THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 5, 1996 TAG: 9604050629
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
In theory, hitters are supposed to be ahead of pitchers early in the season. Somebody forgot to tell the pitchers before Thursday night's season opener at Harbor Park.
Rick Reed and Justin Thompson, the starting pitchers for the Norfolk Tides and Toledo Mud Hens, pitched a combined 15 innings and gave up only six combined hits.
Then the bullpens got into the act.
By the time Toledo scratched across a run - unearned to boot - this one had gone 15 innings, two short of the Tides' franchise record, and many of the 9,603 on hand at game's beginning were home asleep.
Tony Clark beat out a grounder over third base, then reached second when Shawn Gilbert's throw up the line went into the Tides' dugout to start the 15th.
Clark went to third on a single to left by Micah Franklin, then scored with one out on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Raul Casanova. Clark just beat the throw by Gary Thurman.
Joe Crawford, who came on in the 15th, absorbed the loss. A.J. Sager pitched two innings in relief for the win and Jeff McCurry retired the side in the 15th for the save.
The four-game series continues tonight, with the Tides' Mike Gardiner taking the mound against Toledo's C.J. Nitkowski.
The Mud Hens threatened in the fourth when they loaded the bases. Steve Rodriguez singled sharply to left, Tim Hyers reached after being hit by a pitch and Franklin singled to left with one out. But Phil Hiatt grounded into a double play to short, ending the threat.
Reed, who spent the majority of 1995 with Triple-A Indianapolis, going 11-4, went eight innings, allowing just three hits, walking none and striking out seven.
The lefthanded Thompson, one of the top prospects in the Detroit Tigers organization, gave up just three hits in seven innings.
The biggest trouble for Thompson came in the third when Gilbert doubled with one out, reached third on a fielder's choice, then was stranded when Jay Payton bounced back to the mound.
The Tides had an opportunity to win it in the eighth when Gilbert and Gary Thurman singled to start the inning and Gilbert reached third on a fielder's choice. Alex Ochoa grounded into an inning-ending double play when second baseman Steve Rodriguez's relay to first beat Ochoa by a hair.
The Tides had another chance in the ninth with Roberto Petagine on second with two out, but shortstop Fausto Cruz lunged to glove Luis Rivera's sharp grounder up the middle and threw him out.
Toledo's best chance to end it earlier came in the 13th when Phil Hiatt walked, stole second and reached third on Duane Singleton's one-out single. But Cruz grounded to short to start a double play. ILLUSTRATION: BILL TIERNAN COLOR PHOTOS
Tides rightfielder Alex Ochoa slides as he tries to catch a ball
that fell in for a single in the third inning Thursday. Second
baseman Kevin Morgan also gave chase.
Three-year-old Brandon Valentine, no relation to Tides manager Bobby
Valentine, gets an assist from Jayne Wallace as he gets an autograph
from Tides pitcher Pat Ahearne before the game.
by CNB