THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 28, 1996 TAG: 9607280251
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 65 lines
For eight innings Saturday night, the Norfolk Tides were airtight.
Then they sprung a leak. And another. And another. Finally, their ship was lost at sea.
The result was a disappointing 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Ottawa Lynx in front of 8,083 at Harbor Park.
The loss dropped the Tides (59-45) into a tie with Columbus for first place in the International League West Division.
Leading 2-0 heading into the ninth, the Tides turned to ace reliever Derek Wallace, who was going for a team-record 21st save that would have given starter Mike Fyhrie his IL-leading 11th victory.
Wallace walked leadoff pinch-hitter Jalal Leach on a full count. Leach then advanced on Steve Bieser's sacrifice bunt and Wallace walked Charlie Montoyo. Rob Lukachyk followed with a run-scoring single through the right side.
The Tides appeared to escape the shaky ending when Tony Barron grounded to second baseman Joel Chimelis. But Chimelis' backhand shovel to shortstop Luis Rivera at second was high and when Rivera tried to barehand it and complete the potential double play with a relay to first, the ball slipped through his fingers, leaving the bases loaded.
``I know it wasn't a perfect throw,'' said Chimelis, who was signed out of the Mexican League Friday. ``It was a little high. But I thought he could have handled it.''
Chimelis credited the miscue to a lack of practice time and familiarity with Rivera. Because of an American Legion all-star game on Friday at Harbor Park and the Beatlemania Live concert prior to Saturday's game, Chimelis and Rivera had not practiced their double-play combination.
``I just haven't been able to take ground balls (with Rivera),'' Chimelis said.
Ryan McGuire then followed with a bloop single off the end of his bat that barely got over third baseman Shawn Gilbert to drive in the tying and go-ahead runs.
After Barron stole third, Rick Schu followed with a sacrifice fly to center making it 4-2 and chasing Wallace.
Pedro Martinez came on and coaxed pinch-hitter Scott Coolbaugh into a grounder to Chimelis, who booted it to allow the final run.
``I just didn't have my good stuff and was a little wild,'' Wallace said. ``I thought I threw a decent pitch on the ball four and didn't get the call. Most times when you walk that leadoff guy, he scores.''
The Tides appeared to have gotten Fyhrie all the runs he'd need in the third. After Chimelis walked with one out, the Lynx opened the door for the Tides when a possible double-play groundout by Matt Franco ended with Franco on second after Montoyo's relay throw first sailed wide of first and into the Tides' dugout.
Benny Agbayani and Roberto Petagine followed with run-scoring doubles.
It could have been a grand night for Fyhrie. After pitching in the Kansas City Royals' organization until this year, this is his first season as a hitting pitcher and he got his first professional hit in 17 at-bats in the seventh on a hopper through the middle. First base umpire Matt Winans even took the ball out of play for Fyhrie as a momento. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MIKE HEFFNER\THE VIRGINIAN PILOT
Tides shortstop Luis Rivera chases a wild throw from Joel Chimelis
that ignited a five-run Ottawa rally in the 9th.
Closer Derek Wallace lost his chance at a team-record 21st save in
the 9th inning. by CNB