THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 1996 TAG: 9604230484
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
According to Chris Seelbach, the baseball gods follow his every pitch at Harbor Park.
It's becoming increasingly difficult to argue that point.
Seelbach, who won his Triple-A debut here two years ago while with the Richmond Braves, scattered five hits over seven innings as the Charlotte Knights topped the Norfolk Tides 5-2 on Monday night.
``I think every game I've pitched here I've pitched well,'' said Seelbach, who also took a no-hitter into the ninth inning at Harbor Park last season before giving up two hits and losing 1-0 to Paul Wilson, who pitched his own one-hitter that evening.
``I had some great defense behind me tonight.''
For instance, Jason Robertson's sliding catch of Alex Ochoa's sinking line drive with runners at second and third in the third inning.
Or Darrell Whitmore's grab of another liner by Ochoa with two on in the seventh.
``We hit a lot of balls hard at people,'' said Ochoa, who was a hard-luck 0 for 4 with a sacrifice fly.
The Knights (8-4) pulled into a first-place tie with the Tides (10-6) atop the International League West Division and actually lead by percentage points. The four-game series continues tonight at 7:15.
The Knights got on the board early when Robertson, who was 0 for 16 and had struck out eight times coming in, hit the scoreboard in rightfield with a 400-foot, two-run shot off losing pitcher Mike Fyhrie. It was Robertson's first Triple-A hit.
Charlotte added a run in the third when Ralph Milliard lined a double off the leftfield wall, took third on Edgar Renteria's groundout to short, then scored on Whitmore's grounder to second.
The Tides cut into the lead in the fifth when Kevin Flora doubled to lead off and Shawn Gilbert followed with a single to left. When leftfielder Tommy Gregg's throw to third baseman Lou Lucca was mishandled, Gilbert moved up a base. Matt Franco followed with a run-scoring groundout to second and Ochoa's flyout to center added the second run.
Seelbach was pulled to start the eighth, giving way to pinch-hitter Jose Olmeda. Olmeda singled, stole second, reached third on a groundout and scored another out later on Whitmore's double down the leftfield line for a 4-2 lead.
The Knights added another run in the ninth when Billy McMillon walked, went to third on Milliard's double to left and scored on a single to right by Renteria.
Charlotte's Dan Chergey came on in relief in the eighth, but got into a jam when Gilbert, who was 4 for 4, singled with two out and Franco walked on a full count.
But Miguel Batista came on and picked up the save when Ochoa grounded hard to short and Renteria gloved the shot and flipped to second for the final out.
``We battled 'em all the way,'' said Tides manager Bobby Valentine. ``We kept setting the table but couldn't cash in.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK, The Virginian-Pilot
Charlotte shortstop Edgar Renteria snowcones a grounder up the
middle, robbing Tides pitcher Mike Fyhrie of a single.
by CNB