordonez's steal of second in the seventh inning led to a run.
Ordonez's hit-and-run single with Butch Huskey moving for second in the ninth inning went for nothing. Huskey could not advance to third, and Alberto Castillo followed by grounding into a double play that ended the game - and had Harrah thinking out loud afterward that he might have had the runners moving again.
``I just hate the double play,'' said Harrah, who often turns his runners loose when the Tides trail. He also defended outfielder Carl Everett, who tried to steal second on his own after the Tides were within 4-3 but was picked off by reliever Brian Bark.
``I possibly could have had the guys running with Bambino (Castillo),'' Harrah said. ``But I hate to make the third out at third base, and you almost want to make them turn the double play in that situation.
``And they did. You have to give them credit, too.''
When Calvin Jones wrapped up his fifth save, the Tides had company in first place for the first time since May 6.
Richmond's victory over Rochester gave the Braves and Tides an identical 37-25 mark. The loss also lowered the Tides' record in June to 3-7.
``We've played 62 games, we're not even halfway there yet,'' Harrah said. ``That's something I start worrying about when there are two weeks left in the season. Right now I'm really looking day to day, trying to get our starters back in line and keeping the guys positive.''
With starters Jason Jacome and Paul Byrd still disabled, lefthander Jimmy Williams made his second start. He settled in after a rough first inning, in which Matt Stairs ripped a two-run home run on a fat 3-1 pitch, but took the loss.
``I think he was more concerned there about throwing a strike than the guy hitting the ball out of the park,'' Harrah said. ``After that he started throwing the ball well.''
Williams allowed one hit from the second through the fifth, but gave up two more runs in the sixth on three hits.
Glenn Murray singled but wound up at third when leftfielder Tracy Sanders booted the ball. Alex Delgado's single scored him, and Randy Brown, batting
The Tides managed seven hits but struck out 11 times, tying their season high, to literally go down swinging. And running.
Notable: The Mets bypassed the Tides and reached down to Double-A Binghamton to replace traded outfielder David Segui with Jeff Barry, who began the season in Norfolk. Barry, a switch-hitter, was hitting .290 with seven home runs. ILLUSTRATION: BILL TIERNAN
Staff
Umpire C.B. Bucknor, left, and Tides manager Toby Harrah have a
difference of opinion after Norfolk's Omar Garcia was called out
attempting to steal third base.
GAMEWATCH
BOX SCORE
STANDINGS
STATISTICS
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB