THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, April 29, 1996 TAG: 9604290133
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
The Norfolk Tides broke a four-game slide Sunday with a proven equation: Get one big performance and garnish it with a lot of positives.
Mike Fyhrie provided the centerpiece, retiring the last 16 batters he faced as the Tides beat the Pawtucket Red Sox 5-2 in front of 7,631 at Harbor Park.
Fyhrie went eight innings and gave up six hits, all coming in the first three innings, to improve to 3-1 and move into a tie for the International League lead in victories.
The Tides' offense, which had stalled during the team's slide out of first place in the IL West, ignited in a variety of ways, starting with sacrifice flies by Chris Howard and Trey McCoy and ending with a two-strike bunt by Gary Thurman that was intended to be a sacrifice but became a hit.
``We executed some things pretty well,'' Tides manager Bobby Valentine said. ``Usually when you do the little things, the big part takes care of itself.''
Fyhrie gave up two runs in the second inning, but escaped when third baseman Matt Franco began and ended a double play.
With runners at first and second, Franco gloved a two-hopper by Pawtucket's Tony Rodriguez, threw to second to get Dwayne Hosey then took Shawn Gilbert's return throw to nail lead runner Rick Holifield.
``The whole ballgame turned right there,'' Pawtucket manager Buddy Bailey said. ``We've got two runs on the board and are still threatening while (Fyhrie) is struggling. Then he gets the double-play ball and they get the momentum.''
The Tides (12-10) scored twice in their half of the second. Alex Ochoa reached on a throwing error by third baseman Pork Chop Pough and Franco doubled to the gap in right. McCoy followed with an infield single that scored Ochoa. Howard's sacrifice fly one out later scored Franco.
In the ninth, Fyhrie gave way to reliever Joe Ausanio, who sat down the side in order to earn his fourth save, tying him for the IL lead.
Ausanio had given up a game-winning home run to Rodriguez two nights earlier and had absorbed losses in two of his previous four appearances.
``Fyhrie could have gone out for the ninth, but for this team to be good, we've got to have a lot of guys feeling good about themselves,'' Valentine said. ``I wanted to send (Ausanio) a message that I understand it's a long season and we need him.''
In the Tides' third, Gilbert led off with a soft single to right, stole second, moved to third on an infield single by Ochoa and scored on Franco's groundout to first for a 3-2 lead.
Timely hitting resurfaced in the sixth when Ochoa walked, took third on a single to right by Franco and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by McCoy for a 4-2 advantage.
The Tides' final run in the seventh started with Howard's double to the gap in right. Thurman dropped a two-strike bunt to the third-base side of the mound. When Pawtucket pitcher Jeff Suppan checked the lead runner, Thurman was safe. Pinch-runner Jay Payton then scored when Hatteberg threw into centerfield as Thurman stole second.
The four-game series concludes today with a 12:15 p.m. start. Norfolk's Mike Gardiner (2-0, 2.28) is scheduled to pitch against Rafael Orellano (0-3, 16.97).
NOTE: Righthander Robert Person was optioned to Norfolk from the New York Mets to make room for outfielder Carl Everett, who was activated off the Mets' disabled list. ILLUSTRATION: CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
The Virginian-Pilot
Alex Ochoa of the Norfolk Tides scores in the sixth inning by
sliding under Pawtucket Red Sox catcher Scott Hatteberg.
BOX SCORE
STANDINGS
TEAM STATISTICS
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB