THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608070420
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 55 lines
One could call it a gamble to pull the starting pitcher in the seventh inning of a scoreless game. Mike Fyhrie, who happened to be that starting pitcher, called it a no-brainer.
The Norfolk Tides made the move pay off with four runs. And once reliever Rick Trlicek pitched two perfect innings to close out the 4-0 victory over the Richmond Braves, Tides manager Bobby Valentine looked like a genius.
The win allowed the Tides (67-49) to keep pace with International League West Division-leading Columbus, which beat Syracuse 8-5 Tuesday and has a two-game cushion over Norfolk.
``I kind of had a feeling I was getting pulled when I saw Joel (Chimelis) loosening up in the dugout,'' said Fyhrie, who posted his league-leading 12th victory. ``We had a great scoring chance and in a 0-0 game you've got to do everything you can to get a run in.''
After Kevin Roberson and Luis Rivera walked and Alberto Castillo moved them over with a sacrifice bunt to start the Tides' half of the seventh, Fyhrie was called back to the dugout.
``Mike was pitching great, but we had to take the opportunity when it presented itself,'' Valentine said. ``It was a crapshoot.''
The move appeared to backfire when Kevin Lomon had Chimelis in a quick two-strike hole. But when Lomon tried to jam him on an 0-2 pitch, Chimelis shattered his bat while chopping a swinging bunt down the third base line.
``I was just trying to fight off anything,'' said Chimelis. ``I couldn't afford to take strike three. All I saw when I swung were pieces of wood going everywhere.''
Roberson, who broke for home immediately, barely beat Lou Benbow's throw to the plate, although a hot argument between Lomon, Richmond catcher Joe Ayrault and home plate umpire Brian Gibbons followed.
``I thought he slid behind the plate, but (Gibbons) said his back leg touched the plate,'' said Ayrault. ``I tagged his front leg. There's no way he's safe. But it was bang-bang. That's tough on the call, but it ended up costing us the game. They scored three more runs after that.''
After Roberson scored, Rivera was caught between third an home on an aborted squeeze play for the second out. Shawn Gilbert followed with a run-scoring double to the gap, chasing Lomon and Jason Hardtke welcomed reliever Mark Lee, who began the season with the Tides, with a two-run home run into the picnic area in left.
TIDAL WAVES: Valentine said he did not foresee the Tides adding a player to their roster after the callup of first baseman Roberto Petagine to the parent New York Mets on Tuesday. Petagine joined the Mets after first baseman Butch Huskey was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a knee injury. Matt Franco moved over from third to first base Tuesday night. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MIKE HEFFNER/The Virginian-Pilot
Richmond catcher Joe Ayrault puts the tag on Kevin Roberson of the
Tides, but he was called safe which caused an argument. by CNB