THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 9, 1996 TAG: 9607090349
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOKOLOSKI, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 50 lines
Losing two straight games isn't going to leave the Norfolk Tides depressed during the All-Star break.
Instead, Tides manager Bobby Valentine came up with what could be a perfect gameplan for the next two days.
``Get everyone away from the ballpark,'' Valentine said.
The Tides will take today and Wednesday off during the All-Star break, then work out in Norfolk Thursday before hosting Rochester Friday.
That should help Norfolk forget about Monday's 5-3 loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which left the Tides with a comfortable lead in the International League West with a 53-35 record.
Same score, same results as the Tides lost 5-3 two nights in a row.
``Just another game,'' Valentine said. ``We had a lead, we didn't hold it and we didn't execute as well as we should have to get back in it.''
The Tides were hurt by pitcher Bobby Munoz and outfielder Glenn Murray, a couple of Philadelphia Phillies currently performing with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on injury rehabilitation assignments.
``They played a big part in the win, no doubt about that,'' Valentine said.
Murray, beginning a 20-day rehab stint Monday, lined a solo home run over he leftfield wall to begin a three-run rally that gave Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a lead to keep.
Murray, trying to overcome a ligament tear in his right wrist, also singled twice in a 3-for-3 night and drew a walk.
``I want to play a few days and see if it'll hold up for me,'' Murray said of the wrist. ``I'm not going to hold back and try to baby it. If it hurts, I've got to have surgery.''
After allowing three runs over the first four innings, Munoz held Norfolk scoreless from the fifth through seventh innings.
``I just couldn't get loose early,'' Munoz said.
He also followed Murray's homer with an RBI double later in the fourth inning, then scored on Rob Butler's RBI single to give the Red Barons a 4-3 lead.
``I can hit,'' Munoz smiled.
That rally overcame a solid start by the Tides.
Gary Thurman doubled and scored in the first inning, then Roberto Petagine began the second with a homer to leftfield.
After Jose Flores delivered an RBI single for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to cut Norfolk's lead to 2-1, Benny Agbayani used an RBI single to give the Tides a two-run lead again.
It didn't last, though, as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre used its big fourth inning and Jon Zuber's RBI single in the seventh to salvage a split of the four-game series.
``I'll take the split,'' Valentine said. by CNB