THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 26, 1995 TAG: 9506260140
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
The Norfolk Tides are a tough team to beat on any given night. Make it a day game and the task is nearly impossible.
By rallying for four runs in the sixth before a downpour arrived the seventh, the Tides posted a 4-2 rain-shortened victory over Toledo to sweep the three-game series and run their day-game record to 16-3.
The Tides (49-29) improved their lead over Richmond in the International West to 6 1/2 games, their largest cushion of the season.
Of course, as dark as it became in the seventh inning, it was difficult to identify this as day baseball.
After watching lightning strike repeatedly across the Elizabeth River for three innings, it came a little too close in the bottom of the seventh when a bolt hit near the parking lot behind the rightfield bleachers. The Tides' Butch Huskey, who was on first base after walking, jumped nearly 15 feet into foul territory and all the players sprinted to their dugouts.
``I thought it had hit one of the light poles,'' said Tides third baseman Aaron Ledesma. ``When we're out there with metal spikes on our feet we're not going to be out there long.''
Fortunately for the Tides, they'd struck with their own bolts an inning earlier.
Med Hens starter Buddy Groom, who has a history of strong outings at Harbor Park, had limited the Tides to three hits in five innings and held a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. But matters began to unravel when the Tides' Greg Graham doubled to the gap in left to open the frame.
After Ricky Otero popped up a bunt, Huskey drove a run-scoring double to the wall in left and Carl Everett followed with a single to right. Groom was lifted with runners on first and third and one out.
``Other than that, Buddy was pitching well,'' Toledo manager Tom Runnells said. ``But I felt I needed to go with a righthander against a righthander.''
Omar Garcia welcomed reliever Gary Buckels with a run-scoring single through the left side of a drawn-in infield and Ledesma followed with a two-run double to the gap in right for the 4-2 lead.
The Mud Hens had scratched out a run in the second when Tides starter Jimmy Williams (5-2) ill-advisedly fielded Rudy Pemberton's chopper halfway down the third base line and threw wide of first. Pemberton scored from second on Kevin Baez's single to center.
Toledo scored again in the top of the sixth when Pemberton's sacrifice fly scored Tony Clark, who had led off the inning with a walk.
The Mud Hens looked as if they would threaten again when Jim Givens led off the seventh with a double to the power alley in left, chasing Williams.
But the Tides' Dave Telgheder got Craig Wilson to line to center and a hard-charging Otero gloved it, then doubled up Givens off second. Telgheder then struck out Derrick White to end the inning and eventually earned the save, his second of the season. It was the Tides pitching staff's 28th strikeout in the three-game series.
The clouds unloaded in the bottom of the seventh with two out and runners on first and second and the umpire crew waited 2 hours, 31 minutes before officially calling it. The rain delay was 15 minutes longer than the game; only 400 or so of the 10,174 in attendance remained.
``In Single-A ball we would have finished,'' Ledesma said. ``But I don't think it's wise in Triple-A. There are too many major-league prospects.''
Notes: Since Tides shortstop Rey Ordonez, a Cuban defector, can not leave the U.S. due to lack of an appropriate visa, he will be sent to Double-A Binghamton for three days while the Tides travel to Ottawa for a three-game series beginning today.
Binghamton's Kevin Morgan will join the Tides in Ottawa and will start at shortstop. Ordonez will rejoin the Tides in Richmond Friday following an off day. Also, middle relief pitcher Jim McCready has been sent to Binghamton. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Lawrence Jackson, Staff
Tides starting pitcher Jimmy Williams...
Photo by LAWRENCE JACKSON, Staff
Tides first baseman Omar Garcia, right, tags out Toledo's Jim Givens
as shortstop Rey Ordonez jumps out of the way on the rundown play.
by CNB